October 26, 1874 The Grand Trunk Railway is converted to Standard Gauge east of Montreal.

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October 26, 1933 The Pullman Railplane, an experimental self-powered car, is tested on the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton. The straight track on the DT&I allows the Railplane to reach its top speed of 90 mph (145 km/h).

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October 26, 1995 The Montreal / Deux-Montagnes Commuter Train Line is modernized and reopened after being closed for three consecutive summers.

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Mark Tomlonson

October 25, 1926 The Detroit, Toledo & Ironton begins using Pullman-built gas-electric cars between Delray and Bainbrdge OH. The new equipment cuts travel time from 11 to 9 ? hours.

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October 25, 1969 The last loads of livestock are unloaded at Durand MI.

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Mark Tomlonson

October 21, 1918 First train on the Montreal - Deux-Montagnes line.

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October 22, 1906 William Mackenzie and Donald Mann file plans with the Government of Canada to build their Canadian Northern Railway's mainline from Edmonton through the Yellowhead Pass to the Pacific coast. The greater portion of the line remains in service as Canadian National's mainline.

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October 22, 1929 The Grand Trunk carferry "Milwaukee" is lost in a violent storm in Lake Michigan. Waves smash the seagate, which allows water to enter the lower decks through grates covering the coal chutes on the car deck. None of the 42 people aboard survive. The hull will be located in 1972.

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October 23, 1959 Grand Trunk Western 4-8-4 6325 is donated to the City of Battle Creek and placed on display in a city park.

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Mark Tomlonson

October 20, 1881 Construction of the Pontiac, Oxford & Port Austin Railroad (later GTW) begins in Caseville, bringing rail service to Michigan's "Thumb" area.

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October 20, 1920 The Association of American Railroads issues standards for stenciling reporting marks on the sides of freight cars.

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October 20, 1978 Last day for an agent working out of the former Vicksburg MI passenger depot. The structure, located at the crossing of the former Grand Rapids & Indiana and Grand Trunk Western, is now home to the Vicksburg Historical Society.

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Mark Tomlonson

October 19, 1878 The Detroit & Milwaukee is reorganized as the Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee. [later GTW]

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October 19, 1893 A Grand Trunk passenger train wrecks at Battle Creek MI, killing 26.

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Mark Tomlonson

开云体育

Railroad & Shortlines Club of Chicago

7:30 pm
Third Friday of the month except July and August

Chicago Union Station
Room 107A
500 W Jackson Blvd (enter between Clinton and Canal)
Chicago, Illinois

Please allow me to correct the list of upcoming programs at Railroad & Shortlines Club of Chicago.

October 21, 2022: Ray DeGroote "Interurban Railways of Canada"
November 18, 2022: Harold Edmunson - "KCS - soon to be a semi-fallen flag"
December 16, 2022: Leo Phillipp - "Burlington Hand Sign Clinic"
January 20, 2023: Russell Sharp - "Germany"
February 17, 2023: Bruce Moffat - "Greece"

Railroad & Shortlines Club of Chicago

7:30 pm
Friday, October 21, 2022

Please do not arrive before 7:15 pm.

Chicago Union Station
Room 107A
500 W Jackson Blvd (please enter between Clinton and Canal)
Chicago, Illinois

Interurban Railways of Canada
by Ray DeGroote

Ray DeGroote will show photographs of seven Canadian systems which continued service into the 1950's, long enough that many color photos of his and other collectors are available. The program will include London & Port Stanley Railway operating with former Milwaukee Electric cars, and the Montreal & Southern Counties Railway.

Ray had presented this material as a CERA Webinar on October 14, 2022. Due to a last-minute cancellation by the scheduled RSCC presenter, Ray kindly offered to repeat the program, this time in person.

Upcoming programs:

November 18, 2022: Harold Edmunson - "KCS - soon to be a semi-fallen flag"
December 16, 2022: Leo Phillipp - "Burlington Hand Sign Clinic"
January 20, 2023: Bruce Moffat - "Greece"

Railroad & Shortlines Club of Chicago meets at Chicago Union Station on the third Friday of the month except in July and August.

For program announcements, please subscribe to our groups.io mailing list. Send a blank email message
To: [email protected]

Web site:
Email: shortlinechicagoHS@...
Facebook:

Phone number answered during the program: 312 725-0432. Leave message to receive a call back if you hear the program announcement.

October 14, 1958 Gulf, Mobile & Ohio passenger service south of St. Louis ends with the withdrawal of its "Gulf Coast Rebel".

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October 14, 1980 President Carter signs the Staggers Act, freeing U.S. railroads from volumes of regulations.

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October 15, 1870 Service on the Chicago & Lake Huron, Western Division (later GT, GTW, CN) between Climax Prairie (now Climax) and Battle Creek MI begins.

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October 15, 1949 The Gulf, Mobile & Ohio retires its last steam locomotive, 2-8-2 #404, becoming the first major U.S. railroad to dieselize. The event is covered in a "Life" magazine feature.

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Mark Tomlonson

October 13, 1902 Professor Ernest Rutherford of McGill University, who would later earn the Nobel Prize for chemistry, is the first to demonstrate wireless communication between a station and a moving train. His test subject was a special Grand Trunk passenger train running between Toronto and Montreal.

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October 13, 1914 The Algoma Central & Hudson Bay Railway [later AC, WC, CN], building north from Sault Ste. Marie Ontario, opens its northernmost section between Oba and Hearst, Ontario.

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Mark Tomlonson

Seeking information on how many of these former D&RGW 50ft. Gunderson double door "waffle side" boxcars purchased by CNA. Any idea of how many were acquired and the other car numbers?
Thanks very much!

October 11, 1876 Sir Henry Whatley Tyler becomes President of the faltering Grand Trunk Railway of Canada. He begins an aggressive drive to overhaul the company and reach Chicago independent of the Vanderbilt lines.

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Mark Tomlonson

October 8, 1908 The Grand Trunk buys carferry “Manistique, Marquette & Northern 1” and rechristens it “Milwaukee”.

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October 9, 2001 The Canadian National absorbs the Wisconsin Central.

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Mark Tomlonson

October 4, 1922 Canadian National Railways becomes a corporate entity.

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October 4, 1948 "The Railroad Hour/Show Train" premiers on the ABC Radio Network, running on Monday Nights. Sponsored by the Association of American Railroads, it presents condensed versions of musicals, operas and operettas.

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October 4, 1978 The diamond at Vicksburg MI, crossing the Grand Trunk with the former Grand Rapids & Indiana, is taken out of service and removed. A Conrail switch job earlier in the day was the last to use the former PRR Crossing.

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Mark Tomlonson

The cover story of the current issue of "Trains" magazine is on CNR operations on the former DM&IR.

Mark Tomlonson

October 3, 1873 Grand Trunk railway begins converting its 421-mile Montreal-Stratford main line from broad to standard gauge. The job is finished in less than 24 hours.

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October 3, 1973 Amtrak acquires a new Turbo set from Canadian National Railways.

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Mark Tomlonson

September 30, 1988 The last revenue train rolls on Newfoundland Island.

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October 1, 1860 The bankrupt Detroit & Milwaukee Railroad is reorganized as the Detroit & Milwaukee Railway (later GT).

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October 1, 1903 Durand Union Depot is dedicated.

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October 1, 1905 The Grand Trunk Railway assumes control of the Canada Atlantic Railway.

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October 1, 1937 This month’s issue of “Railroad Magazine” carries an item on the Canadian National station at Callander, ON. The station, originally just a passenger coach, has been replaced by a larger, permanent structure due to the extra rail traffic generated by the Dionne Quintuplets.

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October 1, 1981 Grand Trunk Western acquires the Detroit & Toledo Shore Line Railroad.

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October 2, 1855 The Detroit & Milwaukee (later GTW) is completed from Detroit to Fentonville, a distance of 50 miles.

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Mark Tomlonson

September 29, 1849 The Vermont Central Railway opens between Middlesex and Waterbury.

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September 29, 1946 The Illinois Central Railroad dieselizes all passenger trains running between Chicago and St. Louis.

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Mark Tomlonson

September 27, 1856 The Illinois Central Railroad is completed between Galena and Cairo with a "branch" from Centralia to Chicago at a cost of over $25 million. At 705 miles it is the longest railroad line in the world. (Some sources say September 21)

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Mark Tomlonson