February 1, 1832 "The Western Immigrant" newspaper of Ann Arbor MI suggests transcontinental railroad, the first mention in print of such a project.
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February 1, 1846 The first train arrives in Kalamazoo on the Central Rail Road of Michigan.
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February 1, 1854 The first train to use a single gauge over the entire trip between Buffalo NY and Erie PA on the Buffalo & State Line Railroad (later LS&MS, NYC) ?makes its run.
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February 1, 1869 The Carthage, Watertown & Sackets Harbor Railroad (later NYC) is chartered.
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February 1, 1870 The Chicago & Michigan Lake Shore Railroad (later PM, C&O, CSX) opens between New Buffalo & St. Joseph MI.
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February 1, 1871 The Kalamazoo & South Haven (later NYC, PC) is completed from Bloomingdale to South Haven.
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February 1, 1871 The Michigan Air Line Railroad (later MC, NYC) is completed between Jackson MI and South Bend IN.
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February 1, 1879 The Pennsylvania Company Board hears a report that a project is underway for a new railroad running between Grand Haven MI and Toledo OH via Allegan and Montieith MI using the tracks of the Allegan & South Eastern Railroad.
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February 1, 1890 Canada Atlantic Railway (later GT, CN) bridges the St. Lawrence River.
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February 1, 1900 The Grand Rapids & Indiana, Michigan Central and Pere Marquette railroads agree to enlarge and improve Grand Rapids (MI) Union Station.
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February 1, 1900 The Boston & Albany electrifies its Riverside to Newton Lower Falls shuttle.
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February 1, 1902 The Grand Rapids, Grand Haven & Muskegon (MI Interurban) begins service between Grand Rapids and Fruitport.
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February 1, 1903 The Pennsylvania Railroad cancels its premiere "Pennsylvania Limited" due to freight congestion in the Pittsburgh area. PRR feels that if freight crews no longer need to clear the line for 1-3 hours ahead of the Limited their time will be freed for more productive work.
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February 1, 1903 Kenosha WI begins electric streetcar service.
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February 1, 1907 The first scheduled car (interurban coach number 3) makes its run on the Ft. Wayne & Springfield. The car, under the apt control of motorman Smith and conductor Stroud, leaves Decatur with 25 passengers at 9:15 a.m. and arrives in Ft. Wayne at 10:45 a.m.
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February 1, 1910 In cooperation with Penn State, the Pennsylvania Railroad begins a free training program at its Altoona Shops to assist apprentices in math and engineering. The program will later be offered at other PRR ships throughout the system.
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February 1, 1913 Formal dedication ceremonies are held for the new Grand Central Terminal in New York City.
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February 1, 1916 The District of Columbia outlaws public drinking cups and towels. As a result Washington Union Station installs drinking fountains. Also at this time WUS begins replacing its arc lamps with incandescent bulbs.
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February 1, 1922 The Pennsylvania Railroad reverses a long-standing policy and announces plans to sell advertising space in its stations and trains.
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February 1, 1930 New York Central leases the Michigan Central for 999 years. The New York Central also leases the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railway (The ¡°Big 4¡±).
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February 1, 1931 The Pennsylvania Railroad asks employees for contributions of historical material to the railroad for a new museum at 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. Most of the collection, with the exception of the locomotive "Pioneer" will be sold in 1972 at the Penn Central auction.
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February 1, 1936 Railway Express Agency begins offering coordinated rail-air express service for the United States and 33 countries reached by Pan American Airways.
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February 1, 1938 Car retarders are placed in service at Chicago's Clearing Yard.
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February 1, 1947 The Long Island Railroad bans its employees from reserving regular seats for card players.
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February 1, 1953 The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy "Kansas City Zephyr" begins service between Chicago and Kansas City via the new Centennial cut-off. The train will be advertised as "Shorter, smoother, faster" because of the new trackage.
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February 1, 1968 The New York Central and Pennsylvania railroads merge to form Penn Central Transportation. To "protect competition", the Norfolk & Western is given control of the Erie Lackawanna and Delaware & Hudson. Instead of merging with the two companies, they will be put under the umbrella of "Dereco", a subsidiary created by N&W to manage the lines.
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February 1, 1970 An express train rams a stationary commuter train in Buenos Aires, Argentina, killing 236.
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February 1, 1971 Canadian National again withdraws the Turbos from service to begin a rebuild program.
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February 1, 1975 Railway Express Agency declares bankruptcy. The company will be liquidated later in the year.
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February 1, 1990 CN Rail begins running trains without cabooses (aka ¡°vans¡±).
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February 1, 2016 Unusually low temperatures, heavy snow and a rush of New Year¡¯s travelers combine to strand nearly 100,000 rail passengers at Guangzhou Railway Station in southern China.
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Mark Tomlonson
