February 26, 1851 The first Milwaukee Road predecessor, the Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad runs its first train: from Milwaukee to Waukesha, WI. (some sources say February 25).
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February 26, 1870 The experimental air-driven Beach Pneumatic Transit opens for public demonstrations over a one-block route in New York City. The next subway will not open for another 34 years as the city builds elevated railroads for mass transit.
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February 26, 1908 The Hudson & Manhattan "Tubes" open for service between 19th Street and Hoboken.
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February 26, 1928 Moffat Tunnel opens.
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February 26, 1950 The new streamlined Wabash "Blue Bird" is christened.
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February 26, 1951 Trolley service ends in Queens, NY.
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February 26, 1956 Pennsylvania Railroad's Aerotrain is placed in demonstration service between New York and Pittsburgh. Its seven hour, 30 minute schedule is the fastest ever between the two cities.
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February 26, 1973 The Chessie System Inc. Is formed from the Baltimore & Ohio, Chesapeake & Ohio and Western Maryland railroads.
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February 26, 1979 Amtrak "Superliner" cars begin operation.
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February 26, 2005 Charlotte NC breaks ground for a new light-rail line.
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February 26, 2017 Dolton Tower (IL) is closed. It was the last ex-Pennsylvania Railroad tower still active in the Chicago area.
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February 27, 1832 Baltimore coachbuilder Richard Imlay displays three railroad passenger cars in Monument Square, including one that will seat 50.
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February 27, 1837 Illinois passes an "Internal Improvements" Act.
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February 27, 1847 The Alton & Sangamon Railroad (later C&A, GM&O, ICG, UP) is chartered in Illinois to connect the towns of Alton and Springfield.
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February 27, 1860 The Central Railroad of New Jersey displays two new Woodruff sleepers designed for New York-Pittsburgh service.
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February 27, 1865 The Pennsylvania Legislature establishes a railroad police force. While railroads have employed security personnel previously, this is the first time they are given official police powers.
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February 27, 1886 The New Jersey Junction Railroad (later NYC&HR, NYC) is incorporated.
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February 27, 1917 The Milwaukee Railroad completes the electrification of its line from Harlowton, Montana, to Avery, Idaho, 440 miles.
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February 27, 1917 The Pennsylvania-Detroit Railroad Company is incorporated to extend the PRR into Detroit. This will let PRR tap the growing finished automobile market.
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February 27, 1921 The Pennsylvania Railroad creates a private telephone system on its Paoli Line to keep station agents informed of train delays, etc. The information is then posted at the station.
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February 27, 1921 Michigan Central and New York Central passenger trains collide at Porter IN when the engineer of the Michigan Central train misunderstands the fireman¡¯s call of the home signal indication. The engineer¡¯s view of the signal was obscured by the smoke of a standing freight train. Thirty-seven are killed.
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February 27, 1942 The Pennsylvania Railroad's Altoona Shops complete an experimental troop sleeper based on an X38 automobile box car.
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February 27, 1965 The Buffalo Creek & Gauley shuts down after 61 years of operation in West Virginia, having never operated a diesel locomotive. It will run again for a short time in the 1970's with diesels.
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February 27, 2000 Two Santa Fe Alco PA diesels arrive in Oregon from Mexico for restoration. The units are little more than hulks.
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February 27, 2002 In Godhra, northwest India, a region with long-standing Hindu-Muslim tensions, a train carrying mostly Hindus catches fire. Sixty people are killed. Although the cause of the fire is eventually traced to a fault in a coach, early reports say the fire was caused by radical Muslims dousing the train with gasoline and lighting it. This false allegation triggers religious riots in which nearly 1,000 people are killed.
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February 28, 1815 George Stephenson receives a Patent for his second steam locomotive, an improved version of the principles worked out in the "Blusher" last July.
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February 28, 1827 The Baltimore & Ohio, America's first passenger railroad is chartered.
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February 28, 1847 Maine Governor Joshua L. Chamberlain signs the charter of the Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad. Despite never getting as far as Moosehead Lake, the 33-mile railroad will remain in continuous operation through 2009.
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February 28, 1852 Because of a gap in the Pennsylvania Railroad, over 440 passengers stay each night at the Hollidaysburg Inn. Five hundred wagons and 2,600 horses are used to ferry passengers and freight across the gap.
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February 28, 1866 The Canada Southern Railway is incorporated in Canada from the Erie & Niagara Extension Railway.
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February 28, 1871 The Chicago & Michigan Lake Shore Railroad (later PM, C&O, CSX) reaches Grand Junction MI.
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February 28, 1903 President Theodore Roosevelt signs legislation authorizing a single, Union Station in Washington DC rather than two stations, for the Baltimore & Ohio and Pennsylvania Railroads.
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February 28, 1906 A gas-electric railcar built by Strang, the "Ogerita", leaves Weehawken Terminal bound for San Francisco. The car, which includes a back-up battery and can make 48 mph, has been testing on various Pennsylvania Railroad branch lines.
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February 28, 1908 First test run through Grand Trunk's St. Clair tunnel using electric locomotives.
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February 28, 1920 The Transportation Act is passed, allowing the ICC to set intrastate rates in some cases and forming the Railway Labor Board. It also sets a date for the end of USRA control.
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February 28, 1931 The Cleveland Southwestern & Columbus Railway (interurban) quits.
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February 28, 1931 The Detroit, Toledo & Ironton is sold to Pennroad Corporation (PRR subsidiary) and the Wabash Railroad.
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February 28, 1986 The last official move is made at Canadian National's Spadina Roundhouse in Toronto. The facility will later be demolished to make room for the Skydome.
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Mark Tomlonson
