October 1, 1832 The first section of the Camden & Amboy Railroad opens between Stewarts Point Wharf between Bordentown and White Hill and Hightstown NJ using a mix of horse and steam power. The opening of the railroad cuts Philadelphia to New York time by 1 to 2 hours at 9 hours 30 minutes for the trip. The C&A fare is $3.00.
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October 1, 1834 Ross Winans is granted a patent for his 8-wheel passenger car, based on the "Columbus" which was operated on the Baltimore & Ohio in 1831. Winans' claim for royalties on all two-trucked passenger cars will result in 25 years of litigation.
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October 1, 1836 The Erie & Kalamazoo Railroad begins official operation using horses for power. It is the first railroad in the former Northwest Territory but not the first west of the Alleghenies, as many sources report. The 40-mile trip between Port Lawrence [Toledo] and Adrian can take two days. Operation of the line will be irregular at first due to the rails sinking into bogs along the way.
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October 1, 1839 The Western Railroad (later B&A) is completed between Worcester and Springfield MA.
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October 1, 1841 The Western Railroad (MA) runs its first through train.
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October 1, 1847 The last rail is laid on the Madison & Indianapolis Railroad (later PCC&StL, PRR), completing the segment from Franklin IN to South Street, Indianapolis. The first excursion train arrives from Columbus in the afternoon to great celebration, having stopped for lunch at Franklin. The passengers from Columbus are unimpressed with what they call "a couple of baskets of cheese and crackers". Indianapolis is quickly transformed from an isolated village into a bustling trade center with this connection to Madison on the Ohio River.
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October 1, 1848 The Michigan Central Railroad reaches Niles from the east.
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October 1, 1849 The Hudson River Railroad opens to Peekskill NY.
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October 1, 1850 The first train runs between Ogdensburg and Rouses Point NY on the Northern Railway. (later Rutland).
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October 1, 1851 The Hudson River Railroad opens to Albany NY.
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October 1, 1856 The Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne & Chicago (later PRR) authorizes the construction of an "eating house" at Ft. Wayne. PFW&C Director Samuel Hanna donates 110 acres for shops at Fort Wayne.
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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, 1862 The Oil Creek Railroad opens for revenue service between Corry, PA on the Philadelphia & Erie and Titusville, PA, in the Oil Region. The railroad is built with a 6'-0" gauge to match the Atlantic & Great Western. It is the first railroad to reach directly into the oil-producing areas of Western Pennsylvania.
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October 1, 1863 Horsecar service in Detroit is extended north to Mt. Elliot.
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October 1, 1869 The Kalamazoo Allegan & Grand Rapids Railroad is leased to the Michigan Southern Railroad and is operated as part of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern. (later NYC, PC)
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October 1, 1871 The Grand Rapids & Holland Railroad is acquired by the Chicago & Michigan Lake Shore Railroad (later PM, C&O, CSX).
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October 1, 1872 The Wagon-Lits Corporation is formed to provide sleeping and parlour car services on the European continent.
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October 1, 1878 The Michigan Lake Shore Railroad becomes the Grand Haven Railroad Company. (later C&WM, PM, C&O, CSX)
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October 1, 1880 The Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad is extended from Huntington WV to the west bank of the Big Sandy River at Cattetsburg KY.
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October 1, 1884 The Grand Rapids, Indiana & Mackinaw Railroad is consolidated with the Grand Rapids & Indiana.
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October 1, 1891 The Logansport (IN) Electric Railway begins operations.
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October 1, 1895 Interurban service between Pontiac and Sylvan Lake MI begins.
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October 1, 1901 The Saugatuck, Douglas & Lake Shore becomes the Grand Rapids, Holland & Lake Michigan Railway (MI interurban).
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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, 1905 The Cincinnati & Columbus (OH interurban) opens between Milford and Hillsborough. The line is known locally as the "Swing Line", as it is owned by members of the Swing family.
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October 1, 1906 The Chicago & North Western reaches Lander WY, its westernmost point.
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October 1, 1907 Pacific Fruit Express begins operations with a fleet of 6,600 refrigerated cars.
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October 1, 1907 Seventeen private railroads are nationalized and merged to form Japan Railways.
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October 1, 1915 The Santa Fe's first run of the San Francisco/Los Angeles-Chicago "Navajo", replacing the "Tourist Flyer".
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October 1, 1927 In the Third Annual Inter-Company baseball Championship held at Cleveland OH, The Pennsylvania's Terminal Division team defeats the New York Central's Michigan Central team. While the game is going on, the two Presidents of the respective railroads play golf.
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October 1, 1928 The Pennsylvania Railroad assumes direct control of the Long Island Railroad.
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October 1, 1930 Toledo, Bowling Green & Southern Traction Company is abandoned.
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October 1, 1930 The Toledo Fostoria & Findlay quits operation. The Western Ohio will purchase the Fostoria to Findlay segment to maintain a connection with the Lake Shore Electric. This segment of the line will be renamed the Findlay, Arcadia & Fostoria.
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October 1, 1931 The St. Louis Southwestern Railroad introduces its "Blue Streak" hotshot freight service.
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October 1, 1932 Battle Creek MI streetcars end service at 1:00 am.
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October 1, 1934 The Chesapeake & Ohio acquires the Chicago, Cincinnati & Louisville, an Indiana line which it has been leasing since 1921.
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October 1, 1937 After 11 years of negotiations, the Pullman Company recognizes the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters.
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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, 1940 The Pennsylvania Turnpike opens, constructed using tunnels and grades originally built for the never-completed South Penn Railroad. It is the first grade-separated, limited-access highway in the United States.
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October 1, 1940 The Dayton-Xenia Railway Co. converts its remaining rail operation between Dayton and Belmont to trolley-bus.
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October 1, 1940 The last streetcars run in Racine and Wausau WI.
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October 1, 1956 The Pennsylvania Railroad takes over operation of its parlor and parlor-buffet-lounge cars from the Pullman Company.
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October 1, 1959 Pennsylvania Railroad TrucTrain (TOFC) cars begin using Baltimore and Washington tunnels after completion of clearance projects. Several courses of brick have been removed from the tunnel linings, and gantlet track has been installed at the Pennsylvania Ave. Curve in B&P tunnel.
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October 1, 1964 The remaining San Francisco cable cars are declared a National Landmark.
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October 1, 1964 The first Shinkansen bullet train runs between Tokyo and Osaka.
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October 1, 1971 France retires its steam locomotives.
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October 1, 1977 Michigan Interstate Railway Company begins operation of the former Ann Arbor Railroad.
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October 1, 1977 Lenawee County Railroad begins operations.
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October 1, 1977 Tuscola & Saginaw Bay Railway begins operations.
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October 1, 1979 Amtrak's last Kansas City-New York "National Limited" becomes the last train to use Columbus (OH) Union Depot.
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October 1, 1979 The MTR, Hong Kong¡¯s Rapid Transit System, begins operations.
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October 1, 1981 Grand Trunk Western acquires the Detroit & Toledo Shore Line Railroad.
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October 1, 1981 Amtrak restores the Capitol Limited to Baltimore & Ohio rails, after an absence of 10 years and 5 months. The train is a re-named Washington section of the Broadway Limited.
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October 1, 1989 The Blackstone Group gains control of the Chicago & North Western. Union Pacific buys $100 million of preferred stock.
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October 1, 1998 A saved and refurbished Grand Central Terminal is rededicated.
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October 1, 2009 Union Pacific dedicates its new Kate Shelley Bridge over the Des Moines River in Iowa. The improved and strengthened structure allows two trains to operate at 70 mph while both are on the bridge.
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Mark Tomlonson
