October 3, 1837 The "Sandusky", the first locomotive built by Rogers, Ketchum & Grosvenor of Paterson, NJ is tested on the Paterson & Hudson River and New Jersey Railroads before going to the Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad (OH, later CCC&St.l, NYC), its owner. The locomotive has several innovations, including counterweights on cast iron wheels.
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October 3, 1839 The first railroad in Italy (in the Kingdom of Naples) opens.
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October 3, 1864 Indianapolis IN begins horsecar service.
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October 3, 1873 Grand Trunk railway begins converting its 421-mile (678 km) Montreal-Stratford main line from broad (5 foot 6 inches) to standard gauge. The job is finished in less than 24 hours.
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October 3, 1885 First train on the Minnesota & Northwestern (later CStP&KC, CGW, C&NW, UP).
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October 3, 1948 The Chicago Railroad Fair closes.
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October 3, 1973 Amtrak acquires a new Turbo set from Canadian National Railways.
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October 3, 2004 Amtrak ends its express and mail business, a venture that Amtrak had hoped would add to its bottom line.
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Mark Tomlonson
