December 4, 1820 John Stevens proposes to build a railroad from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. He also offers to build a quarter-mile demonstration railroad on Market Street in Philadelphia.
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December 4, 1830 Construction of the Camden & Amboy begins at Bordentown NJ.
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December 4, 1877 The Eel River Railroad, running between Logansport and Butler, is incorporated in Indiana as a reorganization of the Detroit, Eel River & Illinois Railroad.
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December 4, 1891 For the first time in the United States, four trains are involved in one accident. In East Thompson CT, three trains collide at a level crossing, and a fourth slams into the wreckage two minutes later. Despite massive property damage, only three persons are killed. A March, 1953 wreck in Conneaut OH will also involve 4 trains.
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December 4, 1900 The new Grand Rapids MI Union Station opens.
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December 4, 1910 The Pennsylvania Railroad announces that through passenger business at New York is up 15% after the opening of Penn Station. Most long distance trains have been given additional cars.
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December 4, 1920 The Grand Rapids & Indiana organizes a Veterans' Association.
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December 4, 1938 Last day of IRT¡¯s Sixth Avenue Elevated in New York City.
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December 4, 1946 The Pennsylvania Railroad orders its first two F3 freight road diesels from EMD. The A-B-B-B-A units are rated at 7,500 HP per set.
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December 4, 1955 What had been the world's longest trolley line, Chicago's 25-mile 36 (Broadway-State) PCC line, is broken into 2 routes. The State Street portion from the Loop to 120th and Morgan is converted to bus operation.
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December 4, 1961 The Rutland Railroad applies for abandonment.
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December 4, 1967 Pennsylvania Railroad's premier train, the "Broadway Limited" loses its all-Pullman status as coaches are added to the consist.
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December 4, 1978 Union Pacific and Chicago & North Western announce a joint agreement to build into Wyoming¡¯s Powder River Basin to access the numerous coal mines.
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December 4, 1999 Salt Lake City resumes light-rail service.
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December 4, 2003 Russia opens the Severomuisk Tunnel. Ten miles long, it has taken over 25 years to complete.
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December 4, 2004 The Minneapolis LRT opens the last four miles of the 12-mile Hiawatha Corridor, adding the MSP airport (stops at both terminals), an office park in central Bloomington, and the Mall of America to the line.
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Mark Tomlonson
