April 15, 1865 All Baltimore & Ohio trains are held at Relay, MD until noon by military order to help prevent the escape of the assassins of Abraham Lincoln.
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April 15, 1867 The Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne & Chicago (later PRR) completes a wrought-iron Pratt truss swing drawbridge over the Chicago River.
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April 15, 1892 General Electric is formed. The company will eventually (among other ventures) manufacture diesel-electric locomotives and components.
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April 15, 1899 Chicago¡¯s Lake Street ¡°L¡± is extended at ground level beyond city limits at 52nd. Avenue.
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April 15, 1905 The two-level swing bridge between Hancock and Houghton MI is destroyed when it is rammed by the steamer "Northern Wave", bound for the smelters at Ripley.
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April 15, 1905 Work begins on Washington Union Station.
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April 15, 1912 The R.M.S. Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage after striking an iceberg. Among the lost: Grand Trunk Railway President Charles M. Hays, Pennsylvania Railroad Vice-President John B. Thayer and George D. Widener, a Philadelphia streetcar magnate. Thayer's son is swept off the boat deck but survives on the overturned collapsible lifeboat.
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April 15, 1933 Streetcar service ends in Lansing MI.
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April 15, 1947 The Pennsylvania Railroad puts its new Baldwin "Centipedes" in passenger service, running between Harrisburg and Chicago.
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April 15, 1952 The New Haven announces it is now completely dieselized, although four steam locomotives are retained for switching and snow melting in yards.
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April 15, 1955 The current issue of "Vogue" features an article highlighting Canadian Pacific's "Canadian" and models showing what well-dressed train travelers will be wearing. Budd, CP and 112 retailers have co-operated in the production of the photo feature.
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April 15, 1955 The Detroit, Toledo & Ironton and Pennsylvania Railroads enter into a trackage agreement that will allow DT&I freight trains on the PRR line between South Charleston and Cincinnati OH.
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April 15, 1955 Great Northern begins construction on Gavin Yard.
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April 15, 1957 The New York Central assigns hostesses to the "Empire State Express".
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April 15, 1962 The Reading ends its car float operations.
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April 15, 1975 Amtrak's "Arrowhead" begins Minneapolis-Duluth service.
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April 15, 1996 Ground is broken for the new Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland. The 35.3 mile long tunnel will allow passenger trains to traverse at 150 mph and freights at 99 mph. Expected completion is in 2020.
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Mark Tomlonson
