March 21, 1837 Today and tomorrow, the Michigan Legislature will pass the Internal Improvements Act, authorizing the Central Railroad of Michigan (later MC) to build across the state. It will follow the route charted by the largely unbuilt Detroit & St. Joseph Rail Road. Also authorized: The Southern Railroad of Michigan (later LS&MS), the Northern Railroad of Michigan (never built), canals and plank roads.
?
March 21, 1840 The West Feliciana Railroad becomes the first in the United States to announce regular freight and passenger rates.
?
March 21, 1853 The Baltimore, Carroll & Frederick Railroad is renamed the Western Maryland Railroad.
?
March 21, 1874 The first meal is served on board a British train.
?
March 21, 1906 Fifty striking women car cleaners, who have been denied a meeting with Pennsylvania Railroad Division Superintendent S.C. Long, force their way into his home at 9:00 p.m. to present their grievances.
?
March 21, 1910 Four miles outside Green Mountain IA the tender on the lead engine of a double headed Chicago Rock Island & Pacific passenger train derails. Forty-five people are killed and fifty injured in Iowa’s deadliest train crash. The CRI&P train was on Chicago & Northwestern tracks due to an earlier freight derailment on the CRI&P.
?
March 21, 1918 President Wilson signs the Railroad Control Act, setting terms for operation of the railroads by the United States Railroad Administration (USRA). Railroads are to be paid rent for use of their lines and equipment.
?
March 21, 1937 Southern Pacific's "Daylight Limited" debuts the new red/orange/black "Daylight" paint scheme.
?
March 21, 1950 The State of New York forms its New York Thruway Authority to construct a network of toll roads and superhighways.
?
March 21, 1953 The Chesapeake & Ohio carferry "Badger" makes her maiden voyage.
?
March 21, 1968 The Louisville & Nashville/Monon merger is announced. The merger will be accomplished in July, 1971.
?
March 21, 2001 An EMD JT42CWR becomes the first American-built locomotive to cross the German/Swiss border. It is heading up a container train.
?
March 22, 1862 The East Boston Freight Railroad (later B&A, NYC) is chartered in Massachusetts.
?
March 22, 1897 The U.S. Supreme Court rules that railroads are subject to anti-trust legislation.
?
March 22, 1898 The Chicago Heights Terminal Transfer Railroad (later C&EI, MP, UP) is incorporated.
?
March 22, 1911 The Kansas City, Clay County & St. Joseph Railway (Interurban) is incorporated. Although the line runs in Missouri, the promoters are mostly Interurban owners from Indiana.
?
March 22, 1916 The Great Lakes Transit Corporation is formed to take over the railroad-owned liners and packet steamers now prohibited by ICC order. Operations will begin April 1.
?
March 22, 1936 New York Central “Mohawk” #2873 is given streamlining and painted blue and white in preparation for its use in pulling the Rexall Drug train. It is also converted from coal to oil fuel. It is lettered “NYC” and “Rexall” but carries no number.
?
March 22, 1944 The Board of the Pennsylvania Railroad approves contacting Government officials to allow the hiring of 3,000 Mexicans as track gang men and laborers.
?
March 22, 1957 Faced with the high cost of building a major bridge over the new St. Lawrence Seaway, the New York Central abandons its line from Rooseveltown to Ottawa, Ontario. In April, Canadian National will purchase the portion of the line between Cornwall and Ottawa.
?
March 22, 1970 After efforts to make it a rolling National Monument fall short, the Chicago Burlington & Quincy/Denver & Rio Grande Western/Western Pacific "California Zephyr" makes its last run when the Western Pacific drops its segment. The D&RGW remnant will run until 1983.
?
March 22, 2011 The North Carolina Department of Transportation announces it will use Federal Funds to create a high-speed rail link between Raleigh and Charlotte.
?
March 22, 2019 Two men are confirmed as record-setters for their ride in 2017 that took them over every Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority route in 7 hours, 29 minutes and 46 seconds.
?
March 23, 1836 Virginia declares it a felony to damage or destroy railroad property. Slaves who damage railroads "shall suffer death without benefit of clergy".
?
March 23, 1858 E.A. Gardner of Philadelphia patents a streetcar.
?
March 23, 1861 London's first streetcars, designed by a Mr. Train of New York, begin operation.
?
March 23, 1882 The Providence, Webster & Springfield Railroad is chartered. The Massachusetts railroad will be operated by the Boston & Albany.
?
March 23, 1883 The Mann Boudoir Car Company is formed in New York. A success in Europe, it will operate at a loss for its entire five-year U.S. existence.
?
March 23, 1905 The Batavia Daily News reports that the New York Central greenhouses in Batavia are ready to ship 50,000 plants and 8,000 ornamental shrubs to beautify NYC passenger stations throughout the system.
?
March 23, 1913 Four days of heavy rains begin causing severe flooding in the Ohio River Basin in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. Over 600 people will be killed in the flooding. The Pennsylvania Railroad suffers $3.5 million ($114 million in 2025) in damages. The floods also put an end to commercial traffic on the two remaining Ohio Canals. They will be retained for water supply and recreation.
?
March 23, 1914 The Pennsylvania Railroad opens a new station in Ft. Wayne IN and its track elevation project in that city is completed.
?
March 23, 1937 The Los Angeles Railway Company begins using PCC cars.
?
March 23, 1953 Great Northern runs its last steam locomotives in the Cascades Region.
?
March 23, 1981 Intermodal rates & services are deregulated, leading directly to the rise of intermodal traffic.
?
March 23, 1988 CSX begins Detroit-Atlanta “Roadrailer” service using ex-Clinchfield "F" units as motive power.
?
March 23, 2004 The first locomotive runs in Tibet as part of the construction of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway.
?
March 23, 2010 MetroRail opens in Austin TX. The 32-mile line is the city's first commuter rail service.
?
March 23, 2014 A Chicago “L” train overruns the track bumper at O’Hare subway station, injuring 32.
?
Mark Tomlonson
