April 18, 1832 The Watertown & Rome Railroad (later RW&O, NYC) is chartered.
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April 18, 1837 The Andover & Wilmington Railroad (later B&M) reorganizes as the Andover & Haverhill.
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April 18, 1838 The Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad (later PRR) Board hears a report on a case brought against them for being the means of escape for a fugitive slave. The owner of the slave wants $500 (2024: $16,790) in damages, but an investigation reveals that the slave's term of servitude was about to expire and no damages are awarded.
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April 18, 1853 First passenger train runs on the Asian continent, from Mumbai to Tanna, a distance of 36 km. (22.37 mi - some sources say April 16)
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April 18, 1872 P.T. Barnum makes his first attempt to move his circus by rail. It¡¯s unsuccessful. He will then commission special railroad cars for his circus and it will travel by rail the remainder of the season, starting a tradition that will last until 2017.
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April 18, 1890 Electric streetcars come to Muskegon MI.
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April 18, 1906 The San Francisco earthquake destroys many of the cable car lines, allowing them to be replaced with streetcars. The offices of the Southern Pacific are damaged. Also destroyed: The palatial homes of the ¡°Big Four¡± who built the Central Pacific.
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April 18, 1911 The Long Island Railroad Board authorizes the purchase of a car to be fitted for the transportation of inmates to the State Hospital at Central Islip.
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April 18, 1928 The Grand Rapids, Grand Haven & Muskegon Railway (interurban) quits.
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April 18, 1930 Atlanta's Union Station opens, funded by the Louisville & Nashville and the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis.
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April 18, 1931 Streetcars quit in Canton OH.
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April 18, 1934 The "Pioneer Zephyr" is delivered to the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy at Pennsylvania Railroad's Broad Street Station in Philadelphia and immediately begins a barnstorming tour. During testing yesterday, it is claimed to have hit speeds as high as 104 mph.
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April 18, 1976 A Turbo train, CN1, testing on Canadian National's Kingston Sub at Ingleside breaks a Canadian Speed Record set in March as it hits 138.5 mph (222.9 km/h).
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April 18, 1983 CNCP Niagara-Detroit is created by CP Rail and CN Rail to acquire the Canada Southern Railway. Conrail is not included in the deal. Conrail is in bankruptcy, and the U.S. Government does not want money earmarked for Conrail spent in Canada.
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April 18, 2004 Streetcars return to Canal Street in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.
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April 19, 1821 The Stockton & Darlington Railway is incorporated in Great Britain to build from coal mines to Stockton on the River Tees.
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April 19, 1825 The La Plaisance Bay Harbor Company, which is developing the harbor at Monroe MI, receives a charter to build a half-mile rail road in Monroe. This is the first railroad charter issued in Michigan.
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April 19, 1841 The Philadelphia & Trenton Railroad temporarily suspends all service to permit relaying its track with T-rail. Traffic is re-routed via the Camden & Amboy.
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April 19, 1847 The Mohawk & Hudson changes its name to Albany & Schenectady Railroad (later NYC).
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April 19, 1848 The Illinois & Michigan Canal opens between Chicago and La Salle, IL, uniting Lake Michigan with the Mississippi River system. The canal will contribute to the rise of Chicago, making it a goal for many railroads building from the east.
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April 19, 1865 Pennsylvania Railroad offices are closed and all non-essential employees given a day off to mark Lincoln's funeral, which is held in the White House.
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April 19, 1891 Two Lake Shore & Michigan Southern trains collide near Kipton OH, killing 9. One conductor's watch being off time caused the accident. This will lead directly to the "Railroad Standard" watch, a fixture on American railroads for 80 years.
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April 19, 1908 The Illinois Central opens a line to Birmingham AL and begins through sleeper service between Chicago and Jacksonville.
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April 19, 1935. The Marquette City Railway Company ends operations, ending streetcar service in Marquette MI.
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April 19, 1940 The Lake Shore Limited wrecks at Little Falls NY. Thirty-nine people are killed. The Road Foreman of Engines, who was riding in the cab and survived the wreck, reported that the engineer, approaching a curve too fast, seemed disoriented. The engineer cut the throttle instead of applying brakes, causing a severe run-in and derailment.
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April 19, 1994 The north tube of the Detroit River Tunnels reopens after a $27.5 million ($56.3 million in 2023) clearance project, allowing 19'6" double-stack cars to use the tunnel.
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April 19, 2011 The Toronto Globe & Mail reports that the foundations of Grand Trunk's original roundhouse have been uncovered in the course of a construction project. The roundhouse, near the shore of Lake Ontario, is near the Bathurst Street Bridge and was uncovered during construction of a new library.
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April 19, 2013 Because of river flooding, CSX halts operations in Wyoming Yard near Grand Rapids MI and parks hopper cars on the bridge over the Grand River.
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April 20, 1839 The State of Michigan reduces its Board of Internal Improvement, which is overseeing the construction of canals, railroads and plank roads to three members.
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April 20, 1860 The first through freight car from St. Louis arrives in Philadelphia via the Pennsylvania Railroad.
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April 20, 1874 The "Washington Limited Express" and the "New York Limited Express" are established to run between New York and Washington via Wilmington DE in a record 6 hours and 40 minutes. They are the first all-Pullman first class trains on the Pennsylvania Railroad. Passengers pay an extra $2.50 over the regular $10 fare to ride the trains.
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April 20, 1924 A Michigan Railway (interurban) ¡°Flyer¡± falls off the trestle in Allegan MI and lands in the Kalamazoo River. None of the passengers, many in their Easter morning finery are injured.
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April 20, 1932 The first completely air-conditioned sleeping car trains begin operating on the Baltimore & Ohio.
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April 20, 1943 The U.S. District Court holds that the Pullman Company is in violation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act due to its control of both the manufacture and operation of Pullman equipment.
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April 20, 1960 The New York Central introduces "Super-Vans" - solid Flexi-Van trains operating at or near passenger train speeds between New York and Chicago.
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April 20, 1964 Chicago's "Skokie Swift" rapid transit line opens for business.
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April 20, 1964 Mackinac Transportation Company votes to seek an extension of the "Chief Wawatam's" Coast Guard certificate. It expires on May 24, and the state of Michigan is pressing the company to continue service after that date.
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April 20, 1972 Colorado's Great Western Railroad ends mixed-train service.
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April 20, 2009 The South Shore Line (NICTD) begins using double-deck cars between Chicago and Michigan City.
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April 20, 2023 While attempting to land at Bishop International Airport near Flint MI, a private plane loses power and crash lands on the Canadian National main line. No one on the plane is injured, and rail traffic is halted before any collision can occur.
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Mark Tomlonson
