May 8, 1842 A passenger train derails near Moudon, France. The official death toll in the accident and resulting fire is 55 people, however estimates of the total deaths run as high as 200.
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May 8, 1858 The New York Central provides a sleeping car on overnight trains between Albany and Buffalo NY.
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May 8, 1863 The Brotherhood of the Footboard is organized in Marshall, MI. The group will eventually become the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.
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May 8, 1869 The Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad (later NYC) is organized.
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May 8, 1876 First through trains on the Boston-Philadelphia "Northeast Corridor". The route will not receive that title until much later, nor does this train directly serve New York City.
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May 8, 1876 The first pneumatic interlocking in the world is installed by the Pennsylvania Railroad at Mantua PA in anticipation of the heavy traffic expected at Philadelphia for the Centennial.
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May 8, 1878 The Spencer Railroad (MA ¨C later B&A) is incorporated.
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May 8, 1889 In Kalamazoo, a Michigan Central train strikes a horsecar at a grade crossing, killing 5. The train was an extra movement, not expected by the crossing guard who was eating supper. In response to the wreck, Kalamazoo requires all horsecars to stop before crossing railroad tracks, and train speeds are limited to 10 mph. A city park now marks the site of the collision.
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May 8, 1906 A special train carrying E.H. Harriman makes a run from Oakland CA to New York in 76 hours and 27 minutes. This record will stand until October 1934, when it will be broken by Union Pacific Streamliner M-10000.
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May 8, 1910 Southern Pacific's "Lark" makes its debut.
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May 8, 1912 The Pennsylvania Company reorganizes its vice-Presidents following the loss of John B. Thayer aboard the RMS ¡°Titanic¡±.
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May 8, 1924 Arthur Honegger's "Pacifica 231" premieres. The orchestral tone poem reflects Honegger's impressions of train trip behind a steam engine.
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May 8, 1926 A. Philip Randolph organizes the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. This event is a major labor as well as civil rights milestone.
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May 8, 1937 Last day of service on the Indiana Railroad's (interurban) line between Indianapolis and Richmond IN.
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May 8, 1951 The 724th Transportation Railway Operating Battalion is mobilized.
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May 8, 1952 The Chesapeake & Ohio tests "Train X" between Grand Rapids and Grand Ledge MI using conventional diesel-electric power rather than the train's normal diesel-hydraulic locomotive.
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May 8, 1954 Passenger service on the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton ends with a mixed train originating in Springfield OH.
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May 8, 1961 Chicago & North Western drops its ¡°Chicago-Duluth-Superior Limited¡± passenger train.
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May 8, 1962 Trolley bus service ends in London, England.
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May 8, 1962 Stockholders in both the New York Central and Pennsylvania Railroads approve the Penn Central merger.
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May 8, 1971 The former Grand Rapids & Indiana freight house in Grand Rapids is destroyed by fire. The building housed two businesses.
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May 8, 2006 The last operating tower on the Long Island Railroad, "PD" at Patchogue, is closed. The tower was also the site of the last "hooped up" orders on the Long Island. The tower had acquired he nickname "Leaning Tower of Patchogue", and its unstable condition will result in its demolition in August.
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Mark Tomlonson
