May 6, 1856 The Ohio & Pennsylvania Railroad, the Ohio & Indiana Railroad and the Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad sign articles of merger to form the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad. The new road will in time become the Pennsylvania Railroad's main line from Pittsburgh to Chicago. The merger will become effective in Ohio on July 26.
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May 6, 1863 The Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad (later B&O, CSX) acquires control of the Dayton & Michigan Railroad. (some sources say May 1)
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May 6, 1876 The Pennsylvania Railroad takes delivery from its Altoona shops of 42 new coaches designed to bring celebrants to the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia.
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May 6, 1878 The Springfield & Northeastern (later B&A) is incorporated to buy the foreclosed Springfield, Athol & Northeastern.
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May 6, 1902 The Akron & Barberton Belt Railroad is created by the merger of three companies: the Barberton Belt Line, the Barberton, Akron & Eastern Belt Line and the Cleveland, Barberton & Western.
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May 6, 1903 The Saginaw, Tuscola & Huron, Bay City Belt Line and Sanilac Railroads are merged into the Pere Marquette.
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May 6, 1904 The Pere Marquette is granted the use of Englewood Station in Chicago.
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May 6, 1907 A Lake Shore & Michigan Southern train hits a street sweeper at Kalamazoo's Portage St. crossing and derails. The first 19 cars of a 53-car train are smashed into a pile 25 feet tall. In the pile: a boxcar of dynamite, intact.
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May 6, 1910 The Accident Report Act requires railroads to file a report of all accidents with the Interstate Commerce Commission.
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May 6, 1911 The Morgantown & Dunkard Valley (interurban) opens between Randall and Barker WV.
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May 6, 1917 The "Havana Special" is established as a year-round train between New York City and Key West.
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May 6, 1923 The Pennsylvania Railroad takes through cars bound for Washington DC out of the "Broadway Limited" consist and forms a new train, the "Washington Broadway Limited", to compete with the Baltimore & Ohio`s upcoming "Capitol Limited". Amenities and equipment on the new train are identical to its parent.
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May 6, 1928 The Great Northern gives its signature passenger train, the ¡°Oriental Limited¡± a new, faster schedule.
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May 6, 1950 Pacific Electric quits the Los Angeles to San Bernardino RPO, the last interurban Railway Post Office in the U.S.
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May 6, 1960 Last revenue run for steam on the Norfolk & Western.
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May 6, 1982 The last Morse code train order issued in the U.S. or Canada is sent to the operator at Whitehall, MT on the Burlington Northern.
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May 6, 1982 After Conrail¡¯s announcement that it plans to abandon the line by July 5, one of the last revenue trains runs between Mendon and Wasepi on the former Grand Rapids & Indiana.
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May 6, 1994 Queen Elizabeth II and French President Francois Mitterand formally open the Chunnel.
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Mark Tomlonson
