June 1, 1839 The Baltimore & Ohio opens a new main line alignment, eliminating the inclined planes at Parrs Spring Ridge.
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June 1, 1866 The Jeffersonville, Madison & Indianapolis Railroad (later PRR) is incorporated by merging the Indianapolis & Madison Railroad Company and the Jeffersonville Railroad. The merger is made retroactive to May 1.
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June 1, 1867 The Great Western Railway of Canada begins direct interchange of cars with the Michigan Central Railroad at Detroit.
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June 1, 1871 The Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad agrees to operate the Cincinnati, Richmond & Fort Wayne Railroad for 99 years from date of its completion.
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June 1, 1874 The Pennsylvania Railroad begins running the "Day Express" eastbound from Pittsburgh to Jersey City in only in 13 hours and 45 minutes. The train runs up to 132 miles non-stop by using a new means of taking on water: track pans. The pans are located near Monmouth Junction, Leaman Place, at some point on the Middle Division and near Johnstown.
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June 1, 1875 A groundbreaking ceremony for the Canadian Pacific Railway is held on the left bank of the Kamistiquia River in the townsite of Fort William about four miles from the river's mouth.
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June 1, 1876 A theatrical troupe charters a three-car train for a record setting cross-country trip. The top speed is 72 mph, and the total time is 84 hours and 17 minutes, roughly half the time of a regular train.
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June 1, 1881 Detroit, Butler & St. Louis RR (later Wabash) is completed from Montpelier, OH to Detroit, offering a direct route to St. Louis and Kansas City.
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June 1, 1882 The first Gotthard Tunnel in Switzerland opens. One hundred ninety-nine miners died during the construction of the 9.3-mile long tunnel; the world's longest until 1906.
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June 1, 1886 The Norfolk & Western converts from 5 foot to standard gauge in a single day.
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June 1, 1889 For the first time, the Orient Express makes all overland portions of its trip by rail.
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June 1, 1892 Great Northern's main line reaches Spokane WA.
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June 1, 1903 The Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway grants trackage rights to the Keokuk & Western Illinois Electric Company between Warsaw IL and the Keokuk & Hamilton bridge. The K&WIEC installs trolley poles and will operate interurban service between Warsaw and Hamilton until 1928.
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June 1, 1904 The Wabash Railroad reaches Pittsburgh.
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June 1, 1905 The Detroit, Toledo & Ironton first gains control of the Ann Arbor Railroad.
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June 1, 1906 Excavations begin for the Penn Station building, Manhattan.
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June 1, 1908 The Pennsylvania Railroad issues new rules that allow uniform employees to unbutton their coats in summertime.
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June 1, 1910 The deadline for the start of Long Island Railroad service into Penn Station passes. The service has been delayed by snags in the delivery of MP54 steel MU Cars to the Long Island.
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June 1, 1913 The Vandalia Railroad, thanks to improvements at Butler IN and securing rights over the Wabash between Butler and Toledo, begins additional freight and passenger service St. Louis to Toledo and Chicago to Toledo.
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June 1, 1914 Clearing Yard in Chicago, owned by the Belt Railway of Chicago opens for business.
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June 1, 1915 Pennsylvania Railroad's Lines East creates the General Divisions Baseball League for its employees. Other company sports include basketball and Track & Field.
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June 1, 1919 First run of Canadian Pacific's summer-only "Trans-Canada Limited", Montreal to Vancouver.
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June 1, 1923 In part to keep passengers entertained on cross-country trips, Canadian National announces the formation of its Radio Department. The Radio Department will eventually become the CBC Radio and Television network.
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June 1, 1925 Henry Ford begins trial runs on the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton with two D-D+D-D electric locomotives. Ford has plans (never realized) to extend his electrification project to a connection with the Virginian Railway.
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June 1, 1925 Ft. Wayne Union Railway opens.
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June 1, 1929 Interurban operations in Kalamazoo County cease as the last car runs between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek.
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June 1, 1932 The Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic ore dock at Marquette MI begins service a train of 30 ore cars.
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June 1, 1933 A United Air Lines Boeing 247 flies from coast to coast in 19 hours, 45 minutes. The fastest air-rail service over the same distance is 26 hours.
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June 1, 1937 The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania passes a "Full Crew" law. It is immediately blocked by the courts.
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June 1, 1939 Mount McKinley Hotel opens, bringing tourists via the Alaska Railroad to the Denali area.
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June 1, 1958 The last passenger train runs on Boston & Maine's Cheshire Branch.
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June 1, 1963 The Louisville & Nashville ends its use of Central Station in Louisville and moves to Union Station.
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June 1, 1968 The New Haven drops its sleeping car contract with the Pullman Company.
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June 1, 1985 After a four-year absence, VIA's "Atlantic" returns. The train also serves six stations in Maine.
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June 1, 1985 CSX Transportation begins running rights over the Canada Southern Subdivision of CP Rail and CN Rail.
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June 1, 1994 The first commercial trains begin using the "Chunnel" providing freight service between England and France.
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June 1, 1999 Conrail operations are taken over by Norfolk Southern Corporation and CSX.
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June 1, 2010 Progress Rail Services announces it is buying Electro-Motive from a partnership of Berkshire Partners LLC and Greenbriar Equity Group LLC. That partnership bought EMD from General Motors in 2005.
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June 1, 2016 The Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland is completed and ceremonies are held to inaugurate the tunnel. The 35-mile long tunnel is the world¡¯s largest; at 1.5 miles the world¡¯s deepest. Full commercial service is expected through the tunnel by December.
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June 1, 2018 The Durango & Silverton Railroad temporarily suspends operations due to the dry conditions in southwest Colorado and a wildfire burning 10 miles north of Durango.
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Mark Tomlonson
