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April 21, 1846 The Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill & Susquehanna Railroad (later Lehigh Valley) is incorporated.

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April 21, 1856 The first railroad bridge across the Mississippi opens between Rock Island and Davenport. When a steamboat strikes the bridge two weeks later, the railroad is sued for causing a hazard to navigation. Lawyer Abraham Lincoln persuades the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the legality of the bridge.

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April 21, 1873 The Texas & Pacific Railway begins grading at San Diego.

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April 21, 1873 The Ware River Railroad (later B&A, NYC) is incorporated.

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April 21, 1935 The "Twin Zephyr" begins service between Chicago and the Twin Cities.

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April 21, 1936 After tests, the Pennsylvania Railroad decides not to buy copies of EMC diesel demonstrators for passenger service on the grounds they are too noisy, too smelly and only marginally more powerful than a K-4s. PRR does note that fuel costs are only 61% of steam.

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April 21, 1941 The New York Central puts its new, streamlined "James Whitcomb Riley" on display at Indianapolis Union Station. Henry Dreyfus has designed the new train.

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April 21, 1959 New York Central passenger service between Grand Rapids and Jackson MI ends.

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April 21, 1962 The American Institute of Architects denounces the destruction of Penn Station in New York.

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April 21, 1975 Southern Pacific 4-8-4 4449 is test-fired and moves under steam in preparation for its use on the American Freedom Train.

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April 21, 1993 The first Amtrak "Genesis" locomotive leaves GE.

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April 21, 2011 Three musical groups begin a tour in Oakland CA, using a private 15-car train as sole intercity transportation.

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Mark Tomlonson

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, 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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Mark Tomlonson

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 Co. receives a charter to build a half-mile rail road in Monroe, the first 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. Streetcar service ends 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 ($47 million in 2019) 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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Mark Tomlonson

April 16, 1833 A New Castle & Frenchtown (later PRR, NS) train hits a cow. Nine of its 10 cars derail and overturn. Because of the train control problems following this incident, the NC&F introduces the first system of fixed signals on a US railroad. By September the signal staffs (about three miles apart) will be able to transmit a signal from one end of the line to the other in three minutes. The original flags will be changed to peach baskets covered with cloth and then to colored balls ("highballs") about 1837.

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April 16, 1834 The first section of the Boston & Worcester Railroad (later B&A, NYC) opens between Boston and West Newton MA. It is the first rail passenger service and first run of a steam locomotive in New England.

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April 16, 1853 The first passenger railroad opens in India, running from Bori Bunder, through Bombay to Thane.

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April 16, 1928 Back Bay Station in Boston is destroyed by fire. (Some sources say April 15.)

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April 16, 1930 The Rose City branch of the Detroit & Mackinac is abandoned.

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April 16, 1945 A group of Philadelphia businessmen (including John B. Kelly, the father of actress-turned- princess Grace Kelly) purchases the Atlantic City trolley lines from the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines. The new Atlantic City Transportation Company will officially take over the entire system on December 1.

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April 16, 1951 Last steam locomotive in passenger service on the Boston & Albany.

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April 16, 1958 The New York Central introduces "Flexi-Van" service. The first route is New York [Weehawken] to Chicago.

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April 16, 1958 The Chicago Skyway opens, completing a four-lane, limited access highway from New York to Chicago.

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April 16, 2011 A passenger excursion runs between May Pen and Linstead Jamaica to introduce a regular service scheduled to start in July. This is the first passenger train service on Jamaica since February 1992.

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April 17, 1826 The Mohawk & Hudson Railroad is chartered in New York State. Most historians consider this the first event leading to the New York Central System.

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April 17, 1853 The Evansville, Indianapolis & Cleveland Straight Line Railroad (later E&I, NYC) is chartered.

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April 17, 1869 The Athol & Enfield Railroad (later V&M, B&A, NYC) is incorporated in Massachusetts

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April 17, 1871 The Michigan Legislature passes a law requiring passenger train conductors to announce the next station in all cars "within a reasonable time before arrival".

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April 17, 1905 Durand (MI) Union Depot is almost destroyed by fire.

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April 17, 1915 Concerned by the problems caused at grade crossings by increasing automobile traffic, the Pennsylvania Railroad asks the American Railway Association to adopt a standard warning system for grade crossings.

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April 17, 1918 Interurban service between Bristol and Elkhart IN ends.

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April 17, 1932 Streetcar service ends in Kokomo IN.

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April 17, 1945 The New Haven experiments with train radio, operating at 30.66 Mc (later 30.66 MHz). A base unit is set up in New Haven station, and mobile units are placed in 2-10-2 #3205 and caboose C-580.

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April 17, 1951 The New York Central cancels its 125th Anniversary celebrations due to the Korean War and its poor financial condition.

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April 17, 1978 Michigan Northern takes delivery of two ex-D&H/Montour/NYC Baldwin RF-16 "Sharks", the last two RF-16's extant.

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April 18, 1832 The Watertown & Rome Railroad (later RW&O, NYC) is chartered.

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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 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. (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. Also destroyed: The offices of the Southern Pacific and 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.

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April 18, 1983 CNCP Niagara-Detroit is created by CP Rail and CN Rail to acquire the Canada Southern Railway.

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April 18, 2004 Streetcars return to Canal Street in New Orleans.

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Mark Tomlonson

April 15, 1865 All Baltimore & Ohio trains are held at Relay, MD until noon by military order to help prevent the escape of the assassins of Abraham Lincoln.

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April 15, 1867 The Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne & Chicago (later PRR) completes a wrought-iron Pratt truss swing drawbridge over the Chicago River.

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April 15, 1892 General Electric is formed. The company will eventually (among other ventures) manufacture diesel-electric locomotives and components.

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April 15, 1899 Chicago’s Lake Street “L” is extended at ground level beyond city limits at 52^nd. Avenue.

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April 15, 1905 The two-level swing bridge between Hancock and Houghton MI is destroyed when it is rammed by the steamer "Northern Wave", bound for the smelters at Ripley.

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April 15, 1905 Work begins on Washington Union Station.

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April 15, 1912 The R.M.S. Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage after striking an iceberg. Among the lost: Grand Trunk Railway President Charles M. Hays, Pennsylvania Railroad Vice-President John B. Thayer and George D. Widener, a Philadelphia streetcar magnate. Thayer's son is swept off the boat deck but survives on the overturned collapsible lifeboat.

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April 15, 1933 Streetcar service ends in Lansing MI.

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April 15, 1947 The Pennsylvania Railroad puts its new Baldwin "Centipedes" in passenger service, running between Harrisburg and Chicago.

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April 15, 1952 The New Haven announces it is now completely dieselized, although four steam locomotives are retained for switching and snow melting in yards.

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April 15, 1955 The current issue of "Vogue" features an article highlighting Canadian Pacific's "Canadian" and models showing what well-dressed train travelers will be wearing. Budd, CP and 112 retailers have co-operated in the production of the photo feature.

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April 15, 1955 The Detroit, Toledo & Ironton and Pennsylvania Railroads enter into a trackage agreement that will allow DT&I freight trains on the PRR line between South Charleston and Cincinnati OH.

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April 15, 1955 Great Northern begins construction on Gavin Yard.

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April 15, 1957 The New York Central assigns hostesses to the "Empire State Express".

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April 15, 1962 The Reading ends its car float operations.

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April 15, 1975 Amtrak's "Arrowhead" begins Minneapolis-Duluth service.

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April 15, 1996 Ground is broken for the new Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland. The 35.3 mile long tunnel will allow passenger trains to traverse at 150 mph and freights at 99 mph. Expected completion is in 2020.

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Mark Tomlonson

April 14, 1907 The Lake Shore & Michigan Southern depot at Laporte IN is destroyed by fire.

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April 14, 1909 In its new contract with the Pullman Company, the Pennsylvania Railroad stipulates that only steel cars are to serve the new Pennsylvania Station in New York.

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April 14, 1932 Southern Pacific announces it has gain control of the Cotton Belt through ownership of 87 per cent of the Cotton Belt’s stock.

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April 14, 1945 President Roosevelt's funeral train arrives in Washington DC from Warm Springs. It will arrive in Hyde Park later today. The train runs in two sections, the first 13 cars for Congress, the Supreme Court and diplomats. The second 17 cars are for the funeral party, family, President Truman and the Cabinet.

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Mark Tomlonson

April 13, 1771 Richard Trevithick, a Welsh inventor, is born. His most notable contribution to railroading will be the invention of high-pressure steam engines, enabling self-propelled steam locomotives to do useful work.

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April 13, 1846 The Pennsylvania Railroad receives a charter to run between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh.

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April 13, 1868 The Continental Improvement Company is incorporated in Pennsylvania by officers of the Pennsylvania Railroad for the purpose of building the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad. It is the first pure holding company in America.

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April 13, 1869 George Westinghouse receives the first patent for an air brake for railroad cars. The brake uses steam from the locomotive boiler as its power source.

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April 13, 1888 The Valley City Street & Cable Railway begins operations in Grand Rapids MI. The line is no more than 11,000 feet long, and a single cable car is in operation.

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April 13, 1921 At noon, all Pennsylvania Railroad locomotive and shop whistles are blown for 30 seconds to mark the 75th anniversary of the railroad.

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April 13, 1925 The Pennsylvania Railroad constructs a replica of the "Broadway Limited's" rear platform for display in Macy's Department store window in New York. Later it will travel to other department stores along the PRR system.

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April 13, 1953 Complaining of poor service, the U.S. Navy sends an LST to pick up sailors originally scheduled to travel on the Pennsylvania Railroad's "Furlough".

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April 13, 1987 The Iowa Terminal Railroad [IA interurban] is sold to David Johnson and renamed “Iowa Traction Railroad”.

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Mark Tomlonson

April 12, 1831 Construction begins on the Staple Bend Tunnel, located 4 miles east of Johnstown PA. It is the first railroad tunnel in the United States. (Some sources say November 21)

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April 12, 1842 The Erie & Northeast Railroad (later NYC) is chartered.

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April 12, 1848 The Buffalo & State Line Railroad (later NYC) is chartered.

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April 12, 1861 Confederate forces fire upon Federal forces, which have retreated to Fort Sumter, SC, beginning the US Civil War. In addition to, as historian Ken Burns put it, "changing the nation from united States to The United States", the war will also advance railroad technology and operating practices from the lessons learned transporting troops and material.

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April 12, 1862 Andrew's Raiders steal "The General".

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April 12, 1880 The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Chicago Union Station is held.

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April 12, 1898 Union Traction Company of Indiana opens its line from Alexandria to Summitville.

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April 12, 1944 The Pennsylvania Railroad Mechanical Engineer approves drawings for a proposed class V1 2-D-D-2 steam turbine. While this locomotive class will not be built, the Chesapeake & Ohio will build 3 examples almost identical to this proposal.

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April 12, 1947 The Pennsylvania Railroad places its first Baldwin "Centipedes" in freight service on its Philadelphia Division.

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April 12, 1950 The New York Central adds 250 boxcars to its "Pacemaker" fleet.

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April 12, 1953 Last run of the "Orange Blossom Special".

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April 12, 1960 Chrysler makes its first shipment of automobiles using New York Central auto racks designed to fit on a Flexi-Van chassis.

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April 12, 1976 GG-1 locomotive number 4800 appears in a "Bicentennial" paint scheme.

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April 12, 1987 Last train runs on the Michigan Northern.

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April 12, 2016 A train is delayed 19 minutes at Japan’s Hiroshima station when a cat decides to perch on top. The cat is eventually coaxed down and the train proceeds without further incident. The image of the cat resting on the train is tweeted over 1,500 times.

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Mark Tomlonson

April 9, 1827 The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania authorizes the construction of several canals as well as surveys for railroads from Harrisburg to Chambersburg and Columbia to York and Gettysburg. The Canal Commissioners are directed to consider an all-canal route but also to survey a railroad between Philadelphia and the Susquehanna River.

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April 9, 1850 The Buffalo & Rochester Railroad (later NYC) is formed.

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April 9, 1892 Streetcars begin running in Ashtabula OH.

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April 9, 1898 The Dayton Traction Company is leased to the Cincinnati & Miami Valley.

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April 9, 1906 The Chicago, Indiana & Southern Railroad (later NYC) is organized.

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April 9, 1934 The Budd Company completes construction of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy trainset that will be known as the "Pioneer Zephyr".

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April 9, 1937 The last Colorado & Southern narrow gauge passenger train leaves Denver.

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April 9, 1951 To counter a $10 million deficit (2018: $96 million), the New York Central lays off several thousand employees.

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April 9, 1959 Passenger service ends on the Monon between Chicago and Indianapolis.

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April 9, 1961 Pacific Electric Railway, once the largest electric railway system in the world, ends operations.

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April 9, 2004 The Surface Transportation Board approves CNNA taking over operation of the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range, Bessemer & Lake Erie and the Pittsburgh & Conneaut Dock Company.

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April 9, 2019 Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 “Big Boy” #4014 is fired up for the first time in 60 years, and for the first time as an oil burner.

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April 10, 1846 The Chelsea Branch Railroad (later B&A, NYC) is chartered in Massachusetts

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April 10, 1866 James & Amos Densmore are granted a patent for the first successful tank car.

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April 10, 1873 The State of North Carolina secures an injunction against the North Carolina Railroad preventing it from changing its gauge from 4'-8-1/2" to 5'-0". The railroad had hoped to form through lines with the Richmond & Danville and other roads in the Southern Railway Security Company group.

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April 10, 1873 Flooding in Northeastern Indiana washes out several railroad bridges.

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April 10, 1878 Cable car service begins on San Francisco's California Street.

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April 10, 1878 The Pennsylvania Railroad sells 11 lots in its Philadelphia suburb "Bryn Mawr" to Dr. John Taylor at half the going rate, provided he completes his women's seminary, "Bryn Mawr College" within seven years.

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April 10, 1895 The Detroit & Mackinac buys the Alpena & Northern.

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April 10, 1900 The Holland & Lake Michigan Railway (MI interurban) resumes operation after a carbarn fire in January destroyed all their rolling stock.

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April 10, 1907 Indiana passes a series of Railroad Laws. They require a full crew, block systems to be in place by July 1, 1909 and set rates for dining car liquor licenses at $1000.

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April 10, 1912 The first (and only) R.M.S. Titanic boat train leaves London for the docks at Southampton.

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April 10, 1919 First run of the Simplon-Orient Express, using a combination of routes and equipment from the pre-war Simplon and Orient Expresses. This is the first luxury train to operate in Europe after World War I. (Some sources say April 11)

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April 10, 1922 The plans for Cleveland Union Terminal are approved. The 52-storey Terminal Tower will be the tallest building west of New York.

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April 10, 1928 The Indianapolis & Cincinnati Traction Company is sold to receivers. The company will re-form on May 7 as the Indianapolis & South Eastern Railroad Company.

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April 10, 1930 The Great Northern buys its last new steam locomotive, 4-8-4 #2588.

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April 10, 1936 The Palomar observatory mirror arrives in Pasadena CA after a 16-day cross-country trip by rail.

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April 10, 1937 The Denver South Park & Pacific ends operations.

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April 10, 1948 The Chicago & West Towns Railway ends streetcar service in Cicero-Berwyn IL.

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April 10, 1975 Amtrak begins using French-built RTG trainsets between Detroit and Chicago.

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April 10, 2009 Norfolk Southern and Pan Am enter into an arrangement to create "Pan Am Southern". The new line, owned 50/50 by the two parties, will give NS access to New England.

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April 11, 1842 The French legislature passes the Railway Act of 1842, which among other provisions states that all rail lines in France are to be owned by the state with operations leased to private companies. Another provision lays out a basic railroad map.

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April 11, 1845 The Pennsylvania Legislature passes an Act that exempts canals and railroads from being fined under Sunday "Blue" laws.

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April 11, 1853 The Ohio & Indiana Railroad Company (later PFW&C, PRR, PC, CR) completes its line from Pittsburgh to Crestline OH.

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April 11, 1853 After intense lobbying from New York interests, who are alleged to have paid $50,000 in bribes, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania repeals the 1851 "Gauge Law" and now requires all state railroads to be 4'-8-1/2". The repeal opens the way for Ohio railroads to build to Pittsburgh.

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April 11, 1863 The Oswego & Rome Railroad (later RW&O, NYC) is chartered as a branch of the Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg.

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April 11, 1877 Ross Winans, who took credit for many early developments in railroad technology while working for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, passes away at the age of 81.

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April 11, 1920 The Cleveland Interurban Railroad (OH) opens.

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April 11, 1931 The Pennsylvania Railroad adds Tourist Pullmans to the formerly all-coach excursion trains running between New York and Pittsburgh.

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April 11, 1960 The Pennsylvania Railroad places 7 new diesel tugs into service in New York Harbor. The new tugs replace 12 that are being retired, included the last steam-powered tug.

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April 11, 2017 Indiana Landmarks announces it will buy and preserve the Monon High Bridge at Delphi.

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April 11, 2020 The first two (of four) former White Pass & Yukon diesel locomotives are loaded onto a barge in Skagway for eventual delivery to the Durango & Southern. The D&S is also planning to purchase two additional new diesels, and to build a new shop in Durango to maintain them.

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Mark

April 8, 1867 A special excursion train departs Chicago on the first through run to New York over the new Michigan Central-Great Western of Canada-New York Central route. The train is ferried across the Detroit River. The route is uniform standard gauge. A through Pullman Palace hotel car is established between Chicago and Albany.

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April 8, 1870 A Pullman Palace Drawing Room Car intended for the Pennsylvania Railroad makes a demonstration run between West Philadelphia and Trenton. The car features 12 sections and 2 compartments, with 6-wheel trucks for a quiet ride.

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April 8, 1907 The Pennsylvania Railroad issues orders that trainmen are not to assist women dressed in white up and down steps unless requested. The order follows complaints of trainmen soiling women's clothes.

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April 8, 1932 Eau Claire WI loses its streetcars.

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April 8, 1936 The Pennsylvania Railroad declines an offer from Budd for streamlined passenger diesels, citing high costs for new support infrastructure.

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April 8, 1943 President Roosevelt, as one of several moves today to reduce inflation, bans common carriers such as railroads from increasing their rates.

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April 8, 1956 Detroit's Woodward Avenue PCC line is changed to bus, ending rail service. A parade of 24 PCC's have closed the line. All but 3 of the PCC's will go to Mexico City.

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April 8, 1961 New York Governor Rockefeller signs a bill allowing the Port Authority to take over the operation of the Hudson Tubes and to construct a World Trade Center.

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April 8, 1961 The Ford Motor Company reveals plans for its "Levacar", an air cushioned tracked vehicle Ford claims will make 500 mph using a large fan for propulsion. The Pennsylvania, New York Central and Santa Fe express interest.

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April 8, 1997 CSX and Norfolk Southern agree on a plan to buy Conrail. 58% of Conrail will go to Norfolk Southern, and 42% to CSX.

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Mark Tomlonson

April 7, 1870 The Kalamazoo & South Haven (later NYC, PC) reaches Bloomingdale from Kendall on its way west to South Haven MI.

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April 7, 1871 The Illinois Railroad Act establishes state regulation of railroads and intrastate rates. It is the first of the so-called "Granger Laws".

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April 7, 1872 The Spuyten Duyvil & Port Morris Railroad (later NYC) begins operations.

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April 7, 1874 The Pennsylvania Company signs memos of agreement with the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, Michigan Central, Chicago & Alton, and Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroads covering the construction of a Union Passenger Depot between Van Buren and Madison Streets in Chicago. They also grant the Michigan Central trackage rights over the Pittsburg, Ft. Wayne & Chicago from the Calumet River.

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April 7, 1928 The Grand Rapids, Grand Haven & Muskegon (MI Interurban) ends operations.

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April 7, 1930 The New York Central opens a new, Art Deco-styled ticket office on Michigan Avenue in Chicago.

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April 7, 1934 The purchase of the first "American Flyer"-style passenger cars, the first streamliners to run in New England, is announced by the New Haven Railroad in Railway Age magazine.

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April 7, 1936 A mine placed on or near the tracks 50 miles from Vera Cruz Mexico is detonated as the "Vera Cruz Express" passes over. The explosion and the resulting fire in the wooden cars kills at least 90.

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April 7, 1957 New York City trolleys run for the last time, the last trolleys in New York State.

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April 7, 2008 Noted railroad photographer Richard H. "Dick" Kindig passes away at the age of 91. Mr. Kindig was best known for his pictures of the narrow gauge railroads in his native Colorado.

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April 7, 2008 Chris Guenzler becomes the first regular passenger documented to have ever traveled 1,000,000 miles over all the routes in the Amtrak system since the founding of Amtrak in 1971.

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Mark Tomlonson