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March 27, 1835 A rotary steam locomotive built by Willam Avery of Syracuse NY is tested on the New Jersey Railroad & Transportation Company between Hackensack and Passaic Rivers. It is not powerful enough. ?Mr. Avery proposes to build a larger version, but nothing further is heard from him.

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March 27, 1855 Secretary of War Jefferson Davis presents the report on surveys for the Pacific railroad to Congress. The surveys suggest five separate routes between the 32nd and 49th parallels.

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March 27, 1874 Kalamazoo MI's first Grand Rapids & Indiana depot burns to the ground. A new one will be built on the same location.

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March 27, 1879 The Pennsylvania Railroad locomotive "Modoc" pulls 138 loaded cars between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh.

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March 27, 1902 A new Union Station for Washington DC is proposed. The proposal would remove the existing railroad stations from the National Mall.

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March 27, 1918 The Pennsylvania Railroad grants a license to the Position-Light Signal Company to build and install position-light signals on the PRR. In return, the railroad will collect a $1 per light unit royalty (2025: $22.79).

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March 27, 1935 General Motors' Electro-Motive Division breaks ground in McCook IL for their new locomotive factory.

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March 27, 1953 For the second time in U.S. history, four trains are involved in a single wreck. Near Conneaut OH on the New York Central, an improperly secured 18-inch pipe slips off a gondola, damaging an adjacent track. The track damage and improper flagging will cause another freight train and 2 passenger trains to derail and collide. Twenty-one people are killed and forty-nine injured. The first 4-train wreck occurred in Connecticut in December, 1891.

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March 27, 1954 The Sylvania Central (GA) quits.

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March 27, 1960 The last regularly scheduled steam-powered passenger train on a major U.S. railroad runs from Durand to Detroit on the Grand Trunk Western.

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March 27, 1960 Missouri Pacific's last day of passenger service on its Kansas City-Ft. Smith-Little Rock line.

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March 27, 1961 Black demonstrators stage a "ride-in" on Charleston SC streetcars.

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March 27, 1963 In a report that will come to be known as the “Beeching Axe”, Dr. Richard Beeching recommends huge cuts to the United Kingdom’s rail network.

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March 27, 1964 Great Britain's "Great Train Robbers" are sentenced to a total of 307 years behind bars.

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March 27, 1967 The Great Northern runs its first taconite unit train from Nashwauk MN to Allouez WI.

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March 27, 1976 Washington D.C.'s "Metro" opens its first 4.6 miles.

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March 27, 1976 Penn Central runs its last Grand Rapids – Cadillac (MI) train. Michigan Northern will take over operations on April 1.

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March 27, 1995 After a two-week strike by the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees, affecting Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, and VIA Rail, the Canadian Parliament creates arbitration panels to resolve the dispute.

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Mark Tomlonson

March 26, 1950 Baltimore PCC route 30 (Fremont Street) was converted to trolleybus operation with surplus ACF-Brill TC-44 trolleybuses. The PCCs were then transferred to routes 4 and 14.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Dennis M Linsky

March 26, 1860 The first freight car (loaded with lard) leaves St. Louis for New York via Buffalo and the New York Central. The trip will take five days. This is the first car to run through without breaking bulk. Terre Haute & Indianapolis Railroad, New York Central and other railroads will establish a line of freight cars with wide-tread wheels for through freight to points east of Buffalo and Pittsburgh without transshipment between Ohio and the standard gauges.

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March 26, 1921 The Grand Rapids & Indiana is leased to the Pennsylvania Railroad for 999 years along with 11 other companies. The lease is retroactive to January 1.

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March 26, 1926 The Kankakee & Urbana Traction ends passenger operations. Freight operations are sold to the Illinois Terminal. IT will serve the three grain elevators on the line until June next year.

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March 26, 1930 After eight months of trying to make it as a freight only line, the Tyler Traction Company (WV) calls it quits.

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March 26, 1936 The Rexall Drug train, pulled by New York Central “Mohawk” #2873 begins its tour.

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March 26, 1945 The Pennsylvania Railroad places its S2 6-8-6 steam turbine in service between Chicago and Crestline OH. Its normal assignments are "The Trail Blazer" eastbound and "The Admiral" westbound.

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March 26, 1947 Streetcar service ends in Akron OH.

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March 26, 1951 The Bangor & Aroostook and Pennsylvania railroads arrange to have PRR lease BAR diesel locomotives when they are not needed by BAR due to seasonal lulls in traffic.

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March 26, 1962 Canadian National's eastbound "Ocean Limited" becomes the first train painted entirely in CN's new passenger paint scheme. A few engines and cars started appearing in the new scheme last year.

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March 26, 2005 Fire destroys Deval Tower in Des Plaines IL, one of the last manual interlocking towers. Union Pacific has no plans to replace the tower.

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March 26, 2013 Hartsdale Interlocking, between Canadian National’s former Elgin Joliet & Eastern and the former Pennsylvania Railroad Panhandle line in Indiana is closed and the diamond removed. CN begins service to the single customer, Midwest Pipe Coating, affected by the closing.

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Mark Tomlonson

March 25, 1951 Cincinnati trolley routes 32 (Elberon-Price Hill), 35 (Warsaw-Price Hill), and 36 (Warsaw-Carson Street) were converted to bus operation with the latter 2 getting trolleybuses. All 3 routes used Peter Witt cars after the St. Louis PCC cars were sold and shipped to Toronto. Warsaw Avenue had the PCCs before their sale.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? March 25, 1956 Philadelphia trolley route 21 (Market Street and North 17th and 18th Streets) was converted to bus operation with postwar Mack buses obtained from route G (56th Street) which received new GMC TDH-5106 diesel buses. This was a logical move as no GMC buses were assigned to Luzerne Depot. The route 21 conversion was due to construction work on the new Penn Center projects. Also, lock-type fare boxes appeared on all PCC cars and buses assigned to Germantown Depot.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Dennis M Linsky

March 25, 1807 The Swansea & Mumbles Railway begins the first railway passenger service in the world, using horse-drawn cars. The line had been built three years earlier to haul granite. It will remain in service until 1960, using horses, sail, steam, electric, gasoline and diesel to operate the trains.

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March 25, 1887 The Michigan & Ohio Railroad becomes the Cincinnati, Jackson & Mackinaw Railroad.

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March 25, 1936 The 200-inch mirror blank for the Palomar observatory begins its cross-country trip aboard a well-hole flat car [NYC 499010] which has had smaller diameter wheels fitted for added clearance. At the time the mirror is shipped it is the single most valuable item ever shipped by rail. The mirror has been encased in a steel shipping container to counter Creationists who have threatened to shoot the mirror in transit. They fear it will allow man to see God in the process of creation. As it travels in the well-hole flatcar, the mirror is only inches above the rails.

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March 25, 1942 After testing a similar Chesapeake & Ohio locomotive, the Pennsylvania Railroad approves construction of 50 class J1 2-10-4 locomotives. The engines will not have the signature PRR Belpaire firebox to save weight. Also approved today: 10 additional GG1 electric locomotives.

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March 25, 1945 The Virginian Railway takes delivery of its first 2-6-6-6 locomotive from Lima Locomotive Works. The locomotives are nearly identical to the Chesapeake & Ohio’s 2-6-6-6 “Allegheny” locomotives.

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March 25, 1955 The New York Central and New Haven railroads jointly announce the purchase of one "Train X" each from Pullman-Standard. The trains will be powered by a Baldwin-Lima Hamilton diesel.

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March 25, 1956 Detroit's Gratiot trolley line converts to bus to permit the sale and shipment of the PCC cars to Mexico City. A fan trip a few days later uses a PCC in the Mexico City colors.

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March 25, 1957 The New Haven's two lightweight trains, "Dan'l Webster" and "John Quincy Adams" enter service between New York and Boston.

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March 25, 1986 Conrail makes its initial public offering of stock, at $26 per share. [2025: $76.25]

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March 25, 2011 The Manufacturers' Railway petitions the Surface Transportation Board to cease operations on its "Brewery Line", serving the Anheuser-Busch Brewery as well as its First Street Line. Abandonment of the St. Louis MO line is not being sought, meaning the lines could be re-opened if traffic for them is found.

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Mark Tomlonson

March 24, 1828 The Philadelphia & Columbia Railway (later PRR), the first to be owned by a state, is authorized.

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March 24, 1849 The Pittsburg & Steubenville Railroad (later PCC&StL) is chartered in Pennsylvania.

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March 24, 1852 Ohio passes a law permitting railroads to change gauge from 4'-10" (the former Ohio Standard gauge) in order to make roads of uniform gauge from end to end.

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March 24, 1870 The Pennsylvania Railroad signs a 999-year lease of the Erie & Pittsburgh Railroad.

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March 24, 1897 Construction begins on the Sierra Railway (later Railroad) between Oakdale and Jamestown CA.

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March 24, 1900 The Mayor of New York, Robert A. Van Wyck turns the first shovel of dirt in groundbreaking ceremonies for the first New York subway.

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March 24, 1904 The Delray Connecting Railroad (MI) is incorporated. Owned by US Steel (later Transtar) the line operates on Zug Island in the Detroit River.

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March 24, 1925 Papers are filed by the Grand Rapids & Indiana to abandon its Jennings (MI) branch. The former flooring mill at Jennings shut down two years earlier and the population of the town has fallen to 75.

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March 24, 1932 For the first time, a radio broadcast is made from a moving train in the U.S. as New York’s WABC broadcasts from a Baltimore & Ohio train operating in Maryland.

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March 24, 1935 Pennsylvania Station in Newark NJ opens.

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March 24, 1941 "Sun Valley Serenade" begins production. This movie, starring Sonja Henie and Milton Berle, will receive an Oscar nomination in 1942 for Best Song, thanks to the debut of "Chattanooga Choo Choo" by Glenn Miller.

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March 24, 1959 Last sailing of the Weehawken ferry, connecting New York Central's West Shore line with Manhattan. The ferry will arrive just after midnight on the 25^th. [note corrected date]

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March 24, 1970 The last California Zephyr operated by the Western Pacific arrives in Oakland CA.

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March 24, 1976 Penn Central makes it last official run along the former Lake Shore & Michigan Southern from Otsego through Allegan and Hopkins to Dorr MI. This ends rail service to Allegan.

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March 24, 1980 The Cotton Belt begins operations over former Rock Island trackage between Tucumcari and St. Louis. Cotton Belt agreed to buy the line two years ago.

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March 24, 2007 The last Southern Pacific semaphore signals in service are retired. The Central Oregon & Pacific, operating the ex-SP Siskiyou line, bags the now inoperative Union Switch & Signal Style B semaphores.

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Mark Tomlonson

March 21, 1948 Baltimore PCC route 6 (Curtis Bay) was converted to bus operation.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? March 22, 1953 Cleveland's Superior Avenue trolley route, one of the first two to get PCC cars, was converted to trolleybus operation with used Pullman-Standard equipment purchased from Providence. Two weeks earlier, on March 8, Cleveland's East 55th Street trolley route, the last to get PCCs, was converted to bus operation.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? March 23, 1953 Philadelphia trolley route 36 (Elmwood Avenue) was rerouted east via 23rd, Chestnut, and 20th to Market and west via Market, 19th, and Walnut to 22nd. These changes became necessary due to construction of the Market Street subway extension at 23rd Street.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? March 23, 1959 Brooklyn trolleybus route B-45 (Livingston Street and St. John's Place) was converted to bus operation.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Dennis?M Linsky? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

March 21, 1837 Today and tomorrow, the Michigan Legislature will pass the Internal Improvements Act, authorizing the Central Railroad of Michigan (later MC) to build across the state. It will follow the route charted by the largely unbuilt Detroit & St. Joseph Rail Road. Also authorized: The Southern Railroad of Michigan (later LS&MS), the Northern Railroad of Michigan (never built), canals and plank roads.

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March 21, 1840 The West Feliciana Railroad becomes the first in the United States to announce regular freight and passenger rates.

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March 21, 1853 The Baltimore, Carroll & Frederick Railroad is renamed the Western Maryland Railroad.

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March 21, 1874 The first meal is served on board a British train.

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March 21, 1906 Fifty striking women car cleaners, who have been denied a meeting with Pennsylvania Railroad Division Superintendent S.C. Long, force their way into his home at 9:00 p.m. to present their grievances.

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March 21, 1910 Four miles outside Green Mountain IA the tender on the lead engine of a double headed Chicago Rock Island & Pacific passenger train derails. Forty-five people are killed and fifty injured in Iowa’s deadliest train crash. The CRI&P train was on Chicago & Northwestern tracks due to an earlier freight derailment on the CRI&P.

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March 21, 1918 President Wilson signs the Railroad Control Act, setting terms for operation of the railroads by the United States Railroad Administration (USRA). Railroads are to be paid rent for use of their lines and equipment.

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March 21, 1937 Southern Pacific's "Daylight Limited" debuts the new red/orange/black "Daylight" paint scheme.

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March 21, 1950 The State of New York forms its New York Thruway Authority to construct a network of toll roads and superhighways.

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March 21, 1953 The Chesapeake & Ohio carferry "Badger" makes her maiden voyage.

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March 21, 1968 The Louisville & Nashville/Monon merger is announced. The merger will be accomplished in July, 1971.

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March 21, 2001 An EMD JT42CWR becomes the first American-built locomotive to cross the German/Swiss border. It is heading up a container train.

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March 22, 1862 The East Boston Freight Railroad (later B&A, NYC) is chartered in Massachusetts.

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March 22, 1897 The U.S. Supreme Court rules that railroads are subject to anti-trust legislation.

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March 22, 1898 The Chicago Heights Terminal Transfer Railroad (later C&EI, MP, UP) is incorporated.

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March 22, 1911 The Kansas City, Clay County & St. Joseph Railway (Interurban) is incorporated. Although the line runs in Missouri, the promoters are mostly Interurban owners from Indiana.

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March 22, 1916 The Great Lakes Transit Corporation is formed to take over the railroad-owned liners and packet steamers now prohibited by ICC order. Operations will begin April 1.

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March 22, 1936 New York Central “Mohawk” #2873 is given streamlining and painted blue and white in preparation for its use in pulling the Rexall Drug train. It is also converted from coal to oil fuel. It is lettered “NYC” and “Rexall” but carries no number.

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March 22, 1944 The Board of the Pennsylvania Railroad approves contacting Government officials to allow the hiring of 3,000 Mexicans as track gang men and laborers.

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March 22, 1957 Faced with the high cost of building a major bridge over the new St. Lawrence Seaway, the New York Central abandons its line from Rooseveltown to Ottawa, Ontario. In April, Canadian National will purchase the portion of the line between Cornwall and Ottawa.

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March 22, 1970 After efforts to make it a rolling National Monument fall short, the Chicago Burlington & Quincy/Denver & Rio Grande Western/Western Pacific "California Zephyr" makes its last run when the Western Pacific drops its segment. The D&RGW remnant will run until 1983.

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March 22, 2011 The North Carolina Department of Transportation announces it will use Federal Funds to create a high-speed rail link between Raleigh and Charlotte.

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March 22, 2019 Two men are confirmed as record-setters for their ride in 2017 that took them over every Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority route in 7 hours, 29 minutes and 46 seconds.

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March 23, 1836 Virginia declares it a felony to damage or destroy railroad property. Slaves who damage railroads "shall suffer death without benefit of clergy".

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March 23, 1858 E.A. Gardner of Philadelphia patents a streetcar.

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March 23, 1861 London's first streetcars, designed by a Mr. Train of New York, begin operation.

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March 23, 1882 The Providence, Webster & Springfield Railroad is chartered. The Massachusetts railroad will be operated by the Boston & Albany.

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March 23, 1883 The Mann Boudoir Car Company is formed in New York. A success in Europe, it will operate at a loss for its entire five-year U.S. existence.

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March 23, 1905 The Batavia Daily News reports that the New York Central greenhouses in Batavia are ready to ship 50,000 plants and 8,000 ornamental shrubs to beautify NYC passenger stations throughout the system.

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March 23, 1913 Four days of heavy rains begin causing severe flooding in the Ohio River Basin in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. Over 600 people will be killed in the flooding. The Pennsylvania Railroad suffers $3.5 million ($114 million in 2025) in damages. The floods also put an end to commercial traffic on the two remaining Ohio Canals. They will be retained for water supply and recreation.

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March 23, 1914 The Pennsylvania Railroad opens a new station in Ft. Wayne IN and its track elevation project in that city is completed.

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March 23, 1937 The Los Angeles Railway Company begins using PCC cars.

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March 23, 1953 Great Northern runs its last steam locomotives in the Cascades Region.

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March 23, 1981 Intermodal rates & services are deregulated, leading directly to the rise of intermodal traffic.

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March 23, 1988 CSX begins Detroit-Atlanta “Roadrailer” service using ex-Clinchfield "F" units as motive power.

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March 23, 2004 The first locomotive runs in Tibet as part of the construction of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway.

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March 23, 2010 MetroRail opens in Austin TX. The 32-mile line is the city's first commuter rail service.

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March 23, 2014 A Chicago “L” train overruns the track bumper at O’Hare subway station, injuring 32.

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Mark Tomlonson

March 20, 1880 The Southern Pacific reaches Tucson AZ, the first train arriving on this date.

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March 20, 1896 The Grand Trunk Railway purchases the Central Vermont Railway and begins operating it as a wholly owned subsidiary.

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March 20, 1909 The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Company is formed. When the track is built this summer, the Peoria & Eastern will haul most of the materials. Later, when the original surface is found to be unsafe, the P&E will haul the bricks for "The Brickyard".

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March 20, 1949 The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy/Denver & Rio Grande Western/Western Pacific "California Zephyr" makes its first eastbound run, departing from San Francisco CA.

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March 20, 1950 The Baltimore & Ohio introduces its "Time-Saver" service for LCL freight.

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March 20, 1959 Last sailing of the Weehawken ferry, connecting New York Central's West Shore line with Manhattan.

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March 20, 1960 The Pioneer Zephyr makes its final revenue run from Lincoln NE to Kansas City MO. It then continues through Galesburg IL to Chicago for its final disposition.

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March 20, 1990 Canadian National GMD1 1071 departs Vancouver Island, ending 70 years of CN service on the island. The last segment of track was officially abandoned less than a month ago.

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March 20, 2017 Canadian National announces it will be closing the ore dock at Escanaba MI by the end of April. Ore has been shipped from Escanaba since 1852.

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March 20, 2022 Hitachi Rail announces it is building a new plant near Hagerstown MD to build new cars for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority. The new facility will employ 460 people and is expected to open in the winter of 2023-4.

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Mark Tomlonson

March 19, 1958 A late snowstorm which affected PCC car services in Baltimore and Washington also hit Philadelphia very hard. PCC routes 6 and 53 and bus routes 22, 74, 84, 86, 87, and Wa--all the bus routes at Willow Grove and the Northeast--were completely knocked out. The Red Arrow operated only the Norristown line.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Dennis M Linsky

March 19, 1836 The Lexington & Ohio Railroad (later L&N, CSX) relegates its single steam engine to freight service and returns to using horses for passenger trains.

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March 19, 1851 The Illinois Central Railroad is organized in New York City.

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March 19, 1917 The railroads accept President Wilson's proposal for an 8-hour workday to stave off possible strikes. Later in the day the U.S. Supreme Court in Wilson v. New, upholds the eight-hour workday for railroads.

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March 19, 1918 The U.S. Congress adopts Standard or "Railroad" time, in use since 1884, as the national standard.

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March 19, 1928 The New York Central opens a new, 31-stall roundhouse at Harmon NY.

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March 19, 1933 Cincinnati Union Terminal opens.

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March 19, 1944 Southern Pacific purchases its last steam locomotive: cab forward AC-12 4-8-8-2 # 4294.

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March 19, 1949 The Chicago Burlington & Quincy, Denver & Rio Grande Western, and the Western Pacific railroads jointly announce the inauguration of the “California Zephyr”, running between Chicago IL and San Francisco CA.

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March 19, 1948 The Lakefront Terminal & Dock Company opens its new terminal at Toledo. The terminal will be used jointly by the New York Central and Chesapeake & Ohio. The terminal has two Hulett-type unloaders and three McMyler coal dumpers.

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March 19, 1964 Passenger service ends on the New York Central between Detroit and Bay City MI. This ends intercity passenger service to Bay City and Saginaw.

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March 19, 2007 Demolition begins on the Pennsylvania Railroad roundhouse at Crestline, OH. Built around 1918, the facility had enlarged stalls to accommodate the Pennsy's T-1 and S-1 steam locomotives.

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March 19, 2011 The Amtrak station in Wilmington, DE is named for Vice President Joe Biden, who as a Senator departed from the station on a regular basis to travel to Washington DC.

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March 19, 2020 Amtrak suspends the “Pere Marquette” between Chicago and Grand Rapids MI due to declining ridership caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. “Wolverine” service between Chicago and Pontiac MI is cut back from 6 daily trains to 4, and will be cut back to 2 on March 21. Other Chicago regional trans are affected as well.

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Mark Tomlonson

March 18, 1951 Brooklyn's Utica Avenue trolley route was converted to bus operation.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Dennis M Linsky

March 18, 1834 One track of the Allegheny Portage Railroad opens for revenue service. The railroad will not operate between December and March when canals are closed by ice. Included in the construction: The first railroad tunnel in the United States.

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March 18, 1845 The Pittsfield & North Adams Railroad (later WRR, B&A, NYC, PC, CR, B&M) is incorporated.

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March 18, 1850 The American Express Company is formed.

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March 18, 1852 Henry Wells and William G. Fargo of the American Express Company organize Wells, Fargo & Co. in California to engage in express business between New York and California.

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March 18, 1869 The Pennsylvania Railroad buys the last of seven tracts of land on the relocated line of the Philadelphia Division near Whitehall Station. The land is subdivided as an exclusive commuter suburb called "Bryn Mawr". The name is Welsh for "beautiful hill".

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March 18, 1881 The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe line from Kansas City and the Southern Pacific line from California reach Deming, New Mexico, forming the second rail route to the Pacific and the first direct rail route to southern California. (Some sources put this event on March 8.)

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March 18, 1884 The Mexican Central Railway [English translation] opens between Mexico City and Ciudad Juarez [modern name].

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March 18, 1907 The first all steel 12-1 sleeper is placed on exhibit in Pennsylvania Railroad's Broad Street Station. It will travel to New York tomorrow before being placed in service.

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March 18, 1915 The Pennsylvania Railroad stages its first test of MP54 MU cars between Overbrook and Bryn Mawr PA.

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March 18, 1920 Fruit Growers Express is created to serve shippers in the East and South. The Atlantic Coast Line, Baltimore & Ohio, Pennsylvania Railroad and the Southern Railway are the original stockholders.

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March 18, 1930 The New Haven introduces the "Yankee Clipper" between New York and Boston on a 4 hour, 45 minute schedule.

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March 18, 1939 The "Coronation Scot", a British train normally in service between London and Glasgow, begins its tour of 38 U.S. cities. At the end of the tour it will be displayed at the New York World's Fair.

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March 18, 1952 The New Haven installs ticket vending machines in Grand Central Terminal.

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March 18, 1960 British Railways take delivery of their last steam locomotive: 2-10-0 #92220, named "Evening Star".

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March 18, 1965 The boards of the Milwaukee Road and the Chicago & North Western approve a merger plan.

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March 18, 2020 The Las Vegas NV monorail is forced to shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Mark Tomlonson

March 17, 1856 The Toledo, Wabash & Western (later WAB, N&W, NS) begins service to Logansport IN.

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March 17, 1863 Engineer William Pittenger and 5 others who took part in the Andrews raid are pardoned by the Confederate government.

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March 17, 1869 A Michigan law takes effect confirming a land grant along the first 20 miles of the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad but forcing the GR&I to forfeit the rest of the land grant unless it competes an additional 20 miles north of Grand Rapids by July 1, 1869, and 100 miles by January 1, 1873.

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March 17, 1954 Steam ends on the Erie behind 4-6-2 #2930.

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March 17, 1956 Trailer-Train Corporation begins operations. Stockholders include the Pennsylvania Railroad, Norfolk & Western, Frisco and Missouri Pacific.

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March 17, 1975 With only $300 cash on hand ($1,756 in 2024 dollars), the Rock Island enters bankruptcy for the third time.

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March 17, 1982 A Toledo Terminal Railroad train derails on the line’s Upper Maumee River Bridge, damaging it. The railroad decides to abandon rather than repair the bridge, a decision that creates much controversy.

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March 17, 1995 The Union Pacific makes an offer for Chicago & North Western stock.

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March 17, 2009 CSX Corporation officials in Chicago, decked out in green neckties, take advantage of the St. Patrick's Day holiday to announce the purchase of 4 "green" National Railway Equipment Corporation 3GS21B-DE gensets. The units, purchased with Federal pollution reduction funds, will serve in Barr Yard in south suburban Chicago.

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March 17, 2014 Passengers boarding a TGV train in Mulhouse, France are horrified to discover the remains of a bicyclist embedded in the front of the locomotive. The remains of the bicycle were discovered at a grade crossing near Petit-Croix, the previous stop.

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March 17, 2023 Amtrak introduces “Night Owl” fares on select Northeast Corridor trains departing between 7 pm and 5 am. The fares are as low as $5.

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Mark Tomlonson

March 14, 1954 Chicago trolley routes 9 (Ashland Avenue) and 45 (Ashland-Archer-Clark) were converted to bus operation.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Dennis M Linsky

March 14, 1836 The Cleveland, Columbus & Cincinnati Railroad (later NYC) is incorporated in Ohio.

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March 14, 1836 The Ohio Legislature authorizes a loan of $200,000 (2024: $6.6 million) to the Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad (later Big Four, NYC). This is the first time state aid has gone to a private railroad company.

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March 14, 1836 The Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad (later PRR) is incorporated in Ohio.

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March 14, 1864 John Luther "Casey" Jones is born in Jordan KY.

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March 14, 1926 A vastly overloaded passenger train near El Virilla, Costa Rica turns a rail on a bridge and derails. The accident kills 248 and injures 93 who were riding the train to visit a shrine and raise funds for the care of the elderly. Three days of national mourning follow the accident.

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March 14, 1938 Charlotte NC holds a "Good-Bye To Trolleys" festival to mark the end of service. Participating in the ceremonies is car no. 85. Car 85 will be turned into an Air National Guard office, a snack bar and a private residence before being restored to operational status in the 21st century.

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March 14, 1940 Streetcar service draws to a close in Lafayette IN.

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March 14, 1949 The Nickel Plate tests General Electric's gas turbine demonstrator, #101.

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March 14, 1955 The Pennsylvania Railroad announces it has ordered a model 705 "Giant Brain" computer from IBM. It will be the largest computer used by a railroad, used for billing and tickets. It will work along with an IBM 650.

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March 14, 1957 The New York Central dedicates its new Frontier Yard in East Buffalo NY. It is the first of four planned large, electronic hump yards to go into service. Frontier Yard replaces eight older NYC yards in the Buffalo area.

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March 14, 1974 Inter-city passenger rail service returns to Dallas with the start of Amtrak's "Inter-American".

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March 14, 2005 Canadian Pacific becomes the first bulk purchaser of RailPower Technology's "Green Goat" switching locomotive as they announce an order for 35 environmentally friendly units to be purchased over the next four years.

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March 15, 1831 The Mohawk & Hudson Railroad orders its first locomotive as well as two 12 Horsepower stationary engines for inclined planes from the West Point Foundry Association.

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March 15, 1833 The Andover & Wilmington (later B&M) is chartered.

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March 15, 1868 The Columbus, Chicago & Indiana Central Railway (later PRR) opens between Union City and Anoka Jct., completing a new, direct route between Bradford, OH and Chicago via Logansport, IN.

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March 15, 1875 A North Carolina act prohibits any railroad in that state from changing its gauge away from 56.5". The gauge of the North Carolina Railroad is changed to 5'-0" anyway to create a through line with the Richmond & Danville Railroad.

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March 15, 1899 London’s Marylebone Station opens, serving the Great Central Railway.

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March 15, 1910 The Ann Arbor Railroad depot at Temple MI burns to the ground.

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March 15, 1911 The first contract with a railroad specifying an eight hour work day is signed with the Denver & Rio Grande by the American Federation of Labor's Railway Employees' Department.

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March 15, 1915 The Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville (Monon) acquires the Chicago & Wabash Valley Railroad

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March 15, 1916 For the first time, the electrified lines of the Long Island Railroad are paralyzed by the effects of an ice storm.

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March 15, 1926 The Pennsylvania Railroad assigns coach train porters, similar to Pullman porters, to principal east-west and Midwest corridor trains.

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March 15, 1926 The Toledo & Ohio Central Railway (a New York Central subsidiary) places a new coal dumper in service at the mouth of the Maumee River at Toledo. The dumper will handle lake coal moving through the Cincinnati gateway. The dumper is capable of handling the new 150-ton coal gondolas used by the Virginian Railway.

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March 15, 1938 The Pennsylvania Railroad takes delivery of its first lightweight Pullman, the 18-roomette "City of New York".

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March 15, 1949 A fire breaks out in the cable house at South Cable on the Michigan-California Lumber Company. This will start a chain of events that leads to the end of logging by rail two years later.

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March 15, 1949 The "Broadway Limited" is given new equipment. The new cars, designed by Raymond Loewy, feature plastic laminates in place of exotic wood veneers.

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March 15, 1955 The first section of Cleveland's "Rapid" opens from Cleveland Union Terminal to Windermere.

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March 15, 1972 "The Godfather" premiers in New York City. The room where Marlon Brando as Don Corleone negotiates an end to the Five Families War is actually the boardroom of the New York Central Railroad, which explains the train mural seen in back of Richard Conte's head throughout the scene.

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March 15, 1977 Conrail exits commuter service on the former Boston & Albany.

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March 15, 1980 The last Milwaukee Road Train departs Tacoma WA, as "Lines West" are abandoned.

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March 15, 1999 The "City of New Orleans" crashes into a steel truck at a protected grade crossing in Bourbonnaise, IL. Eleven are killed. The wreck is blamed on the truck driver, who was driving on a suspended license and had only 3 hours sleep in the previous 24. Witnesses report he was racing the train to the crossing.

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March 15, 2007 The first train runs on France's highest speed rail line, TGV-Est, between Paris and Strasbourg. Top speed on the line is 320 km/h (200mph). The line will open to the public on June 10.

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March 15, 2010 The "Angel's Flight" funicular in Los Angeles resumes operations following a 2001 accident in which the two cars collided. The funicular was built in 1901.

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March 15, 2011 The United States Postal Service unveils a stamp honoring "Owney", a dog that in the late 19^th century was famous for hitching rides on RPO cars. In the days of frequent injuries to mail clerks, Owney seemed to bring good luck, as no RPO car on which he rode was ever damaged in an accident while he was aboard.

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March 15, 2024 “Trains” magazine reports that the CSX Detroit Livernois Intermodal Facility has received a grant from the State of Michigan for capital improvements. The $5 million state grant will be matched by CSX, which will put up $6.7 million.

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March 16, 1910 The New York Central’s electrification project reaches White Plains NY.

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March 16, 1912 The Union Terminal Company of Dallas (TX) is incorporated to own and operate Dallas Union Passenger Station.

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March 16, 1922 The Aurora, Elgin & Chicago is reorganized into the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin.

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March 16, 1957 The Milwaukee Road draws the curtain on steam operation as 4-6-0 #1004, class G8, makes a round-trip passenger run from Austin to La Crosse WI. The steamer was substituted when the regular motor-car broke down.

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March 16, 2011 Former Santa Fe PA-1 59L is transferred from the Smithsonian Institute to The Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco TX.

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March 16, 2016 Washington DC’s Metrorail closes to allow safety inspections of jumper cables. Failure of these cables is suspected in an incident that filled a station with smoke and another that resulted in one death. Metrorail has not completely shut down for any cause other than weather since it started operations in 1976.

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Mark Tomlonson

March 13, 1833 The Western Railroad is chartered in Massachusetts to connect the Boston & Worcester to the Hudson & Berkshire Railroad. (all later B&A)

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March 13, 1836 The Richmond & Petersburg Railroad (later ACL, CSX) is chartered in Virginia.

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March 13, 1872 The Baltimore, Pittsburgh & Chicago Railway (the Chicago extension of the Baltimore & Ohio), is incorporated separately in Ohio and Indiana.

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March 13, 1883 The Allegan & Southeastern Railroad becomes the Michigan & Ohio Railroad.

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March 13, 1884 "Standard Time" takes effect for the railroads, with four time zones across the United States. Standard time will not be official in the U.S. until 1918.

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March 13, 1912 Thawing roadbed wrecks the 20th Century Limited at Hyde Park NY. The New York Public Service Commission advises both the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad and the Pennsylvania Railroad to reduce speed on all of their New York-Chicago trains scheduled at 18 hours.

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March 13, 1929 In a move to modernize its passenger fleet, the New Haven Railroad authorizes the purchase of new equipment, including 90 coaches, 10 combines and 6 diners.

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March 13, 1973 The Michigan State Highway Department is reorganized giving it jurisdiction over all state transportation programs, including railroads.

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March 13, 2019 High winds blow 26 cars of a Union Pacific Stack Train off the 173-foot tall Canadian River Trestle onto the ground. No one is hurt.

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Mark Tomlonson

March 12, 1961 Philadelphia trolleybus route 61 on Ridge Avenue, which once connected with trolley routes at 36 locations in North Philadelphia and Center City, was converted to bus operation and transferred to Allegheny Depot from Ridge Depot which closed. Since buses were used on weekends, March 10 was the last day of trolleybus operation. The postwar ACF-Brill TC-44 trolleybuses were later trucked to Southern Depot to re-equip route 79 on Snyder Avenue which was still bus operated. Ridge Depot was cleared of all vehicles on March 18 and the storage tracks, last used in 1957-58, were removed. Also, all-electric PCC cars 2708-18 were in dead storage at Germantown and Woodland Depots after being used on route 23 (Germantown Avenue-11th and 12th Streets) because of their Westinghouse equipment; Germantown Depot operators preferred the General Electric cars (2726-2800).? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? March 12, 1980 NYCTA modified R-40 subway cars 4500 and 4501 were remated at Coney Island Shops. Car 4486 was out of service but was back by April 15th, remated with 4487. Also many R-27/30 subway cars have received bullet-proof motormen's safety glass windows.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Dennis M Linsky? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??

March 12, 1839 The Maine, New Hampshire & Massachusetts Railroad (later B&M) is incorporated in Maine.

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March 12, 1845 The Cleveland, Columbus & Cincinnati Railroad (later CCC&StL, NYC) is reorganized as the Cleveland, Columbus & Cincinnati Railway.

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March 12, 1857 A Great Western Railway train from Toronto to Hamilton ON plunges 60 feet into the frozen Desjardins Canal after the bridge collapses. A broken locomotive axle chewing through the crossties on the bridge weakened the structure, causing the collapse. Seventy persons die from trauma, drowning, or exposure. Only 20 passengers survive. (Some sources say 59 people killed in total, others put the date as March 17.)

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March 12, 1883 Norfolk & Western hauls its first load of coal.

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March 12, 1892 Anderson [Indiana] Electric Street Railway is electrified. (Some sources say March 14).

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March 12, 1895 The Epworth League Railway, later the Ludington Northern (MI), is organized.

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March 12, 1899 The Southern Railway inaugurates the “Piedmont Limited”.

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March 12, 1914 George Westinghouse, inventor of the air brake, passes away at his summer home in Lennox MA.

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March 12, 1917 The Pere Marquette Railroad is reorganized as the Pere Marquette Railway.

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March 12, 1957 The Pennsylvania Railroad begins using snack carts designed by Coca-Cola Company instead of dining or café cars on some Washington-New York trains.

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March 12, 2009 BNSF accepts delivery of four ES44C4 locomotives. The locos revive the A-1-A truck, once popular for passenger diesels. “A-1-A” trucks consist of three axles of which only the first and third axles are powered. BNSF hopes that the factory-modified ES44AC will give it the reliability of a DC locomotive and the reduced maintenance of AC motors.

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March 12, 2015 In a comic syndicated today, “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not” reports that Dutch Railways are fitting lasers to their locomotives to remove leaves from the top of the rails.

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Mark Tomlonson