January 24, 1828 Horatio Allen of the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company sets sail for England. His mission is to examine rail roads in that country and to buy 5 steam locomotives of no more than 5 ? tons, one of which is to come from Robert Stephenson & Co.
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January 24, 1833 Freight service begins on the Camden & Amboy Railroad. Three cars, each pulled by its own horse, provide the service.
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January 24, 1848 William Marshall discovers gold at Sutter's Mill on the American River in California. This discovery, combined with famine and revolution in Europe, will restore prosperity in the United States. Many railroad projects will be revived and new ones launched, particularly in the Midwest.
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January 24, 1853 The Toledo, Norwalk & Cleveland Railroad Company (later LS&MS, NYC, PC, CR, NS) opens, forming the last link in the chain of roads from Chicago to New York and Boston.
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January 24, 1916 In “Brushaber v. Union Pacific Railroad”, the United States Supreme Court rules that the Federal Income Tax is legal.
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January 24, 1954 Cleveland streetcars make their last revenue run.
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January 24, 1970 President & Mrs. Nixon take the Metroliner from Washington to Philadelphia to attend a chamber music concert.
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January 24, 1980 Bankruptcy Judge Frank McGarr orders the shutdown of the Rock Island Railroad. Lines south of Kansas City will quit by March 24. All other lines will finish up by March 31.
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January 25, 1842 Locomotive builder Baldwin & Vail tests a six-wheel geared locomotive. It will later be used on the Philadelphia & Reading.
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January 25, 1853 The Cincinnati, Cambridge & Chicago Short Line Railway (later PRR) is incorporated in Indiana to build from New Castle southward to the Ohio state line.
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January 25, 1899 The St. Joseph, South Bend & Southern (later MC, NYC) is incorporated in Indiana to acquire the Indiana & Lake Michigan.
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January 25, 1905 Fairview Yard on the Pennsylvania Railroad is re-named "Enola", matching the nearest station and Post Office. A land company is authorized by the PRR to develop a town at Enola for employees.
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January 25, 1907 The Chicago, South Bend & Northern Indiana takes over all of the property owned by the Northern Indiana. The public will generally continue to refer to the new interurban company as the Northern Indiana.
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January 25, 1911 In Harrisburg PA the Pennsylvania Road Improvement train makes its first of 165 stops. The train carries experts and demonstrations of how farmers can use logs and other equipment to improve farm roads.
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January 25, 1919 "Hotel Pennsylvania" opens in New York City. It is located across the street from Penn Station. With 2,200 rooms to handle mostly railroad travelers, it will be the world's largest hotel until 1927.
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January 25, 1928 The Board of the Pennsylvania Railroad authorizes spending $25,000 ($456,000 in 2025) for one Cummins Diesel locomotive.
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January 25, 1959 American Airlines makes the first commercial domestic flight of a Boeing 707 airliner. The 707, along with the Interstate Highway System, will deal major blows to the U.S. passenger rail system.
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January 25, 1963 Two thousand employees strike Florida East Coast Railway when the railroad proposes reducing the number of people required in a train crew. The strike will remain unsettled for nine years.
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January 25, 1973 Canadian National Railways expands the Turbos to 9-car sets, eliminating two Turbos. The remaining equipment is stored and will eventually be sold to Amtrak.
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January 25, 1979 22.2-km (13.79 mile) Oshimizu railroad tunnel is "holed through" in Honshu, Japan.
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January 25, 1995 Amtrak operates its last Dome car as the Lake Shore Limited pulls into Chicago. (Some full-length dome cars will continue.)
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January 25, 2011 The Association of American Railroads announces that the car defect card, in use for almost 125 years, is discontinued. Instead of using the 3.5 x 8 inch card, problems with freight cars will now be reported and tracked using AAR's Raillinc car-tracking program.
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January 25, 2021 Amtrak tests four of their new Siemens “Venture” cars between Chicago and Pontiac MI. Testing will look at 110-mph operation and compatibility with the ITCS and I-ETMS train control systems. Also in the train: former heritage sleeper “Pacific Bend”.
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January 26, 1876 The Pennsylvania Railroad Board decides to provide uniforms for conductors, train agents, brakemen, baggage masters, stationmaster and gatemen. They also approve construction of a "Centennial Station" in Philadelphia on the Centennial Celebration grounds.
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January 26, 1886 The Mountain Central Railway Company (later GN) is established)
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January 26, 1909 The Jamestown, Franklin & Clearfield Railroad (OH, PA - later LS&MS) is chartered.
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January 26, 1925 The "Orange Blossom Special" is inaugurated as a deluxe winter-only train, running between New York and St. Petersburg/West Palm Beach. ?It replaces the previous "All-Florida Special". (Some sources say January 27)
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January 26, 1927 The Michigan Public Utilities Commission approves the abandonment of the Grand Rapids & Indiana's Jennings branch. The abandonment of the 3.7-mile line between Jennings and Round Lake had been approved five days before by the ICC.
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January 26, 1964 Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee "Electroliners" make their debut as "Liberty Liners" on Philadelphia's Red Arrow Lines.
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January 26, 1967 A major blizzard in the Great Lakes states shuts down many railroads.
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January 26, 1978 Over 2 feet of snow falls on the Midwest. High winds with the snow snarl all forms of transportation, including rail. Several railroads use wedge plows and snow blowers to clear the rails after the blizzard passes.
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January 26, 2004 RailAmerica completes its purchase of the Central Michigan Railroad.
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January 26, 2005 Juan Manuel Alvarez drives his SUV into the path of a Metrolink train in Los Angles in an attempt to gain the attention of his estranged wife, killing 11 and injuring 180. Alvarez will be sentenced to eleven consecutive life sentences. The accident will launch an investigation into the safety of "push" mode passenger trains, which will show they are as safe as traditional "pull" trains.
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Mark Tomlonson
