February 17, 1848 The Indianapolis & Bellefontaine Railroad (later NYC) is chartered.
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February 17, 1870 The Pullman Palace Car Company leases Central Transportation Company, retroactive to January 1, 1870 and absorbs its sleeping car fleet. This gives Pullman, formerly confined to some Midwestern roads, an additional 6,000 route-miles.
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February 17, 1871 William J. Pamer announces that the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad will be built to 3-foot gauge.
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February 17, 1872 The President of the Peninsular Railway (later GTW, CNR) writes to the Pennsylvania Company noting that his road is laid from Lansing MI to a point 12 miles west of South Bend. He proposes joining the Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne & Chicago (later PRR) at Valparaiso for a route to Chicago in exchange for Bonds and a favorable freight rate. His proposal will be declined.
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February 17, 1881 The first train operates between Norwood and Lebanon OH on the Cincinnati Northern Railway (later NYC).
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February 17, 1885 The Southern Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific Railroad are consolidated into the Southern Pacific Company, a Kentucky corporation.
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February 17, 1911 The Locomotive and Boiler Inspection Act sets regular and mandatory boiler inspections, to be performed by the ICC.
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February 17, 1912 The eastbound “Pennsylvania Limited” wrecks near Ft. Wayne. Four are killed and 10 injured.
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February 17, 1929 The Central Railroad of New Jersey debuts its new “Blue Comet” passenger train at a special showing.
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February 17, 1950 A head-on collision between two Long Island commuter trains at Rockville Center results in 32 deaths.
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February 17, 1961 An application to create the Burlington Northern Railroad is filed with the ICC.
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February 17, 2003 Heavy snow causes the roof of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum in Baltimore to collapse, damaging several exhibits.
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Mark Tomlonson
