January 2, 1832 Daniel K. Minor, publisher of the "New York American", publishes the first issue of the "American Railroad Journal". It is the first U.S. periodical devoted entirely to the railroad industry. It is the direct ancestor of "Railway Locomotives and Cars".

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January 2, 1871 The first train runs from Kalamazoo to South Haven on the Kalamazoo & South Haven Railroad.

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January 2, 1893 Standards are set for Railroad Timepieces, a vital necessity when most trains move by timetable and train order.

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January 2, 1901 The Detroit & Charlevoix Railroad (later MC) is chartered.

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January 2, 1913 The Cleveland Alliance & Mahoning Valley Railway becomes the last interurban in Ohio to open for business.

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January 2, 1916 Interurban service between Battle Creek and Grand Rapids MI via Richland begins. Between Battle Creek and Montieth the line uses former trackage of the Cincinnati Northern. From Montieth to Grand Rapids it uses new trackage constructed by the Chicago & Michigan.

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January 2, 1922 A train of 100 Pennsylvania steel boxcars carrying 500 Durant automobiles leaves Jersey City for California via the Overland Route. It is the largest transcontinental shipment of a single commodity to this date.

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January 2, 1930 The New York Central system acquires the lease of both the Michigan Central and "Big Four" lines.

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January 2, 1934 The Seaboard Air Line's "Orange Blossom Special" becomes the first Florida train to be completely air-conditioned.

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January 2, 1935 Chicago & North Western begins "400" service between Chicago and St. Paul, so named because the 400-mile trip is scheduled to take 400 minutes.

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January 2, 1938 First run of "The City Of San Francisco"

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January 2, 1958 The Litchfield & Madison Railway is merged with the Chicago & North Western.

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January 2, 1958 The New Haven Railroad drops 10 of its 38 New York-Boston trains and 4 of its 32 New York-Springfield trains.

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January 2, 1970 The world's then-largest freight car leaves Pittsburgh for Florida carrying an electric generator. The car can carry 1.2 million pounds (544,000 kg), is 177 feet long (54 meters) and has 44 wheels.

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January 2, 1996 The Interstate Commerce Commission is replaced by the Surface Transportation Board.

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Mark Tomlonson

January 2, 1975 Two Manhattan-bound Penn Central commuter trains were involved in a head-on collision at the Botanical Garden station in the Bronx, injuring 231 persons. Service on the Harlem and New Haven divisions was suspended until the evening.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Dennis M Linsky