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
