October 19, 1839 The first railway timetable, devised by George Bradshaw, is published in Manchester, England.
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October 19, 1862 Over the next several days, the Confederate Army will destroy all Baltimore & Ohio facilities at Martinsburg, WV and over 20 miles of main line.
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October 19, 1873 The Post Office Department extends the mail route over the Grand Rapids & Indiana from Walton to Traverse City.
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October 19, 1878 The Detroit & Milwaukee is organized into the Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee. [later GTW]
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October 19, 1893 A Grand Trunk passenger train wrecks at Battle Creek, killing 26.
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October 19, 1897 George M. Pullman dies suddenly. Animosity among railroad laborers left over from the Pullman Strike is still running high, and he will be buried at night in a lead-lined coffin encased in steel to prevent desecration of his grave.
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October 19, 1897 First railroad in Zimbabwe.
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October 19, 1943 Operation of troop sleeper and kitchen cars is turned over to the Pullman Company.
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October 19, 1949 Following complaints by the New York City Mayor's Committee on Unity, the Pennsylvania Railroad discontinues the practice of segregating passengers on through trains to the South. The Southern Railway says it will continue to observe "Jim Crow" laws but will not require segregation of African-Americans coming from north of Washington DC. Seaboard Air Line says it will continue to insist on segregated cars.
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October 19, 2010 Amtrak opens a new station facility in Sanford FL to serve Auto-Train passengers.
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October 19, 2017 Union Pacific unveils its 16th commemorative locomotive, “The Spirit” honoring U.S. Armed Forces. SD70AH-T4C #9206 has been renumbered to 1943. The number and the name recall the year a B-17 bomber “Spirit of the Union Pacific” was paid for with funds raised by UP employees through the sale of war bonds.
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October 19, 2017 CSX closes the hump at its Willard OH, converting the facility to flat sorting.
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Mark Tomlonson
