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This Weekend in RR History
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December 11, 1845 The Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis is chartered in Tennessee. ? December 11, 1867 Cornelius Vanderbilt is elected President of the New York Central railroad without opposition, giving him control of railroads between New York and Buffalo. ? December 11, 1879 The Lake Erie & Western (later NKP) is formed by the merger of several railroads linking Fremont OH and Bloomington IL. ? December 11, 1889 John Frank Stevens along with Coonsah, a Flathead Native guide, find Marias Pass, which will enable the Great Northern to cross the Continental Divide in Montana. ? December 11, 1906 The first revenue MU electric train on the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad enters Grand Central Station. (Some sources say December 13) ? December 11, 1946 A report requested by Pennsylvania Railroad Vice President-Operations J.M. Symes compares projected results of freight service with 80 A-B-B-B-A diesel sets vs. 202 4-4-6-4 Q2's. The diesels would save over $14 million per year ($165 million in 2018 dollars) plus an additional gain of $6.5 million ($76.4 million) annually if the diesels can improve on-time performance. ? December 11, 2000 Amtrak's "Acela" service begins between Washington and Boston. ? December 11, 2006 NJ Transit's new multi-level cars make their first run, leaving Trenton at 12:01 p.m. on Train #3844. ? December 12, 1859 The first through passenger service via the Shore Line begins between New York and Boston. Ferries take the passengers over the Thames and possibly the Connecticut Rivers. ? December 12, 1859 The Grand Trunk Railway opens the Victoria Bridge, crossing the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and St. Lambert. It is the first bridge to span the river. ? December 12, 1891 Streetcars begin running in Defiance OH. ? December 12, 1900 The Wabash Railroad agrees to operate the Eel River Railroad (later PRR, PC, CR) for the receiver. ? December 12, 1917 In Mouane, in the French Alps, a grossly overloaded troop train jumps the tracks after the brakes fail on a steep mountain grade. At least 543 are killed, hundreds more are injured by official count. The actual count is assumed to be higher. Until 1981 it was the worst train disaster in history. It remains the worst train wreck. [Ed. Note: I am making a distinction between a wreck, which is a catastrophe resulting from a moving train, and a disaster, which is a catastrophe involving a train in some way.] ? December 12, 1926 The Pennsylvania Railroad completes an improvement of the ticket facilities at Penn Station, making it possible to buy railroad and Pullman tickets at the same window instead of waiting in two lines. ? December 12, 1946 Seaboard Air Line restores the "Orange Blossom Special" as a winter-only Florida train after a hiatus during World War II. ? December 12, 1949 The Norfolk & Western begins using new, lightweight cars on its "Powhattan Arrow". ? December 12, 1956 Last regular passenger train on the Escanaba & Lake Superior. ? December 12, 1968 United Aircraft's "Turbotrains" are placed in regular service on the Canadian National. On the press run two days earlier, the train hit a meat truck, an accident viewed on closed circuit TV by over 300 newsmen on board. ? December 12, 2001 The last Alco-powered locomotive in regular service on a Class 1 Railroad makes its final run, as VIA retires LRC locomotive #6907. ? December 13, 1836 The Republic of Texas charters its first railroad. ? December 13, 1877 The Allegan & South Eastern Railroad is organized in Michigan to take over the part of the Mansfield, Coldwater & Lake Michigan Railroad between Allegan and Monteith. The papers will be filed in January. ? December 13, 1902 For the last time, the New York Central Yard in Elkhart IN switches a car equipped with a link and pin coupler. ? December 13, 1907 Interurban service begins between Mukwonago and East Troy WI, extending the line from Milwaukee. The line now serves the East Troy Electric Railroad museum. ? December 13, 1909 The Vancouver, Victoria & Eastern Railway, a Great Northern subsidiary, reaches Princeton BC. ? December 13, 1930 The first Sperry Rail Detector car is shown to the public at Pittsburgh. ? December 13, 1937 The Reading Railroad places a new steam-powered streamlined train in service between New York and Philadelphia. The 5-car train with an observation car at each end will be named "The Crusader" after a naming contest. ? December 13, 1945 New York Central places an order for 420 new passenger cars. It is the largest passenger car order placed by any railroad to date. ? December 13, 1945 The 1,000,000th returning soldier passes through Camp Kilmer on a Pennsylvania Railroad troop train. ? December 13, 2005 Conrail closes Schaefer Tower in the Detroit area. It will be demolished three days later. ? December 13, 2006 The Ohio Central uses its recently restored Lake Superior & Ishpeming 2-8-0 to pull a revenue freight train (including three dead-in-tow diesels). ? December 13, 2008 Italy begins a new high-speed link between Milan and Bologna, part of a line that is expected to reach Rome next year. The train averages 120 mph, twice the speed of conventional service. Long-term plans are to give rail a 60% market share between any two Italian cities. ? December 13, 2016 Detroit¡¯s ¡°Q-Line¡± light rail makes its first test run along its 3.3 mile Woodward Ave. right of way. ? |
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December 13, 1953 Chicago trolley route 20 (Madison Street), the first to get PCC cars, was converted to bus operation and extended from Clark Street to Michigan Avenue. The 5th Avenue branch became a one-man shuttle from Pulaski Road to California Avenue.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?Dennis M Linsky? ? ?? On Fri, Dec 11, 2020, 5:52 AM Mark Tomlonson via <tomlonson=[email protected]> wrote:
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