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March 26, 1860 The first freight car (loaded with lard) leaves St. Louis for New York via Buffalo and the New York Central. The trip will take five days. This is the first car to run through without breaking bulk. Terre Haute & Indianapolis Railroad, New York Central and other railroads will establish a line of freight cars with wide-tread wheels for through freight to points east of Buffalo and Pittsburgh without transshipment between Ohio and the standard gauges. March 26, 1921 The Grand Rapids & Indiana is leased to the Pennsylvania Railroad for 999 years along with 11 other companies. The lease is retroactive to January 1. March 26, 1926 The Kankakee & Urbana Traction ends passenger operations. Freight operations are sold to the Illinois Terminal. IT will serve the three grain elevators on the line until June next year. March 26, 1930 After eight months of trying to make it as a freight only line, the Tyler Traction Company (WV) calls it quits. March 26, 1936 The Rexall Drug train, pulled by New York Central “Mohawk” #2873 begins its tour. March 26, 1945 The Pennsylvania Railroad places its S2 6-8-6 steam turbine in service between Chicago and Crestline OH. Its normal assignments are "The Trail Blazer" eastbound and "The Admiral" westbound. March 26, 1947 Streetcar service ends in Akron OH. March 26, 1951 The Bangor & Aroostook and Pennsylvania railroads arrange to have PRR lease BAR diesel locomotives when they are not needed by BAR due to seasonal lulls in traffic. March 26, 1962 Canadian National's eastbound "Ocean Limited" becomes the first train painted entirely in CN's new passenger paint scheme. A few engines and cars started appearing in the new scheme last year. March 26, 2005 Fire destroys Deval Tower in Des Plaines IL, one of the last manual interlocking towers. Union Pacific has no plans to replace the tower. March 26, 2013 Hartsdale Interlocking, between Canadian National’s former Elgin Joliet & Eastern and the former Pennsylvania Railroad Panhandle line in Indiana is closed and the diamond removed. CN begins service to the single customer, Midwest Pipe Coating, affected by the closing. Mark Tomlonson

March 25, 1807 The Swansea & Mumbles Railway begins the first railway passenger service in the world, using horse-drawn cars. The line had been built three years earlier to haul granite. It will remain in service until 1960, using horses, sail, steam, electric, gasoline and diesel to operate the trains. March 25, 1887 The Michigan & Ohio Railroad becomes the Cincinnati, Jackson & Mackinaw Railroad. March 25, 1936 The 200-inch mirror blank for the Palomar observatory begins its cross-country trip aboard a well-hole flat car [NYC 499010] which has had smaller diameter wheels fitted for added clearance. At the time the mirror is shipped it is the single most valuable item ever shipped by rail. The mirror has been encased in a steel shipping container to counter Creationists who have threatened to shoot the mirror in transit. They fear it will allow man to see God in the process of creation. As it travels in the well-hole flatcar, the mirror is only inches above the rails. March 25, 1942 After testing a similar Chesapeake & Ohio locomotive, the Pennsylvania Railroad approves construction of 50 class J1 2-10-4 locomotives. The engines will not have the signature PRR Belpaire firebox to save weight. Also approved today: 10 additional GG1 electric locomotives. March 25, 1945 The Virginian Railway takes delivery of its first 2-6-6-6 locomotive from Lima Locomotive Works. The locomotives are nearly identical to the Chesapeake & Ohio’s 2-6-6-6 “Allegheny” locomotives. March 25, 1955 The New York Central and New Haven railroads jointly announce the purchase of one "Train X" each from Pullman-Standard. The trains will be powered by a Baldwin-Lima Hamilton diesel. March 25, 1956 Detroit's Gratiot trolley line converts to bus to permit the sale and shipment of the PCC cars to Mexico City. A fan trip a few days later uses a PCC in the Mexico City colors. March 25, 1957 The New Haven's two lightweight trains, "Dan'l Webster" and "John Quincy Adams" enter service between New York and Boston. March 25, 1986 Conrail makes its initial public offering of stock, at $26 per share. [2025: $76.25] March 25, 2011 The Manufacturers' Railway petitions the Surface Transportation Board to cease operations on its "Brewery Line", serving the Anheuser-Busch Brewery as well as its First Street Line. Abandonment of the St. Louis MO line is not being sought, meaning the lines could be re-opened if traffic for them is found. Mark Tomlonson

March 24, 1828 The Philadelphia & Columbia Railway (later PRR), the first to be owned by a state, is authorized. March 24, 1849 The Pittsburg & Steubenville Railroad (later PCC&StL) is chartered in Pennsylvania. March 24, 1852 Ohio passes a law permitting railroads to change gauge from 4'-10" (the former Ohio Standard gauge) in order to make roads of uniform gauge from end to end. March 24, 1870 The Pennsylvania Railroad signs a 999-year lease of the Erie & Pittsburgh Railroad. March 24, 1897 Construction begins on the Sierra Railway (later Railroad) between Oakdale and Jamestown CA. March 24, 1900 The Mayor of New York, Robert A. Van Wyck turns the first shovel of dirt in groundbreaking ceremonies for the first New York subway. March 24, 1904 The Delray Connecting Railroad (MI) is incorporated. Owned by US Steel (later Transtar) the line operates on Zug Island in the Detroit River. March 24, 1925 Papers are filed by the Grand Rapids & Indiana to abandon its Jennings (MI) branch. The former flooring mill at Jennings shut down two years earlier and the population of the town has fallen to 75. March 24, 1932 For the first time, a radio broadcast is made from a moving train in the U.S. as New York’s WABC broadcasts from a Baltimore & Ohio train operating in Maryland. March 24, 1935 Pennsylvania Station in Newark NJ opens. March 24, 1941 "Sun Valley Serenade" begins production. This movie, starring Sonja Henie and Milton Berle, will receive an Oscar nomination in 1942 for Best Song, thanks to the debut of "Chattanooga Choo Choo" by Glenn Miller. March 24, 1959 Last sailing of the Weehawken ferry, connecting New York Central's West Shore line with Manhattan. The ferry will arrive just after midnight on the 25th. [note corrected date] March 24, 1970 The last California Zephyr operated by the Western Pacific arrives in Oakland CA. March 24, 1976 Penn Central makes it last official run along the former Lake Shore & Michigan Southern from Otsego through Allegan and Hopkins to Dorr MI. This ends rail service to Allegan. March 24, 1980 The Cotton Belt begins operations over former Rock Island trackage between Tucumcari and St. Louis. Cotton Belt agreed to buy the line two years ago. March 24, 2007 The last Southern Pacific semaphore signals in service are retired. The Central Oregon & Pacific, operating the ex-SP Siskiyou line, bags the now inoperative Union Switch & Signal Style B semaphores. Mark Tomlonson

March 21, 1837 Today and tomorrow, the Michigan Legislature will pass the Internal Improvements Act, authorizing the Central Railroad of Michigan (later MC) to build across the state. It will follow the route charted by the largely unbuilt Detroit & St. Joseph Rail Road. Also authorized: The Southern Railroad of Michigan (later LS&MS), the Northern Railroad of Michigan (never built), canals and plank roads. March 21, 1840 The West Feliciana Railroad becomes the first in the United States to announce regular freight and passenger rates. March 21, 1853 The Baltimore, Carroll & Frederick Railroad is renamed the Western Maryland Railroad. March 21, 1874 The first meal is served on board a British train. March 21, 1906 Fifty striking women car cleaners, who have been denied a meeting with Pennsylvania Railroad Division Superintendent S.C. Long, force their way into his home at 9:00 p.m. to present their grievances. March 21, 1910 Four miles outside Green Mountain IA the tender on the lead engine of a double headed Chicago Rock Island & Pacific passenger train derails. Forty-five people are killed and fifty injured in Iowa’s deadliest train crash. The CRI&P train was on Chicago & Northwestern tracks due to an earlier freight derailment on the CRI&P. March 21, 1918 President Wilson signs the Railroad Control Act, setting terms for operation of the railroads by the United States Railroad Administration (USRA). Railroads are to be paid rent for use of their lines and equipment. March 21, 1937 Southern Pacific's "Daylight Limited" debuts the new red/orange/black "Daylight" paint scheme. March 21, 1950 The State of New York forms its New York Thruway Authority to construct a network of toll roads and superhighways. March 21, 1953 The Chesapeake & Ohio carferry "Badger" makes her maiden voyage. March 21, 1968 The Louisville & Nashville/Monon merger is announced. The merger will be accomplished in July, 1971. March 21, 2001 An EMD JT42CWR becomes the first American-built locomotive to cross the German/Swiss border. It is heading up a container train. March 22, 1862 The East Boston Freight Railroad (later B&A, NYC) is chartered in Massachusetts. March 22, 1897 The U.S. Supreme Court rules that railroads are subject to anti-trust legislation. March 22, 1898 The Chicago Heights Terminal Transfer Railroad (later C&EI, MP, UP) is incorporated. March 22, 1911 The Kansas City, Clay County & St. Joseph Railway (Interurban) is incorporated. Although the line runs in Missouri, the promoters are mostly Interurban owners from Indiana. March 22, 1916 The Great Lakes Transit Corporation is formed to take over the railroad-owned liners and packet steamers now prohibited by ICC order. Operations will begin April 1. March 22, 1936 New York Central “Mohawk” #2873 is given streamlining and painted blue and white in preparation for its use in pulling the Rexall Drug train. It is also converted from coal to oil fuel. It is lettered “NYC” and “Rexall” but carries no number. March 22, 1944 The Board of the Pennsylvania Railroad approves contacting Government officials to allow the hiring of 3,000 Mexicans as track gang men and laborers. March 22, 1957 Faced with the high cost of building a major bridge over the new St. Lawrence Seaway, the New York Central abandons its line from Rooseveltown to Ottawa, Ontario. In April, Canadian National will purchase the portion of the line between Cornwall and Ottawa. March 22, 1970 After efforts to make it a rolling National Monument fall short, the Chicago Burlington & Quincy/Denver & Rio Grande Western/Western Pacific "California Zephyr" makes its last run when the Western Pacific drops its segment. The D&RGW remnant will run until 1983. March 22, 2011 The North Carolina Department of Transportation announces it will use Federal Funds to create a high-speed rail link between Raleigh and Charlotte. March 22, 2019 Two men are confirmed as record-setters for their ride in 2017 that took them over every Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority route in 7 hours, 29 minutes and 46 seconds. March 23, 1836 Virginia declares it a

March 20, 1880 The Southern Pacific reaches Tucson AZ, the first train arriving on this date. March 20, 1896 The Grand Trunk Railway purchases the Central Vermont Railway and begins operating it as a wholly owned subsidiary. March 20, 1909 The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Company is formed. When the track is built this summer, the Peoria & Eastern will haul most of the materials. Later, when the original surface is found to be unsafe, the P&E will haul the bricks for "The Brickyard". March 20, 1949 The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy/Denver & Rio Grande Western/Western Pacific "California Zephyr" makes its first eastbound run, departing from San Francisco CA. March 20, 1950 The Baltimore & Ohio introduces its "Time-Saver" service for LCL freight. March 20, 1959 Last sailing of the Weehawken ferry, connecting New York Central's West Shore line with Manhattan. March 20, 1960 The Pioneer Zephyr makes its final revenue run from Lincoln NE to Kansas City MO. It then continues through Galesburg IL to Chicago for its final disposition. March 20, 1990 Canadian National GMD1 1071 departs Vancouver Island, ending 70 years of CN service on the island. The last segment of track was officially abandoned less than a month ago. March 20, 2017 Canadian National announces it will be closing the ore dock at Escanaba MI by the end of April. Ore has been shipped from Escanaba since 1852. March 20, 2022 Hitachi Rail announces it is building a new plant near Hagerstown MD to build new cars for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority. The new facility will employ 460 people and is expected to open in the winter of 2023-4. Mark Tomlonson

March 19, 1836 The Lexington & Ohio Railroad (later L&N, CSX) relegates its single steam engine to freight service and returns to using horses for passenger trains. March 19, 1851 The Illinois Central Railroad is organized in New York City. March 19, 1917 The railroads accept President Wilson's proposal for an 8-hour workday to stave off possible strikes. Later in the day the U.S. Supreme Court in Wilson v. New, upholds the eight-hour workday for railroads. March 19, 1918 The U.S. Congress adopts Standard or "Railroad" time, in use since 1884, as the national standard. March 19, 1928 The New York Central opens a new, 31-stall roundhouse at Harmon NY. March 19, 1933 Cincinnati Union Terminal opens. March 19, 1944 Southern Pacific purchases its last steam locomotive: cab forward AC-12 4-8-8-2 # 4294. March 19, 1949 The Chicago Burlington & Quincy, Denver & Rio Grande Western, and the Western Pacific railroads jointly announce the inauguration of the “California Zephyr”, running between Chicago IL and San Francisco CA. March 19, 1948 The Lakefront Terminal & Dock Company opens its new terminal at Toledo. The terminal will be used jointly by the New York Central and Chesapeake & Ohio. The terminal has two Hulett-type unloaders and three McMyler coal dumpers. March 19, 1964 Passenger service ends on the New York Central between Detroit and Bay City MI. This ends intercity passenger service to Bay City and Saginaw. March 19, 2007 Demolition begins on the Pennsylvania Railroad roundhouse at Crestline, OH. Built around 1918, the facility had enlarged stalls to accommodate the Pennsy's T-1 and S-1 steam locomotives. March 19, 2011 The Amtrak station in Wilmington, DE is named for Vice President Joe Biden, who as a Senator departed from the station on a regular basis to travel to Washington DC. March 19, 2020 Amtrak suspends the “Pere Marquette” between Chicago and Grand Rapids MI due to declining ridership caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. “Wolverine” service between Chicago and Pontiac MI is cut back from 6 daily trains to 4, and will be cut back to 2 on March 21. Other Chicago regional trans are affected as well. Mark Tomlonson

March 18, 1834 One track of the Allegheny Portage Railroad opens for revenue service. The railroad will not operate between December and March when canals are closed by ice. Included in the construction: The first railroad tunnel in the United States. March 18, 1845 The Pittsfield & North Adams Railroad (later WRR, B&A, NYC, PC, CR, B&M) is incorporated. March 18, 1850 The American Express Company is formed. March 18, 1852 Henry Wells and William G. Fargo of the American Express Company organize Wells, Fargo & Co. in California to engage in express business between New York and California. March 18, 1869 The Pennsylvania Railroad buys the last of seven tracts of land on the relocated line of the Philadelphia Division near Whitehall Station. The land is subdivided as an exclusive commuter suburb called "Bryn Mawr". The name is Welsh for "beautiful hill". March 18, 1881 The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe line from Kansas City and the Southern Pacific line from California reach Deming, New Mexico, forming the second rail route to the Pacific and the first direct rail route to southern California. (Some sources put this event on March 8.) March 18, 1884 The Mexican Central Railway [English translation] opens between Mexico City and Ciudad Juarez [modern name]. March 18, 1907 The first all steel 12-1 sleeper is placed on exhibit in Pennsylvania Railroad's Broad Street Station. It will travel to New York tomorrow before being placed in service. March 18, 1915 The Pennsylvania Railroad stages its first test of MP54 MU cars between Overbrook and Bryn Mawr PA. March 18, 1920 Fruit Growers Express is created to serve shippers in the East and South. The Atlantic Coast Line, Baltimore & Ohio, Pennsylvania Railroad and the Southern Railway are the original stockholders. March 18, 1930 The New Haven introduces the "Yankee Clipper" between New York and Boston on a 4 hour, 45 minute schedule. March 18, 1939 The "Coronation Scot", a British train normally in service between London and Glasgow, begins its tour of 38 U.S. cities. At the end of the tour it will be displayed at the New York World's Fair. March 18, 1952 The New Haven installs ticket vending machines in Grand Central Terminal. March 18, 1960 British Railways take delivery of their last steam locomotive: 2-10-0 #92220, named "Evening Star". March 18, 1965 The boards of the Milwaukee Road and the Chicago & North Western approve a merger plan. March 18, 2020 The Las Vegas NV monorail is forced to shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Mark Tomlonson

March 17, 1856 The Toledo, Wabash & Western (later WAB, N&W, NS) begins service to Logansport IN. March 17, 1863 Engineer William Pittenger and 5 others who took part in the Andrews raid are pardoned by the Confederate government. 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. March 17, 1954 Steam ends on the Erie behind 4-6-2 #2930. March 17, 1956 Trailer-Train Corporation begins operations. Stockholders include the Pennsylvania Railroad, Norfolk & Western, Frisco and Missouri Pacific. March 17, 1975 With only $300 cash on hand ($1,756 in 2024 dollars), the Rock Island enters bankruptcy for the third time. 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. March 17, 1995 The Union Pacific makes an offer for Chicago & North Western stock. 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. 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. 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. Mark Tomlonson

March 14, 1836 The Cleveland, Columbus & Cincinnati Railroad (later NYC) is incorporated in Ohio. March 14, 1836 The Ohio Legislature authorizes a loan of $200,000 (2024: $6.6 million) to the Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad (later Big Four, NYC). This is the first time state aid has gone to a private railroad company. March 14, 1836 The Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad (later PRR) is incorporated in Ohio. March 14, 1864 John Luther "Casey" Jones is born in Jordan KY. March 14, 1926 A vastly overloaded passenger train near El Virilla, Costa Rica turns a rail on a bridge and derails. The accident kills 248 and injures 93 who were riding the train to visit a shrine and raise funds for the care of the elderly. Three days of national mourning follow the accident. March 14, 1938 Charlotte NC holds a "Good-Bye To Trolleys" festival to mark the end of service. Participating in the ceremonies is car no. 85. Car 85 will be turned into an Air National Guard office, a snack bar and a private residence before being restored to operational status in the 21st century. March 14, 1940 Streetcar service draws to a close in Lafayette IN. March 14, 1949 The Nickel Plate tests General Electric's gas turbine demonstrator, #101. March 14, 1955 The Pennsylvania Railroad announces it has ordered a model 705 "Giant Brain" computer from IBM. It will be the largest computer used by a railroad, used for billing and tickets. It will work along with an IBM 650. March 14, 1957 The New York Central dedicates its new Frontier Yard in East Buffalo NY. It is the first of four planned large, electronic hump yards to go into service. Frontier Yard replaces eight older NYC yards in the Buffalo area. March 14, 1974 Inter-city passenger rail service returns to Dallas with the start of Amtrak's "Inter-American". March 14, 2005 Canadian Pacific becomes the first bulk purchaser of RailPower Technology's "Green Goat" switching locomotive as they announce an order for 35 environmentally friendly units to be purchased over the next four years. March 15, 1831 The Mohawk & Hudson Railroad orders its first locomotive as well as two 12 Horsepower stationary engines for inclined planes from the West Point Foundry Association. March 15, 1833 The Andover & Wilmington (later B&M) is chartered. March 15, 1868 The Columbus, Chicago & Indiana Central Railway (later PRR) opens between Union City and Anoka Jct., completing a new, direct route between Bradford, OH and Chicago via Logansport, IN. March 15, 1875 A North Carolina act prohibits any railroad in that state from changing its gauge away from 56.5". The gauge of the North Carolina Railroad is changed to 5'-0" anyway to create a through line with the Richmond & Danville Railroad. March 15, 1899 London’s Marylebone Station opens, serving the Great Central Railway. March 15, 1910 The Ann Arbor Railroad depot at Temple MI burns to the ground. March 15, 1911 The first contract with a railroad specifying an eight hour work day is signed with the Denver & Rio Grande by the American Federation of Labor's Railway Employees' Department. March 15, 1915 The Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville (Monon) acquires the Chicago & Wabash Valley Railroad March 15, 1916 For the first time, the electrified lines of the Long Island Railroad are paralyzed by the effects of an ice storm. March 15, 1926 The Pennsylvania Railroad assigns coach train porters, similar to Pullman porters, to principal east-west and Midwest corridor trains. March 15, 1926 The Toledo & Ohio Central Railway (a New York Central subsidiary) places a new coal dumper in service at the mouth of the Maumee River at Toledo. The dumper will handle lake coal moving through the Cincinnati gateway. The dumper is capable of handling the new 150-ton coal gondolas used by the Virginian Railway. March 15, 1938 The Pennsylvania Railroad takes delivery of its first lightweight Pullman, the 18-roomette "City of New York". March 15, 1949 A fire breaks out in the cable house at South Cable on the Michigan-California Lumber Company. This will start a chain of events that leads to the end of loggi

March 13, 1833 The Western Railroad is chartered in Massachusetts to connect the Boston & Worcester to the Hudson & Berkshire Railroad. (all later B&A) March 13, 1836 The Richmond & Petersburg Railroad (later ACL, CSX) is chartered in Virginia. March 13, 1872 The Baltimore, Pittsburgh & Chicago Railway (the Chicago extension of the Baltimore & Ohio), is incorporated separately in Ohio and Indiana. March 13, 1883 The Allegan & Southeastern Railroad becomes the Michigan & Ohio Railroad. March 13, 1884 "Standard Time" takes effect for the railroads, with four time zones across the United States. Standard time will not be official in the U.S. until 1918. March 13, 1912 Thawing roadbed wrecks the 20th Century Limited at Hyde Park NY. The New York Public Service Commission advises both the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad and the Pennsylvania Railroad to reduce speed on all of their New York-Chicago trains scheduled at 18 hours. March 13, 1929 In a move to modernize its passenger fleet, the New Haven Railroad authorizes the purchase of new equipment, including 90 coaches, 10 combines and 6 diners. March 13, 1973 The Michigan State Highway Department is reorganized giving it jurisdiction over all state transportation programs, including railroads. March 13, 2019 High winds blow 26 cars of a Union Pacific Stack Train off the 173-foot tall Canadian River Trestle onto the ground. No one is hurt. Mark Tomlonson

March 12, 1839 The Maine, New Hampshire & Massachusetts Railroad (later B&M) is incorporated in Maine. March 12, 1845 The Cleveland, Columbus & Cincinnati Railroad (later CCC&StL, NYC) is reorganized as the Cleveland, Columbus & Cincinnati Railway. March 12, 1857 A Great Western Railway train from Toronto to Hamilton ON plunges 60 feet into the frozen Desjardins Canal after the bridge collapses. A broken locomotive axle chewing through the crossties on the bridge weakened the structure, causing the collapse. Seventy persons die from trauma, drowning, or exposure. Only 20 passengers survive. (Some sources say 59 people killed in total, others put the date as March 17.) March 12, 1883 Norfolk & Western hauls its first load of coal. March 12, 1892 Anderson [Indiana] Electric Street Railway is electrified. (Some sources say March 14). March 12, 1895 The Epworth League Railway, later the Ludington Northern (MI), is organized. March 12, 1899 The Southern Railway inaugurates the “Piedmont Limited”. March 12, 1914 George Westinghouse, inventor of the air brake, passes away at his summer home in Lennox MA. March 12, 1917 The Pere Marquette Railroad is reorganized as the Pere Marquette Railway. March 12, 1957 The Pennsylvania Railroad begins using snack carts designed by Coca-Cola Company instead of dining or café cars on some Washington-New York trains. March 12, 2009 BNSF accepts delivery of four ES44C4 locomotives. The locos revive the A-1-A truck, once popular for passenger diesels. “A-1-A” trucks consist of three axles of which only the first and third axles are powered. BNSF hopes that the factory-modified ES44AC will give it the reliability of a DC locomotive and the reduced maintenance of AC motors. March 12, 2015 In a comic syndicated today, “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not” reports that Dutch Railways are fitting lasers to their locomotives to remove leaves from the top of the rails. Mark Tomlonson

March 11, 1836 The Little Miami Railroad (later PC&St.L, PRR), Ohio’s second, receives its charter to connect the Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad to the Ohio River at Cincinnati. Construction will not begin until 1843. March 11, 1851 The State of Pennsylvania enacts a law requiring all railroads built east of Erie to be either 4' 8.5" or 6' gauge and all railroads west of Erie to be built to a 4'10" gauge, also known as "Ohio Gauge". It is thought at the time that the gauge change and the resulting loading and reloading of railroad cars will help Erie become a major terminal. (Some sources say 1852) March 11, 1853 The New Albany & Salem Rail Road (later CIL, L&N) reaches Lafayette IN. March 11, 1854 To reduce on-duty drinking by employees, the Pennsylvania Railroad Road Committee considers ordering a ban on the sale of all liquor and beer on any PRR property and to prohibit stopping trains at any public house where liquor is sold. The order is toned down by amendment to simply prohibiting the sale of liquor on PRR property. March 11, 1872 Jay Gould's attempts to control both the Erie and the New York Central Railroads are halted as a new Board of Directors is installed in the Erie. March 11, 1904 The first tunnel under the Hudson River is holed through. March 11, 1908 The final spike is driven in the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railroad, at Lyle WA. March 11, 1908 The Strang gas-electric car "Irene" built by Brill is tested between Philadelphia and Washington DC. March 11, 1947 The Budd Company tests its first dome car. March 11, 1952 The Pennsylvania Railroad shows off its newly-equipped "Congressional" to the press. "The Senator" is also receiving new equipment at this time. March 11, 2004 Three days before the Spanish national election, terrorists believed to be inspired by al-Qaeda, bomb the Cercanias commuter trains near Madrid, Spain. The explosions kill 191 people and injure another 1,800. March 11, 2005 A Union Pacific rail grinder working westbound at Rochelle IL sideswipes an eastbound BNSF intermodal, There is no derailment, but a few containers are destroyed. They incident is captured on the “Trains” magazine webcam. Mark Tomlonson

March 10, 1858 The Pittsburgh Ft. Wayne & Chicago (later PRR) connects to the Pennsylvania Railroad in Pittsburgh, despite opposition and interference from local citizens. March 10, 1862 The St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (later MSt.P&P, GN) is organized. March 10, 1865 The State of Michigan transfers an additional land grant to the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad. This brings the total land grant to 850,960 acres although no land will actually be granted south of Grand Rapids. March 10, 1907 The Pere Marquette roundhouse at Traverse City MI is destroyed by fire. March 10, 1910 A home for aged and disabled former railroad employees opens in Highland ParK IL. March 10, 1917 Police interrupt a former German sailor and two other men as they try to sabotage Pennsylvania Railroad telegraph lines near Wissinoming, PA. March 10, 1923 Norfolk & Western takes delivery of its first Y3a class locomotive, a 2-8-8-2 built by Alco. March 10, 1930 Near Lakehurst NJ an Army blimp succeeds in picking up 4 mail sacks from the roof of a Pennsylvania Railroad train moving at 55 mph. The trials are held to help newsreel companies speed delivery of films to theatres. March 10, 1933 Last run of the Kansas City, Clay County & St. Joseph Railway (Interurban) March 10, 1940 Missouri Pacific's streamlined "Eagles" begin operations. March 10, 1945 New York Central accepts its first 4-8-4 "Niagara", #6000, at the Alco factory in Schenectady NY. March 10, 1976 An LRC train breaks the unofficial Canadian rail speed record: 129 mph (207 km/h) on CP Rail’s Adirondack Subdivision between St. Jean and Delson. The previous record had been set by a steam locomotive pulling a lightweight passenger train on Canadian Pacific's Winchester Sub near St. Telesphore in 1936. March 10, 1993 Amtrak's eastbound "Wolverine" strikes a propane truck at a private crossing between Comstock and Galesburg MI. The collision kills the truck driver and injures the engineer. The accident leads directly to the closing of all private crossings in that area and the re-routing of the adjacent county road. March 10, 1995 The Union Pacific announces its intention to purchase the Chicago & North Western. March 10, 2009 Canadian National routes its first two trains over the former Elgin, Joliet & Eastern. CN's purchase of the line was finalized on January 31. Traffic is expected to grow to six daily trains in the near future. March 10, 2020 Amtrak suspends Acela service between Washington and New York in an attempt to slow the spread of the Corona virus. Mark Tomlonson

March 7, 1832 The New Jersey Railroad & Transportation Company (later PRR) is chartered to build across the state. March 7, 1834 The Detroit & Pontiac (later D&M, GT) receives its charter from Michigan Territory. March 7, 1848 The body of former President John Quincy Adams, who had died of a stroke on the floor of the House on February 21, is carried from Washington to New York via three separate railroads. March 7, 1850 The Toledo, Norwalk & Cleveland Railroad (later LS&MS, NYC) is chartered. March 7, 1865 A collision between an express train and a disabled passenger train kills five Union Soldiers and a train crewman and injures 48. The accident prompts Ashbel Welch to come up with a block system to control trains (which he had studied in England) for the Philadelphia & Trenton Railroad. March 7, 1873 In Prescott, AZ the last reported outbreak of the Great Epizootic devastates the horse population. The virulent equine flu has halted transportation within cities in 33 states, Canada and Cuba. March 7, 1887 Henry Whiting combines 7 Boston street railways into a single system, the West End Street Railway. At 1,700 cars and 200 miles of track it is the largest in the world. He is also given permission to build a subway. March 7, 1887 Lured by the prospect of gold in Indian Territory (later Oklahoma) Mathias Splitlog, a wealthy Native American, creates the Kansas City, Fort Smith & Southern. The gold in Indian Territory turns out to have been “salted” and all that was found in the mines was Fool’s Gold. Part of the line will become a section of the Kansas City Southern. March 7, 1887 The Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic Railroad is incorporated. March 7, 1905 The first McKeen car, the first successful use of internal combustion on U.S. railroads, makes its first run, Omaha to Valley NE. March 7, 1909 The Winona Interurban Electric Railway is forced by its major creditor to begin operations on Sundays, a move resisted by its Sabbatarian founders, including H.J. Heinz and J. M. Studebaker. March 7, 1910 American Car & Foundry builds a sleeper car with traditional sections named "Peoria" for the interurban Illinois Traction Company. It has been preserved at the Illinois Railway Museum. March 7, 2005 Amtrak drops its “Three Rivers” west of Pittsburgh PA. March 8, 1855 The first train crosses the suspension bridge over Niagara Falls. Before this time, goods and passengers were ferried across the river. The bridge does not end the transfer, as the change in track gauge between lines in New York and Ontario remains, although the bridge itself has three gauges (56.5", 66" and 72"). The Bridge will allow the Michigan Central via the Great Western to reach markets in the east and will be a major selling point for the line. (Some sources say March 17) March 8, 1881 The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and Southern Pacific railroads meet at Deming NM, creating the United States’ second transcontinental railroad. March 8, 1884 The Mahopac Falls Railroad (NY - later NYC) is chartered. March 8, 1904 The Lucien cut-off, the causeway across the Great Salt Lake that has bypassed Promontory Summit, site of the Golden Spike Ceremony, is opened for service. March 8, 1905 The Aurora, Elgin & Chicago (Later CA&E) begins operations from its 52nd Street terminal eastward into downtown Chicago and the Loop. (Some sources say March 9) March 8, 1907 The Virginian Railway is formed. It is entirely controlled by Henry H. Rodgers of Standard Oil who is looking for a new outlet from the West Virginia coalfields. March 8, 1910 "Ann Arbor Carferry No. 1" burns at Manitowoc WI. March 8, 1920 Canadian National’s Board of Directors assumes management control of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. March 8, 1924 New York Central President Alfred H. Smith is killed while riding a horse in Central Park. His horse had reared to avoid hitting another rider. March 8, 1926 The Illinois Central installs the first electro-pneumatic car retarders in the United States at Markham Yard near Chicago. March 8, 1933 The New Haven temporarily suspends the "Yankee Clipper" and "Merchants

March 6, 1830 Colonel Stephen H. Long constructs a road bridge over the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. It is the first known road bridge to cross a railroad. March 6, 1834 The London & Gore Railroad in Upper Canada receives its charter; the first railroad charter in what is now Ontario. (However it will not be the first to actually operate trains.) Running between Niagara Falls and Windsor, it will be later part of the Great Western, Grand Trunk and Canadian National Railways. March 6, 1880 The Cincinnati, Indianapolis, St. Louis & Chicago Railroad (later NYC) is incorporated. March 6, 1882 Regular service begins between Cincinnati OH and Dayton on the Cincinnati Northern (later NYC). March 6, 1902 The Grand Rapids, Grand Haven & Muskegon (MI Interurban) adds service between Grand Haven Junction and Spring Lake Village. March 6, 1958 The New York Central dedicates its Robert R. Young yard at Elkhart, IN. It is NYC's second large, computerized yard. It has been built to pre-sort cars coming to and from the Chicago area. Mark Tomlonson

March 5, 1832 The New Castle & Frenchtown Railroad begins regular daily revenue service. Passenger boats transfer their passengers to the railroad from stagecoaches, forming a through stage-boat-rail line between Philadelphia and Baltimore. During its entire existence, the NC&F is closed from December through March when steamboats are stopped by the ice. March 5, 1850 The Louisville & Nashville Railroad is chartered. March 5, 1856 Service begins to Peru IN on the Toledo, Wabash & Western. (later WAB, N&W, NS) March 5, 1859 The Martinsville & Franklin (IN) reorganizes as the Franklin & Martinsville (later Big Four, NYC). Traffic is so sparse on the line that it will see no trains for the next seven years. March 5, 1872 George Westinghouse Jr. receives patent No. 124,405 for the automatic railroad air brake. March 5, 1879 The Grand Rapids & Indiana leases the Allegan & South Eastern Railroad. The line has track laid from Allegan to Monteith, and unfinished portions between Monteith and the Ohio State line. The lease is retroactive to January 1. March 5, 1880 The first through Cincinnati Southern (later CNO&TP, NS) passenger train departs Cincinnati OH for Chattanooga TN. In the newspaper article covering the story, the reporter dubs the train the "Chattanooga Choo Choo”, the first use of the phrase. March 5, 1888 The Toledo, Ann Arbor & Lake Michigan Railway (later AA) is organized to build from Cadillac to Frankfort MI. March 5, 1891 The Bangor & Aroostook Railroad receives its charter. March 5, 1910 A snow slide in Rogers Pass BC kills 92 persons, most of them Canadian Pacific employees, just 4 days after a similar disaster in Wellington WA. March 5, 1920 The Milwaukee Railroad completes the electrification of its line between Othello and Tacoma, WA, 207 miles. March 5, 1927 Great Northern runs its first electric train using its new single-phase system, from Skykomish to the old Cascade Tunnel. March 5, 1930 The Pennsylvania Railroad holds a "Golden Spike" ceremony at 41st St. in Chicago to mark the upgrading of the New York-Chicago main line to 130-pound rail. March 5, 1956 The last steam locomotive purchased by the Southern Pacific (4-8-8-2 “Cab Forward” #4294) is retired. March 5, 1972 The last "Birney" streetcar in regular service is retired in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. Mark Tomlonson

March 4, 1826 Granite Railway, the first incorporated company to build and operate a rail road in the United States, is chartered in Massachusetts. March 4, 1839 The first "express" traffic carried by rail travels between Boston and New York, carried in the pouch of 27-year old William F. Harnden, a former railroad conductor who has come up with the idea. March 4, 1869 The Spuyten Duyvil & Port Morris Railroad (later NY&H, NYC&HR, NYC) is chartered. March 4, 1882 Britain’s first electric trams (streetcars) run in London. March 4, 1889 The Grand Trunk carferry "Transit I" is destroyed by fire in its dock at Windsor ON. March 4, 1907 The first section of Philadelphia's Market Street Subway-Elevated opens from 69th Street Terminal to 15th Street. (Some sources say March 7) March 4, 1908 A new Hours of Service law takes effect: 9 hours for train operators and 16 hours for trainmen. March 4, 1913 The Great Northern places its first open observation car on its roster. This is not an open-platform observation car, but a roofless car for tourist use. March 4, 1913 Workers connect the main channel truss of the Kenova Bridge, spanning the Ohio River between South Point OH and Kenova WV. The bridge is 4,000 feet long and 82 feet above normal water level. March 4, 1925 Films of President Coolidge's inauguration are rushed from Washington to New York on a special train chartered by International News Reel that takes three hours and forty minutes for the trip. The film is developed on the train and is shown in theatres at 4:12 p.m. This beats both Pathe and Fox who have sent their films by plane, but require developing once the plane lands. March 4, 1935 Raymond Lowey is given an exclusive contract with the Pennsylvania Railroad. He will not design equipment for any other railroad and PRR will use no other designer. March 4, 1946 Robert R. Young publishes his soon-to-be-famous "A hog can cross the country without changing trains, but YOU can't" advertisement as part of his fight to buy the Pullman Company on the theme of a lack of transcontinental cars. March 4, 1947 Ms. Friedel Klussman launches a drive to preserve San Francisco's cable cars. March 4, 1960 Soo Line passenger train number 8 makes its last run from Minneapolis MN to Sault Ste. Marie MI. March 4, 1970 In the single largest train-off petition ever sent to the I.C.C., Penn Central seeks to drop all passenger service west of Buffalo and Harrisburg. A total of 34 trains are to be discontinued, joining 14 others already in various stages of litigation. March 4, 1996 A broken switch causes a Wisconsin Central train to derail in Weyauwega WI. The residents of the town will be evacuated until March 20 as crews work to control the resulting fire. Mark Tomlonson

March 3, 1831 George M. Pullman is born in New York. March 3, 1834 Cleveland sees its first railroad: the Cleveland & Newburg Railroad is chartered to serve quarries. It is horse operated with wooden track without iron strapping. March 3, 1842 The Pittsfield & North Adams Railroad (Later WRR, B&A, NYC) is chartered in Massachusetts to build between its namesake cities. March 3, 1851 The Northern Indiana Railroad (later LS&MS) is chartered in Ohio to create a better route into Chicago for the Michigan Southern and associated companies. March 3, 1853 Congress authorizes a survey for a trans-continental railroad. March 3, 1863 Congress authorizes a land grant for the Atchison & Topeka Railway (later AT&SF). The grant requires that the line be completed and operation between Atchison and the Kansas/Colorado line by March 3, 1873. March 3, 1871 An Act of Congress incorporates the Texas Pacific Railroad Company to build from Texas to San Diego. March 3, 1921 President-Elect Harding travels to Washington DC from his home in Marion OH. East of Harrisburg PA the train makes the run in one-half hour less than the fastest schedule between Harrisburg and Washington. March 3, 1938 The “Mallard”, which will later set the steam speed record, is built in LNER’s Doncaster Works. March 3, 1944 A double-headed mixed train in southern Italy near Balvano stalls in a tunnel. Carbon monoxide poisoning kills 521 people. Five people survive. One hundred ninety-three who carried no identification, most of them black marketers, are buried in a mass grave at the site. March 3, 1947 The Baltimore & Ohio begins its "Sentinel" freight service, offering guaranteed delivery of fast freight between major cities. March 3, 1949 American Car & Foundry tests the new Spanish "Talgo Train" at Berwick PA. It will later be tested on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western. March 3, 1955 The Pennsylvania Railroad runs its first "TrucTrain" TOFC train from Chicago to Kearny, NJ. It is the first time the Pennsylvania has carried trailers of common-carrier trucking companies on its flatcars. March 3, 1966 For the first time GG-1's are retired by the Pennsylvania Railroad. Numbers 4804, 4831 and 4847 leave the fleet. 4804 has cracks in the running gear, a problem that will plague other GG-1's. March 3, 1997 Union Pacific opens the former Western Pacific line through Feather River Canyon after repair of the damage from January flooding is completed. Mark Tomlonson

February 28, 1815 George Stephenson receives a Patent for his second steam locomotive, an improved version of the principles worked out in the "Blusher" last July. February 28, 1827 The Baltimore & Ohio, America's first passenger railroad is chartered. February 28, 1847 Maine Governor Joshua L. Chamberlain signs the charter of the Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad. Despite never getting as far as Moosehead Lake, the 33-mile railroad will remain in continuous operation through 2009. February 28, 1852 Because of a gap in the Pennsylvania Railroad, over 440 passengers stay each night at the Hollidaysburg Inn. Five hundred wagons and 2,600 horses are used to ferry passengers and freight across the gap. February 28, 1866 The Canada Southern Railway is incorporated in Canada from the Erie & Niagara Extension Railway. February 28, 1871 The Chicago & Michigan Lake Shore Railroad (later PM, C&O, CSX) reaches Grand Junction MI. February 28, 1903 President Theodore Roosevelt signs legislation authorizing a single, Union Station in Washington DC rather than two stations, for the Baltimore & Ohio and Pennsylvania Railroads. February 28, 1906 A gas-electric railcar built by Strang, the "Ogerita", leaves Weehawken Terminal bound for San Francisco. The car, which includes a back-up battery and can make 48 mph, has been testing on various Pennsylvania Railroad branch lines. February 28, 1908 First test run through Grand Trunk's St. Clair tunnel using electric locomotives. February 28, 1920 The Transportation Act is passed, allowing the ICC to set intrastate rates in some cases and forming the Railway Labor Board. It also sets a date for the end of USRA control. February 28, 1931 The Cleveland Southwestern & Columbus Railway (interurban) quits. February 28, 1931 The Detroit, Toledo & Ironton is sold to Pennroad Corporation (PRR subsidiary) and the Wabash Railroad. February 28, 1947 The Illinois Central withdraws the “Green Diamond” trainset from service between Chicago and St. Louis. February 28, 1979 Last day for a freight agent on the Wabash Railroad at Topeka IN. February 28, 1986 The last official move is made at Canadian National's Spadina Roundhouse in Toronto. The facility will later be demolished to make room for the Skydome. February 28, 2022 The last passenger-carrying South Shore train runs on 11th Street in Michigan City IN. The new alignment has no street running and is double-tracked. March 1, 1833 A meeting of cab owners and drivers is held at Tammany Hall to protest the occupation of streets by the New York & Harlem Railroad. At the end of the meeting the crowd spills out of the hall and tears up a piece of track. March 1, 1837 The Long Island Railroad opens between Jamaica and Hicksville NY. March 1, 1852 The Buffalo & State Line Railroad (later NYC) is completed between Buffalo and the PA/OH state line. Because of Pennsylvania Law, it is built to a 56.5" gauge between Buffalo and the NY/PA state line, 60" between the state line and Erie, and 58" between Erie and the Ohio line. (Some sources say Feb. 22.) March 1, 1869 First train into Grand Rapids MI on the Kalamazoo, Allegan & Grand Rapids Railroad (later LS&MS, NYC, PC). March 1, 1876 The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe reaches Pueblo CO. March 1, 1877 The U.S. Supreme Court upholds the regulation of railroads. March 1, 1881 A passenger train wrecks near Macon MO on the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad (later CB&Q, BNSF) killing 40. Nine more persons are killed when the wreck train crashes on its way to the accident. March 1, 1884 The Norwood & Montreal Railroad (later RW&O, NYC, PC, CR, CSX) is organized. March 1, 1888 The Lartigue Railway Construction Company opens a 14.5-kilometer steel-railed monorail. It links the town of Ballybunion, on the west coast of Ireland, with the market town of Listowel. The only passenger-carrying monorail in the British Isles for many years, it will run until 1924 when operational costs and road transport will force it out of business. March 1, 1893 The New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad leases the Old Colony Railroad. March 1, 1898 The

February 27, 1832 Baltimore coachbuilder Richard Imlay displays three railroad passenger cars in Monument Square, including one that will seat 50. February 27, 1837 Illinois passes an "Internal Improvements" Act. February 27, 1847 The Alton & Sangamon Railroad (later C&A, GM&O, ICG, UP) is chartered in Illinois to connect the towns of Alton and Springfield. February 27, 1860 The Central Railroad of New Jersey displays two new Woodruff sleepers designed for New York-Pittsburgh service. February 27, 1865 The Pennsylvania Legislature establishes a railroad police force. While railroads have employed security personnel previously, this is the first time they are given official police powers. February 27, 1886 The New Jersey Junction Railroad (later NYC&HR, NYC) is incorporated. February 27, 1912 The Pacific Great Eastern Railway (later BCR, CN) is incorporated to build a line from Vancouver north to a connection with the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway at Prince George BC. February 27, 1917 The Milwaukee Railroad completes the electrification of its line from Harlowton, Montana, to Avery, Idaho, 440 miles. February 27, 1917 The Pennsylvania-Detroit Railroad Company is incorporated to extend the PRR into Detroit. This will let PRR tap the growing finished automobile market. February 27, 1921 The Pennsylvania Railroad creates a private telephone system on its Paoli Line to keep station agents informed of train delays, etc. The information is then posted at the station. February 27, 1921 Michigan Central and New York Central passenger trains collide at Porter IN when the engineer of the Michigan Central train misunderstands the fireman’s call of the home signal indication. The engineer’s view of the signal was obscured by the smoke of a standing freight train. Thirty-seven are killed. February 27, 1942 The Pennsylvania Railroad's Altoona Shops complete an experimental troop sleeper based on an X38 automobile box car. February 27, 1965 The Buffalo Creek & Gauley shuts down after 61 years of operation in West Virginia, having never operated a diesel locomotive. It will run again for a short time in the 1970's with diesels. February 27, 2000 Two Santa Fe Alco PA diesels arrive in Oregon from Mexico for restoration. The units are little more than hulks. February 27, 2002 In Godhra, northwest India, a train carrying mostly Hindus catches fire. Sixty people are killed. Although the cause of the fire is eventually traced to a fault in a coach, early reports say the fire was caused by radical Muslims dousing the train with gasoline and lighting it. This false allegation triggers religious riots in which nearly 1,000 people are killed. February 27, 2023 The Long Island Railroad begins running trains into Grand Central Madison, their new station located under Grand Central Terminal. Up to 24 trains per hour are scheduled into the station. Mark Tomlonson