Today In Railroad History

October 5, 1895

The Detroit, Delray & Dearborn Railroad completed a line from Delray to (west) Dearborn.

October 5, 1898

A new interlocking plant and tower is proposed in Clare, MI, for the crossing of the Flint & Pere Marquette and Ann Arbor Railroad. It is a 16 lever Union Switch & Signal frame. The tower is located across from the union depot.

October 5, 1932

The last car is operated on the Detroit, MI to Toledo, OH interurban line.

October 5, 1937

The Michigan Railroad Club was formed. It remains that state's oldest railfan organization.

October 5, 1975

The Pere Marquette 1225 2-8-4, is steam tested on the Michigan State University Campus. The locomotive, which was on static display at MSP, was eventually moved to the Steam Railroad Institute in Owosso for operation.

October 5, 2008

In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Ottawa Central Railway and the Counties of Pontiac and Renfrew sponsor a train for elected representatives to foster the idea of a commutor train running from Ottawa Valley towns into Ottawa. The train ran between Ottawa, Walkley Yard via the Beachburg subdivision to Beachburg with stops at Norway Bay Golf Club in both directions.
 
October 6, 1846

On this date, George Westinghouse was born.

October 6, 1866

The four Reno brothers, hold up their first train, taking $13,000 from the safes on a moving Ohio & Mississippi train. This was the first robbery of a train in motion.

October 6, 1935

In San Francisco, CA, Market Street Railway starts using trackless trolley coaches.

October 6, 1942

In the state of Michigan, the Escanaba Ore Dock Project is launched, to build facilities at Escanaba for the diversion of iron ore from the Minnesota ranges in the event of the bombing of the Sault Ste. Marie locks.
 
October 7, 1826

The first American Railroad was completed in Quincy, Massachussetts. Horse drawn wagons carrying granite were pulled from a quarry along a 3-mile track for the Bunker Hill Monument.

October 7, 1834

The first American railroad tunnel was opened on the Allegheny Portage Railroad, east of Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

October 7, 1948

Passengers aboard the Baltimore & Ohio's Marylander between Washington and New York saw the first practical demonstration of television reception on board a moving train.

October 7, 1949

The Gulf, Mobile & Ohio became one of the first major railroads to completely dieselize after it's final operation of steam power.

October 7, 1957

Canadian National opened it's line from Beattyville to Chibougmau, Quebec.
 
October 8, 1871

The Chicago Fire began and 3.5 square miles of that city burned. Much of the town over the next 30 years was replaced with lumber that came out of the state of Michigan. The Lake Shore & Michigan Southern station at Van Buren and LaSalle burned during this fire. The station was rebuilt.

October 8, 1883

In the state of Michigan, the Pontiac, Oxford and Port Austin Railroad completed a line from Pontiac to Caseville.

October 8, 1979

Amtrak's Chicago to Miami Floridian was discontinued.
 
October 9, 1877

A Presidential order allowed the Southern Pacific to expand into Arizona and New Mexico.

October 9, 1900

Union Station in Nashville, Tennessee opened.

October 9, 1995

An Amtrak passenger train derailed in a remote area of Arizona southwest of Phoenix, killing one person and injuring about 100 others in apparent track sabotage.

October 9, 2001

Canadian National acquired the Wisconsin Central Railroad.
 
October 11, 1951

The Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway ordered their first set of RS-3's, #65-68.

October 11, 1953

In the Canadian province of Ontario, there was a derailment on the Castor Grade, near mile post 59 on Canadian Pacific's Maniwaki subdivision. The locomotive, a 4-6-2, #2221 of the Sunday evening Maniwaki to Ottawa passenger train #538 (one baggage car and two coaches, all of wooden construction) rolled over and several coaches derailed resulting in the deaths of engineer Richard (Dick) McNally and fireman Ken Learmont. There were no injuries among the passengers. There is an article about the accident in the publication "Branchline" from 1997.

October 11, 1962

Colorado & Southern 2-8-0 #641 made her final run in regular daily service on the standard guage railroad, from Leadville to Climax, Colorado.

October 11, 1987

The Soo Line sold 2002 miles of it's trackage to the Wisconsin Central.

October 11, 1987

The Wisconsin Central Ltd. began operations on 2000 miles of railroad, including Michigan's upper peninsula
 
October 12, 1934

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) was formed on this date.

October 12, 1954

The last eight of the Erie Railroad's onetime fleet of 1545 steam locomotives made their last journey to the railroad's Chicago scrap yard.

October 12, 1986

A once-in-a-100 years flood knocks out two major bridges on the Alaska Railroad's mainline, as well as several smaller bridges, and covers the tracks in mud, causing nearly $3 million in damage. Service was restored on the Alaska Railroad within 13 days.
 
October 13, 1873

In the state of Michigan, the Peninsular Railroad opened a line from South Bend to Valparaiso, Indiana.

October 13, 1893

18 people were killed in a passenger train accident involving the Michigan Central Railroad, at Jackson, Michigan.

October 13, 1988

The Southern Pacific Railroad was sold to Rio Grande Industries.
 
October 15, 1899

The Overland Limited began service on the Southern Pacific.

October 15, 1906

In Washington, D.C., Potomac Yard opens, removing most unsightly yard swithcing from along Virginia Avenue & the Mall per McMillan Commission & the "City Beautiful" movement. Sheperd's Landing-Alexandria freight car ferry operation ends with Potomac Yard opening.

October 15, 1915

In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Canadian Northern Ontario Railway opened a line from Pembroke to Capreol.

October 15, 1947

The Tonopah & Goldfield was abandoned.

October 15, 1960

The merger between the Erie Railroad and the Lackawanna Railroad took place on this date.

October 15, 1966

The U.S. Department of Transportation was created.

October 15, 1973

The Ann Arbor Railroad entered into bankruptcy.

October 15, 1976

The Missouri Pacific, Chicago & Eastern Illinois and Texas & Pacific railroads merged.

October 15, 1996

CSX announced it's intention to purchase Conrail, beginning a tumultuous fight which ends in the split of Conrail assets between CSX and Norfolk Southern.
 
October 16, 1859

Abolitionist, John Brown attacked the U.S. arsenal at Harper's Ferry and the Baltimore & Ohio's Wheeling to Baltimore Express.

October 16, 1944

Z-8 #910 made it's initial run from Portland, Oregon to Wishram, Washington on the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway.

October 16, 1950

The last narrow guage train was operated on the East Tennessee & Western North Carolina (Tweetsie).

October 16, 1964

The Norfolk & Western merged with the Nickel Plate Road.

October 16, 1973

The Ann Arbor Railroad declared bankruptcy.
 
October 17, 1902

The Trinity & Brazos Valley Railroad was chartered (it is now part of BNSF's Dallas to Galveston line).

October 17, 1912

Oregon Electric completed it's line between Albany and Eugene, Oregon.

October 17, 1917

In Canada, the first train crossed the Quebec Bridge over the St. Lawrence River. This was constructed by the Dominion Government for use by the National Transcontinental Railway. This Bridge fell down twice during construction:

1 - On August 29, 1907 the south cantilever arm collapsed killing 65 or more workmen.

2 - On September 10, 1916 the suspension span, which was being lifted, buckled and fell into the river, killing 12
workmen.

October 17, 1944

The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy operated an 82-car mail and express train from Chicago to Council Bluffs.

October 17, 1960

The Erie and the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western merge to form the Erie & Lackawanna.

October 17, 1962

The Union Pacific made it's first road test of a coal burning-gas-turbine-electric locomotive.

October 17, 1966

This date marks the first day of operation of the Montreal subway.
 
October 18, 1886

This date marks the largest conversion of narrow guage to standard guage. 2000 men between 5 A.M. and 6 P.M. converted 418 miles of track on the Cotton Belt, then known as the St. Louis, Arkansas & Texas, from Bird's Point, Missouri to Texakana, Arkansas.

October 18, 1947

The Alaska Railroad's Aurora made it's inaugural run. It was a blue and gold streamliner which upgraded passenger service between Anchorage and Fairbanks.

October 18, 1956

The last trolley was operated in Brooklyn.

October 18, 1961

GM rolled out it's firist GP-30 diesel electric locomotive.

October 18, 1997

The Wisconsin Central tore down the former Soo Line roundhouse at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
 
October 19, 1893

26 people were killed in a Grand Trunk Western passenger train wreck at Battle Creek, Michigan.

October 19, 1897

George Pullman died in Chicago, IL.

October 19, 1909

The Hull Electric power house on the Ottawa's Hull Street Electric Railway at Deschenes was destroyed by fire.

October 19, 1913

23 people were killed in a train accident at Bucatanna, Mississippi.

October 19, 1955

Canadian Pacific opened a branch line from Struthers to Manitowadge, Ontario.
 
October 20, 1856

Arnhem-Oberhausen railway in Netherlands opens

October 20, 1940

The first issue of Trains Magazine was published on this date.

October 20, 1955

The last steam engine departed Spokane Portland & Seattle's Hillyard yard at Spokane, Washington.

October 20, 1969

Alco left the locomotive business.

October 20, 1980

The 645-mile former Rock Island Herington, Kansas-City-Dallas line was sold to Katy subsidiary Oklahoma, Kansas & Texas.

October 20, 1980

The 965-mile former Rock Island Kansas City-Tucumcari, New Mexico line was sold to Southern Pacific's Cotton Belt.
 
October 22, 1925

The first production diesel electric locomotive was sold to the Central Railroad of New Jersey.

October 22, 1929

In the state of Michigan, the Grand Trunk's car ferry "Milwaukee" was lost in a violent storm on Lake Michigan without survivors, making this the lake's worst car-ferry disaster with 42 dead.

October 22, 1934

The Union Pacific's six-car streamlined M-10001 departed Los Angeles for a 56 hour, 55 minute transcontinental run to New York's Grand Central Terminal.

October 22, 1937

Z-6 #900 was given a trial run on the Spokane, Portland & Seattle between Spokane and Pascoe, Washington.

October 22, 1974

The longest train on record in Canada was a 2.5 mile load of 250 grain cars, hauled from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan to Thunder Bay, Ontario.

October 22, 1993

47 people were killed when the eastbound Sunset Limited fell off a bridge near Mobile, Alabama which had been struck by a barge in dense fog.
 
October 23, 1824

The first locomotive to pull a train on a track in the United States was built by John Stevens, it operated on a 220-foot circle of track on his Hoboken, New Jersey Estate.

October 23, 1888

In the state of Michigan, the Toledo, Saginaw and Mackinaw Railroad opened a line from Durand to Flushing.

October 23, 1917

The Canadian Railway War Board held it's first meeting in the Canadian Pacific Boardroom in Windsor Station, Montreal. The name was changed to the Railway Association of Canada in 1919. The RAC represents the interests of all railways operating in Canada.

October 23, 1936

The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy's Zephyr made it's Chicago to Denver run in 12 hours, 12 minutes - an average of 91.6 MPH.

October 23, 1979

Amtrak's Station in Dearborn, Michigan opened on this date.
 
October 24, 1861

The first U.S. transcontinental telegraph line was put into operation. Pony Express Service ended two days later.

October 24, 1866

The first Bucker snowplow was completed at the Central Pacific's Sacramento shops.

October 24, 1903

In Canada, the National Transcontinental Railway Act was passed. In order to expand into Western Canada the Grand Trunk Railway agreed to build a line from Moncton, New Brunswick to Quebec, then on a more northerly route than on any other transcontinental line to a point on the British Columbia Coast, which was to become Prince Rupert. The part between Moncton and Winnipeg was to be known as the National Transcontinental Railway and was to be built by the government. The line west of Winnipeg, to be known as the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, was to be built by the Grand Trunk itself.

October 24, 1903

In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Brockville, Westport and sault ste. Marie changed it's name to Brockville, Westport and North-Western.

October 24, 1947

Heavy fog and a mistake by a signalman causes two rush hour commuter trains to collide in South Croydon, UK, killing 32 people.
 
October 25, 1848

The "Pioneer" was the first steam locomotive to pull a westbound freight out of Chicago.

October 25, 1854

In Canada, this was the date of the opening of the Carillon and Grenville Railway.

October 25, 1886

In Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railroad Company v. Illinois, the Supreme Court declares that a state can not regulate even that portion of interstate commerce that takes place within it's own borders, removing the States legislative powers over railroads. This led to the passage of the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 by Congress.

October 25, 1912

The following item is from Michigan's Internet Railroad History Museum: "The DSS&A due to arrive in Calumet at 8:50 last night was attacked by armed men, supposed to be strikers, just as it began to climb the Quincy hill out of Hancock. Several Volleys of shots were fired at two coaches bearing outside workmen to the C&H mine. The shooting continued for a distance of 3/4 of a mile and passengers aboard the train claim that scores of shots were fired."

October 25, 1995

The Fox River Grove bustrain collision was a grade crossing collision that killed seven students riding aboard a school bus in Fox River Grove, Illinois. The school bus, driven by a substitute driver, was stopped at a traffic light with the rearmost portion extending onto a portion of the railroad tracks when it was struck by a Metra Union Pacific / Northwest Line train en route to Chicago.
 
October 26, 1874

All Grand Trunk Railway lines east of Montreal, 542 miles, were converted from 5' 6" to standard gauge.

October 26, 1883

In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Canadian Pacific Chaudiere roundhouse (built by Canada Central Railway) is destroyed by fire. A new roundhouse, which was already under construction, was opened on the 13th of December.

October 26, 1906

Oregon Electric purchased Willamette Valley Traction.

October 26, 1907

In the Canadian province of Ontario, Mayor D'Arcy Scott turned the first sod on the Grand Trunk Railway hotel and station construction in Ottawa. The ceremony took place at the corner of Little Sussex and Besserer Streets. Mayor Scott used a nickel plated duplicate of the tool that was used by the sappers in excavating the Rideau canal.

October 26, 1957

In the Canadian province of Ontario, this marked the date of the last scheduled run of a passenger train on the Canadian Pacific's Prescott subdivision with mixed trains 592 and 593 between Ottawa and Prescott.

October 26, 1968

Penn Central vacated Chicago's La Salle Street Station in favor of Union Station.

October 26, 1985

Burlington Northern made the first run of it's firs propane-fueled GP-9.
 
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