This Day in History

[Stourbridge Lion]

We have topics from time to time that highlight something that occurred in history for some railroad but I think they tend to get lost as individual topics so tonight I want to start a topic that is all about remembering this points in history and have them all in a single topic.

So, to kick it off, on this day in 1823 the the Pennsylvania State Legislature authorizes the Wurtz Brothers to canalize the Lackawaxen River; hence the D&H CC was born 184 years ago and eventually became "America's oldest continually operated transportation company" know to railfans as the Delaware & Hudson RR.

:teeth: :teeth: :teeth: :teeth:

[Stourbridge Lion]

World's first passenger train operated from Swansea to Mumbles, UK, in 1807.

:asl: :asl: :asl: :asl:

[friscobob]

Amtrak rolled into existence, assuming control of all intercity passenger train service in the US. Noteble exceptions were Southern, Rock Island and Rio Grande.

[friscobob]

On this day in history the nation's first transcontinental railroad was completed at Promontory Summit, Utah. The Central Pacific (SP's predecessor) built east from Sacramento, while Union Pacific built west from Omaha, NE. Both railroads kept on building past each other, but an agreement was reached to officially complete the project at Promontory. When the Golden Spike was finally driven in (after several spectacular misses by railroad officials, much to the great amusement of those assembled), a single word went out over the telegraph wires:

DONE

Today this historic spot sits miles away from the now-Union Pacific main line, which was relocated years after its building. The UP and SP swapped cars at Ogden, UT for over a century until the UP-SP merger in the 1990s.

[r_i_straw]

And it did not happen at Promontory "POINT" as many published accounts would have it. That place is on the newer line that cuts across the Great Salt Lake on trestles and bridges. I would shoot off an annual email to the History Channel "This Day In History" web site to point that out but this year they finally changed it to just Promontory.

[friscobob]

I was going to mention this misconception in my first post, but since I assume most of us are somewhat knowledgeable about this part of RR history, I let it slide.

PWIW, Promontory Point is a bit of land jutting out into the Great Salk Lake, while Promontory Summit is away from the lake a ways, and is the actual meeting spot settled upon for the Golden Spike ceremonies. Therailroads[passed each other and kept laying track, and the two companies had to meet and settle on a meeting spot to link the line together. Funny thing is, the interchange point became Ogden (there were people there, as compared to the lonely, remote Promontory Summit) for years between SP and UP/DRGW. Now of course, it's all UP.

[fitz]

Heck, the real thing took place at this location in 1999. Know where it is and what locomotives were involved?
http://www.pioneer.net/~fitzrr/promntry.jpg

[JCater]

Man, I can't remember the name of the book on this I read...yellow cover, softback...anyhow it is the only one I have run across that identifies it as promintory SUMMIT not POINT. It in fact had me confused for some time, but later documentation indicated the summit as well.

[Stourbridge Lion]

It was 25 years ago today, June 1st 1982 that Norfolk Southern came into being.

Happy Birthday!

:lightbulb: :lightbulb: :lightbulb: :lightbulb:

[Stourbridge Lion]

CN Incorporated, June 6th, 1919

[Flash Blackman]

The world's heaviest train (http://www.railjournal.com/A/xfeature2.html)was operated by BHP Billiton in Australia on June 21, 2001 (next Thursday). Eight engines and 682 cars.

The article I referenced above specifies the length, weight, etc, but I am not sure what type on tonnes is being measured or how to convert them. Hopefully some of our metrically inclined TB members can translate to the English system of measurement.

Also, were any of our TrainBoard members there? It certainly would be a good story.

[Stourbridge Lion]

Today was the official one year anniversary for the New Mexico Rail Runner. One year gone by and so far the Rail Runner is serving the Albuquerque, Los Lunas, Belen and Bernalillo areas ( coming soon to a Santa Fe rail stop near you).

:shade: :shade: :shade: :shade:

[BoxcabE50]

The article I referenced....

Interesting reading. Especially the part about industry growth, and new players. Nice to know they don't need to go through years of legal idiocy, in order to do business.

:(

Boxcab E50

[Stourbridge Lion]

The Engine "Stourbridge Lion" is officially tested with Horatio Allen at the controls. This marks the first operation of a steam locomotive in North America.

:shade: :shade: :shade: :shade:

[friscobob]

We're coming up fast on the anniversary of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas into Missouri Pacific in 1988 (at the time, MP was a paper subsidiary of UP). Shortly thereafter, all traces of MKT vanished, and Denison, Texas became a railroad ghost town, with the offices moved out, car shops closed & razed, roundhouse closed & razed, and the Greenville Sub between Denison and Bells taken up posthaste.

[Stourbridge Lion]

Happy 185th Birthday!!!!!!!

http://www.trainweb.org/dhvm/Logos/DH_Shield-01.gif

[Stourbridge Lion]

D&H: Stourbridge Lion makes History!!! (1827) (http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/calendar.php?do=getinfo&day=2008-8-8&e=160&c=1)

http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/customavatars/avatar236_1.gif - http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/customavatars/avatar236_1.gif - http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/customavatars/avatar236_1.gif - http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/customavatars/avatar236_1.gif

[Triplex]

40 years ago, the official end-of-steam specials ran on British Rail. For many British fans, this marked the end of their interest in current railroading. Many became involved in preservation movements. Many more set out to travel the world, and the steam-hunting age began. Here's to 40 years of steam hunting - let's hope there are many more.