Zardoz, if you worked for the Chicago & Northwestern, you’re a good man. The C&NW served my community up until 1988, even though we were never a part of their mainline. Same thing goes with the Great Northern, Illinois Central, Milwaukee Road and the Rock Island.
I just discovered that in the state of Michigan, electric lighting was introduced in passenger cars as early as 1887. So what I had referred to in my earlier post was quite possibley flourescent lighting, or something close to that.
In the state of Michigan, the Amboy, Lansing & Traverse Bay Railroad reaches North Lansing from Bath.
September 04, 1862
The North Beach & Mission Railway Company was organized in San Francisco.
September 04, 1872
The New York Sun exposes the Credit Mobilier Scandal. During the construction of the trans-continental railroad, Massachussetts Representative Oakes Ames and other directors of the Union Pacific, created a company called Credit Mobilier of America, which was used to award themselves rich company contracts. To avoid Congressional investigation, Ames distributed shares to other congressmen, Cabinet members and Vice-President Colfax. Ames was censured by the House of Representatives on 2/28/1873.
September 04, 1929
In the state of Michigan, the Detroit, Jackson and Chicago Railway abandoned passenger operations.
When it comes to historical information pertaining to railroads in the United States and Canada, Zardoz, I am working with 8 different sources of information. I enjoy putting this thread together every morning, and even right now I am beginning to search for additional sources of historical information.
Couple of thoughts on that, Ray–I hope one of your sources would be the past columns you and Paula have done, and the additions and corrections people have made to them.
I’ve noticed the sudden influx of information from Michigan (can’t say I’m too unhappy about that!), and figure that’s one of your newer sources.
In the interest of keeping things on the up-and-up, you may wish to credit your sources. Had this been a pre-post, I’d suggest a key so that on the posts themselves, one letter would be enough information to tell where the information came from.
Finally, Ray, if you’ll just stand up and face Seattle, Jim and I will both be able to say, “Glad to see your back!” Welcome!
Carl, thanks much for your input. I appreciate it! I have chosen to make my thread separate from Paula’s if only to avoid some unnecessary duplication.
The sudden influx of information of railroad history from Michigan I am getting through the Michigan State Historical Society, but the way it is all arranged, it is rather time-consuming to isolate it and make use of it. There are those of us for example, who like to know what happened in railroading across this country on September 04, in any given year.
I stumbled on the the Michigan State Historical Society roughly a year ago while doing a random search for rail-related history on my computer.
Ray, I’m only too happy to turn it over to you! I don’t have the resources you have, and I think you do a better job of it! I only have two, maybe three sources: railwaystation.com, Arcamax History & Quotes, and WHAS11 On This Date in History.
With your permission, whenever I find anything, I’ll try to post it on this thread…
In the state of Michigan, Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana train crews go out on strike over payment of 5 months of back wages. The strike ended when President George Bliss promised to pay the men in cash for May, June and July, and additional pay for August and September by October 10th.
September 05, 1898
In the Canadian province of Ontario, Canadian Pacific Railway opens from Montreal to Ottawa via Rigaud. And inspection trip was run on May 19th. This line had been chartered by the Vaudreuil and Prescott Railway in 1884. The Vaudreuil and Prescott Railway changed it’s name to Montreal and Ottawa Railway March 26, 1890 and was leased in perpetuity to the Canadian Pacific on November 15, 1892. It was opened in stages as follows:
Vaudreuil to Rigaud - October 04, 1890
Rigaud to Alfred - December 21, 1896
Alfred to Plantagenet - December 16, 1897
Plantagenet to Ottawa - September 05, 1898
A branch between Rigaud and Point Fortune was opened on September 27, 1892.
The first westbound train arrives in San Francisco.
September 06, 1873
Regular cable car service begins on Clay Street in San Francisco.
September 06, 1898
In the Canadian province of Ontario, two spans of the New York and Ottawa Railroad bridge over the south channel of the St. Laurence River collapsed with the loss of 15 lives. This accident happened on New York Central’s Ottawa division.
September 06, 1943
79 people were killed at Frankford Junction, Pennsylvania when a burned off journal derailed the Pennsylvania Railroad’s Congressional.
U.S. President Chester Arthur is present and participated in the opening of the first railroad to the Pacific Northwest, the Northern Pacific Railroad, at Gold Creek, Montana.
September 08, 1906
In Ottawa, Ontario, on what was the Hull Street Electric Railway, car #253 is the first to pass through the new Bank Street Subway underneath the Grand Trunk Railway.
September 08, 1987
MidSouth purchased the 40-mile North Louisiana & Gulf Railroad.
September 08, 1987
In the state of Michigan, the Kalamazoo, Lake Shore & Chicago opens the former Chessie trackage from Hartford to Paw Paw.
Railroad empire builder Edward Henry Harriman died.
September 09, 1929
The first air-conditioned Pullman cars go into service between chicago and Los Angeles.
September 09, 1933
Service comes to an end on the Corvallis branch of the Oregon Electric.
September 09-17, 1970
In the Canadian province of Ontario, British Gresley Pacifc #4472 “Flying Scotsman” and train is exhibited at the National museum of Science and Technology in Ottawa. It’s itinerary was:
The Prince of Wales, later to become England’s King Edward VIII, traveled between Toronto and Collingwood, Ontario and return. The special train which consisted of two coaches and an open observation car, was hauled by Northern Railway 4-4-0 locomotive “Cumberland” and was in charge of Superintendant of Motive Power James Tillinghast with engineer L.S. Williams.
September 10, 1906
In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Bank Street Subway, Ottawa, is opened under the Grand Trunk Railway. A temporary bridge was used until a permanent bridge was installed on the weekend of July 13-14 1907.
September 10, 1971
In the Canadian province of British Columbia, Pacific Great Eastern Railway’s extension from Fort St. John to Fort Nelson was opened to traffic.
The first rails were laid for the Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad, which was a predecessor to the Milwukee, St. Paul & Pacific.
September 12, 1859
In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Brockville and Ottawa Railway was opened from Smiths Falls to Almonte. (My source of information however, indicates that this may have happened as early as August 22nd).
September 12, 1952
The first compartmentalized freight cars which were developed by the Pullman Standard Car Company and the Western Pacific Railroad were placed in service between Chcago and San Francisco.
September 12, 1996
Rocky Mountain Railtours runs the longest passener train in Canadian history. Three GP40 locomotives hauled 34 cars from Vancover to Kamloops.