1896 in rail transport

Events

January events

* January 23 - Construction begins on the Northwestern Elevated line of the Chicago 'L' with the first structure erected at the intersection of Fullerton and Sheffield Avenues. [Chicago "L".org, " [http://www.chicago-l.org/history/chron_north.html Northwestern Elevated (1893-1924)] ". Retrieved January 23 2006.]

February events

* February 14 - Northern Pacific Railway opens its Union Station in Portland, Oregon.
* February 24 - Erie Railroad purchases the New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio Railroad. [Western New York Railroad Archive (December 17 2005), " [http://wnyrails.railfan.net/railroads/erie/erie_home.htm Erie Railroad - History] ". Retrieved December 28 2005.]

March events

* March 20 - The Grand Trunk Railway purchases the Central Vermont Railway and begins operating it as a wholly owned subsidiary.

April events

* April 6 - The Snowdon Mountain Railway in North Wales, the only Abt rack system line in the British Isles, commences public operation; however, a derailment leading to one fatality causes services to be suspended for a year. [cite journal|last=Kardas|first=Handel|title=Britain's worst railway opening day – "Ladas" and the Snowdon Mountain Railway|journal=Railway World|volume=58|issue=683|date=April 1997|pages=66–71]

May events

* May 9 - First Nord-Express Paris, France/Oostend, Belgium to St. Petersburg, Russia.

June events

* June 29 - The St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad Company (predecessor of the St. Louis - San Francisco Railway) is incorporated.

July events

* July 23 - Delivery of world's first commercially-built oil-engined locomotive, from Richard Hornsby & Sons of Grantham, England to the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, London (in to mm|18|abbr=yes gauge). [cite book|author=Webb, Brian|title=The British Internal Combustion Locomotive 1894-1940|date=1973|publisher=David & Charles|location=Newton Abbot|isbn=0-7153-6115-5]

December events

* December 14 - Glasgow Subway, the third oldest metro system in the world, begins operations in Glasgow, Scotland.
* December 25 - Japanese National Railways opens two lines out of Tabata: an extension of the Tsuchiura Line from Tsuchiura, and the Sumidagawa Line to Sumidagawa.

Unknown date events

* The Green Bay and Western Railroad is formed from the bankruptcy proceedings of the Green Bay, Winona and Saint Paul Railroad.
* The Loup Creek & Deepwater Railway (predecessor of the Deepwater Railway) is formed.
* Atlas Car and Manufacturing Company begins building steam locomotives.

Births

Deaths

June deaths

* June 4 - Austin Corbin, president of Long Island Rail Road (b. 1827).

References