1960 in rail transport

Events

January events

* January 1 – The New York Central Railroad drops its membership in the Railway Express Agency, citing large losses.
* January 3 – Washington, D.C., ends suburban and overhead trolley car operations.
* January 5 – Closure of Swansea and Mumbles Railway in South Wales (by now operated by electric trams). [cite web|url=http://www.welshwales.co.uk/mumbles_railway_swansea.htm|title=The Mumbles train – world’s first railway service|accessdate=2007-07-15]
* January 20 – The Cartier Railway opens Canada's northernmost railway to date between Port Cartier and Gagnon, Quebec. [cite web| work=Colin Churcher's Railway Pages| date=August 16 2005| url=http://www.railways.incanada.net/candate/candate.htm| title=Significant dates in Canadian railway history| accessdate=2006-01-20| ]

February events

* February 22 – Canadian Pacific Railway operates its last steam locomotive powered train in regular service as freight train number 76, led by 4-6-2 number 1262, arrives in Montreal. [cite web| work=Colin Churcher's Railway Pages| date=February 17 2006| url=http://www.railways.incanada.net/candate/ottawa.htm| title=Significant dates in Ottawa railway history| accessdate=2006-02-22| ]

March events

* March 18 – Western Region of British Railways 2-10-0 standard class 9F 92220 "Evening Star" is named at Swindon Works to commemorate its completion as the last steam locomotive built for B.R.
* March 20 – The "Pioneer Zephyr" trainset makes its final revenue run on a trip from Lincoln, Nebraska, to Kansas City, Missouri. It then continues through Galesburg, Illinois to Chicago, Illinois in preparation for its final disposition.
* March 27 – The last regularly scheduled steam-powered passenger train on a major U.S. railroad runs from Durand to Detroit, Michigan, on the Grand Trunk Western Railway.

April events

* April 25 – Canadian National Railway operates its last steam locomotive in regular service, 4-8-2 #6043, on train #76 from The Pas to Winnipeg.

May events

* May 26 – The "Pioneer Zephyr" trainset is donated to Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. [cite web|author=Gordon-Gilmore, Randy|date=2002|title=Pioneer Zephyr|url=http://www.prototrains.com/pioneer/pioneer.html|accessdate=2005-02-24]

June events

* June 18 – The Middleton Railway, at Leeds in England, becomes the first standard gauge line in the British Isles to be operated by volunteers as a preserved railway, initial services being worked by a diesel locomotive. [cite book|author=Bushell, J.|title=The World’s Oldest Railway: a history of the Middleton Railway|year=1975|publisher=Turntable Publications|location=Sheffield|isbn=0-902844-27-X]

August events

* August 7 – The Bluebell Railway, in Sussex, England, begins regular operation as the first standard gauge steam-operated passenger preserved railway in the world. [cite book|author=Cole, T. C.|title=Bluebell Railway – Steaming On!|date=1970|publisher=Bluebell Railway|location=Sheffield Park

eptember events

* September 10 – Last slip coach working, at Bicester North on the Western Region of British Railways. [cite book|author=Fryer, C.E.J.|title=A History of Slipping and Slip Carriages|date=1997|location=Usk|publisher=Oakwood Press|isbn=978-0-853615-14-9]
* September 12 – Official inauguration by the London Midland Region of British Railways of electric services between Crewe and Manchester Piccadilly at the new standard for main line electrification, 25 kV overhead wire at 50 cycles. [cite book|author=Gillham, J. C.|title=The Age of the Electric Train: Electric Trains in Britain since 1883|year=1988|publisher=Ian Allan|location=London|isbn=0-7110-1392-6]

October events

* October 15 – The Erie Railroad and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad merge to form the Erie Lackawanna Railroad; Harry W. Von Miller, former Erie president, is chosen as the president of the new railroad. [cite web|title=Erie Railroad presidents|url=http://erierr.railfan.net/eriepres.html|accessdate=2005-03-15]

November events

* November 1 – The Chicago and North Western Railway acquires the assets of the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway.
* November 14 – Stéblová train disaster, Czech Republic: 117 are killed and 110 injured in a head-on collision.

Unknown date events

* A new Soo Line Railroad is formed through a merger of the original Soo Line, Wisconsin Central Railway and the Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway.
* The Dade County, Florida, Metropolitan Transit Authority (operator of Miami-Dade Transit) is formed.

Births

Deaths

References