1983 in rail transport

Events

February events

* February 27 - The first phase of the O'Hare rapid transit extension of the Chicago 'L' system is placed into operation from Jefferson Park to Rosemont via the Kennedy Expressway median.

April events

* April 25 - Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad discontinues independent intercity passenger train service with the final run of the "Rio Grande Zephyr".

May events

* May 6 - The last Georgia Railroad mixed train is operated by the Seaboard System Railroad.

June events

* June 20 - The Chicago and North Western Railway wins a bidding war against the Soo Line for control of the former Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad "Spine Line"; the Interstate Commerce Commission awarded the line to CNW's $93 million bid.

July events

* July 3 - Chicago and North Western Railway holds official groundbreaking ceremonies for the construction of the line into Wyoming's Powder River Basin. [cite journal| author=Feurer, Keith| year=2004| month=Summer| title=Look who came out on top| journal=North Western Lines (Chicago and North Western Railway Historical Society)| volume=32| issue=1| pages=16–39| id=ISSN 0279-5000 ]
* July 16
** The route of Amtrak's "California Zephyr" is shifted off the Union Pacific Railroad in Wyoming to the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad.
** The entire Kowloon Canton Railway (now East Rail Line) between Kowloon (Hung Hom) and Lo Wu stations is electrified.

September events

* September 23 - In preparation for a sale of the Alaska Railroad's assets to the state of Alaska, the United States Railway Association sets the railroad's fair market value at $22.3 million.

October events

* October 28 - The last GG1 in revenue service pulls its last train, New Jersey Transit train number 3323.
* October 30 - Amtrak launches a rebranded, thrice-weekly "Auto Train" using much of the same equipment and the same route as the train operated by Auto-Train Corporation.

December events

* December 18 - Canadian National Railway abandons track between Renfrew Junction and Whitney, Ontario on the company's Renfrew Subdivision. [Colin Churcher's Railway Pages (December 12 2005), " [http://www.railways.incanada.net/candate/ottawa.htm Significant dates in Ottawa railway history] ". Retrieved December 18 2005.]

Unknown date events

* Benjamin Biaggini steps down as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Southern Pacific Company, the parent company of the Southern Pacific Railroad.
* The Seaboard Coast Line Railroad and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad merge to form the Seaboard System Railroad.

Deaths

References

* Alaska Railroad (2005), " [http://www.alaskarailroad.com/arrc119.html The Alaska Railroad - History] ". Retrieved September 23 2005.
* Rivanna Chapter, National Railway Historical Society (2005), " [http://avenue.org/nrhs/histjul.htm This Month in Railroad History: July] ". Retrieved July 12 2005.
* Rivanna Chapter, National Railway Historical Society (2005), " [http://avenue.org/nrhs/histoct.htm This Month in Railroad History: October] ". Retrieved October 28 2005.