1950 in rail transport

Events

February events

* February 5 - The first diesel locomotive to pull a freight train on the San Diego and Arizona Railway begins its journey from El Centro, California, on a trial run. [Dodge, Richard V. (June 29 1956), " [http://www.sdrm.org/history/sda/history.html San Diego's "Impossible Railroad"] ". Retrieved February 5 2006.]
* February 10 - Canadian National Railway gains control of Temiscouata Railway in the provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick. [Colin Churcher's Railway Pages (August 16 2005), " [http://www.railways.incanada.net/candate/candate.htm Significant dates in Canadian railway history] ". Retrieved February 10 2006.]
* February 17 - A head-on collision between two Long Island Rail Road commuter trains in Rockville Centre, New York kills 32 and injures 158.

March events

* March 2 - The Nickel Plate Railroad runs its first mainline freight train powered by diesel locomotives, as two yard switchers are pressed into service to handle a train from Peru, Indiana, to Michigan City.

May events

* May 6 - Pacific Electric quits the Los Angeles to San Bernadino railway post office, the last interurban RPO in the United States.
* May - ALCO introduces the ALCO RS-3.

June events

* June 16 - Copper Range Railroad's coal unloading dock at Houghton, Michigan, is razed. [http://www.michiganrailroads.com/RRHX/Timeline/1950s/TimeLine1950.htm]

July events

* July 13 - The East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad (ET&WNC) officially ceases operations.

August events

* August 8 - Illinois Central retires the "Green Diamond" passenger trainset from active service; the trainset will soon be scrapped.
* August 22 - Canada's railroad workers go on strike, crippling operations across the country.
* August 27 - United States President Harry Truman orders the Army to take control of U.S. railroads to prevent a strike.

eptember events

* September 15 - The first diesel locomotives produced at General Motors Electro-Motive Division's London, Ontario, works are delivered to the Canadian Pacific Railway.

November events

* November 21 – A Canadian National Railway train carrying Korea-bound troops is given incorrect orders and collides with a passenger train at Canoe River, British Columbia, killing 21, including 17 soldiers.
* November 22 – A collision between two Long Island Rail Road commuter trains near Richmond Hill, New York, kills 79, and injures hundreds more. [cite web| url=http://www.oldkewgardens.com/ss-lirr-0650.html| title=The 1950 LIRR crash at Kew Gardens/Richmond Hill| date=2007-01-27| accessdate=2007-11-22| ]
* November 30 – Baldwin Locomotive Works becomes Baldwin-Lima Hamilton Corporation.

Births

Deaths

* February 11 - Victor V. Boatner, president of Peoria and Pekin Union Railway 1921-, Chicago Great Western Railway 1929-1931, dies (b. 1884).

References

* MichiganRailroads.com (2005), " [http://www.michiganrailroads.com/RRHX/Timeline/1950s/TimeLine1950.htm Railroad History Timeline - 1950] ". Retrieved June 13 2005.
* (August 16 2005), " [http://www.railways.incanada.net/candate/candate.htm Significant dates in Canadian railway history] ". Retrieved August 22 2005.