- 1948 in rail transport
In 1948, 14 railroads in
North America owned more than 1,000steam locomotives each. See also:Historical sizes of railroads Events
January events
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January 1 - All major railways inGreat Britain are nationalised under terms of theTransport Act 1947 , theBig Four British railway companies (theGreat Western Railway ,London and North Eastern Railway ,London, Midland and Scottish Railway and Southern Railway) becomingBritish Rail ways. [cite book|author=Bonavia, Michael R.|title=The Birth of British Rail|publisher=George Allen & Unwin|location=London|year=1979|isbn=0-04-385071-5]
*January 4 -Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad andSouthern Pacific Railroad debut a new lightweight passenger car consist for the "Golden State"passenger train betweenChicago, Illinois , andLos Angeles, California .February events
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February 4 - The laststeam locomotive built for theAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , 4-8-4 3752, is test fired at the factory.
*February 29 -Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway upgrades its "El Capitan"passenger train service frequency to daily.March events
*1 March - Foreign-owned railway companies nationalised in
Argentina during the first term of office of President Peron.April events
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April 3 - TheAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway introduces its "Texas Chief" passenger train, operating between Chicago andGalveston, Texas via Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Fort Worth and Houston.May events
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May 14 - TheBangor & Aroostook inaugurates its first diesel-powered passenger train.June events
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June 21 - Alco delivers its laststeam locomotive :Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad 2-8-4 number 9406.July events
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July 2 - TheNickel Plate Railroad orders 10 class S-3 Berkshires fromLima Locomotive Works , the laststeam locomotive s Lima will produce.
*July 3 - TheNew York Central Railroad issues a report that only 20 per cent of its long-distancepassenger train s are diesel powered, but the number was expected to rise to 50% by year’s end.
*July 28 - TheNew York, Ontario and Western Railroad becomes an all-diesel railroad.August events
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August 15 - First run ofMissouri Pacific ’s “Texas Eagle”.eptember events
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September 15 - The postwar20th Century Limited is put into service in ceremonies attended by several dignitaries, includingDwight Eisenhower .October events
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October 26 - TheAmerican Freedom Train , carrying the original versions of theUnited States Constitution , Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, makes its final public display inHavre de Grace, Maryland before the official end of tour. See alsoAmerican Freedom Train - 1947-1949 station stops Unknown date events
* George Walker succeeds
William Neal as president ofCanadian Pacific Railway .
* In order to avoid import tariffs intoCanada ,Baldwin Locomotive Works contracts theCanadian Locomotive Company to be Baldwin's Canadian representatives and locomotive builders.Births
June births
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June 30 -Vladimir Yakunin , CEO ofRussian Railways 2005 -present.Deaths
March deaths
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March 5 -H. P. M. Beames ,Chief Mechanical Engineer of theLondon and North Western Railway 1920 –1922 (b.1875 ).References
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