1961 in rail transport

Events

January events

* January 4 - Lokomotivbau Elektrotechnische Werke delivers the first electric locomotives built in the German Democratic Republic to Deutsche Reichsbahn.
* January 16 - Eastern Region of British Railways takes delivery of D9001, the first production "Deltic" class diesel locomotive.

February events

* February 4 - Lehigh Valley Railroad discontinues its "Black Diamond" passenger train service.
* February 6 - The first automatic level crossing on British Railways is installed at Spath, Staffordshire.

March events

* March 27 - Black demonstrators stage a "ride-in" on Charleston, South Carolina, streetcars.

April events

* April - D5151, the first Sulzer Type 2 diesel locomotive, later British Rail Class 25, is completed at B.R. Darlington Works.

May events

* May 24 - The Milwaukee Road's "Olympian Hiawatha" passenger train makes its final run between Chicago, Illinois, and Seattle, Washington.
* May 28 - The "Orient Express" makes its last run between Paris, France, and Bucharest, Romania.

June events

* June - The last of the Bradshaw railway timetables, first published by George Bradshaw in 1839, is published in Britain.
* June 1 - Dr Richard Beeching takes office as chairman of the British Transport Commission and British Railways Board.

August events

* August 31 - Portland, Maine's Union Station is demolished to make room for a shopping plaza.

September events

* September 23 - Maritime, Coal Railway and Power Company, in Nova Scotia, ceases operations. [cite web|author=Smith, Ivan|date=March 29 2005|url=http://www.littletechshoppe.com/ns1625/railways.html|title=History of Railway Companies in Nova Scotia|accessdate=2005-09-23]
* September 30 - Southern Pacific Railroad closes the Centerville (SP station).

October events

* October 18 - General Motors Electro-Motive Division completes construction of the first GP30 diesel locomotive.
* October 26 - Two cars of a commuter train operated by Oita Traffic Company are involved in a mudslide during a massive rainstorm at Ōita, eastern Kyūshū, Japan, 31 killed, 36 injured. Most of the passengers are senior high school students.
* October - Work starts on demolition of Euston Arch in London. [cite book|author=Hillier, Bevis|title=Betjeman: the bonus of laughter|publisher=John Murray|location=London|date=2004|isbn=0-7195-6495-6]

November events

* November 20 - Union Pacific 844 makes its first excursion run following retirement from regular revenue service on the Union Pacific Railroad.

Unknown date events

* Atlantic Coast Line's headquarters are moved from Wilmington, North Carolina, to Jacksonville, Florida.
* Construction is completed on Mexico's Chihuahua al Pacífico which linked the city of Chihuahua, Chihuahua, to the town of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, near the Pacific coast.

Births

Deaths

References

* Rivanna Chapter, National Railway Historical Society (2005), " [http://avenue.org/nrhs/histoct.htm This Month in Railroad History: October] ". Retrieved October 18 2005.
* Rivanna Chapter, National Railway Historical Society (2005), " [http://avenue.org/nrhs/histnov.htm This month in railroad history - November] ". Retrieved November 20 2005.