1928 in rail transport

This article lists events related to rail transport that occurred in 1928.

Events

January events

• January 13 – Henry Clay Hall leaves the Interstate Commerce Commission upon the appointment of his successor.

April events

• April 10 – Takagimachi Station, in Matsushima, Miyagi, Japan, opens.

May events

• May 1 – The London and North Eastern Railway's Flying Scotsman steam-hauled express train begins to run non-stop over the 393 miles (632 km) of the British East Coast Main Line from London King's Cross to Edinburgh Waverley^[1] using LNER Gresley Class A1 4-6-2s with tenders fitted with gangway connections to permit a crew change en route; 4472 Flying Scotsman takes the first northbound train.^[2]

June events

• June 13 - The first tests are performed with the first rail detector car, invented by Elmer Ambrose Sperry, in Beacon, New York.^[3]
• June 28 - The International Railway (New York – Ontario) switches to one-man crews for its trolleys in Canada.

July events

• July 10 – Shin-Koiwa Station in Katsushika, Tokyo, Japan, opens.
• July 18 - Official opening of the Pau–Canfranc railway line as a trans-Pyreneen route between France and Spain, and of Canfranc International Railway Station in Aragon.^[4]

September events

• September 1 - Frontier Mail express passenger service between Colaba Terminus (Bombay) and Peshawar inaugurated by Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway.^[5]
• September 22 - Canadian Premier John Bracken drives the last spike on Canadian National Railway's line between Flin Flon and Cranberry Portage, Manitoba.
• September 28 - Third class sleeping cars are introduced on those British railways providing such a service.

October events

• October 13 – Charfield railway disaster: London, Midland and Scottish Railway night mail train crashes into shunting goods train following signal passed at danger at Charfield in the English county of Gloucestershire: 16 killed.
• October 15 – The Loenga–Alnabru Line in Norway introduces electric traction.^[6]

November events

• November 28 - After both the eastbound and westbound passenger trains depart, a fire is discovered in the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway's Wainwright, Alberta, station; due to problems with the local fire truck, the station is completely destroyed in the blaze.^[7]
• November 29 - The last trains on Pacific Great Eastern Railway's (predecessor of British Columbia Railway) Vancouver-Horseshoe Bay line are run.
• The Merchants Despatch purchases the Northern Refrigerator Car Line (founded by Milwaukee's Cudahy brothers) and its 1,800 cars.

December events

• December – Great Western Railway of England commences series production at its Swindon Works of ’Hall’ Class 4-6-0 steam locomotives, of which there will eventually be 339.^[8]

Unknown date events

• The Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul, a predecessor of the Milwaukee Road, changes its name to Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific after a reorganization.
• William Sproule steps down from the presidency of the Southern Pacific Company, the parent company of the Southern Pacific Railroad. The position remains open until 1929.
• Hale Holden succeeds Henry deForest as Chairman of the Executive Committee for the Southern Pacific Company, the parent company of the Southern Pacific Railroad.
• The Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad, in Massachusetts, converts from steam locomotive power to electric power, adding motors, electrical equipment and controls to its passenger cars.
• The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad completes the last section of the Perry Cutoff, creating a more direct route between Chicago and Florida's west coast.
• The last new PRR K4s Pacific is built.
• The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway acquires the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway.^[9]

Births

March births

• March 14 – Richard Marsh, Baron Marsh, chairman of British Rail 1971–1976, is born (d. 2011).

October births

• October 3 – Edward L. Moyers, president of MidSouth Rail and Illinois Central Railroad, chairman and CEO of Southern Pacific Railroad, "Railroader of the Year" for 1995, is born (d. 2006).^[10]

Deaths

April deaths

• April 5 - Chauncey Depew, president of New York Central Railroad (born 1834).

July deaths

• July 8 – Howard Elliott, president of Northern Pacific Railway 1903-1913, president of New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad beginning in 1913, dies (b. 1860).^[11]
• July 30 - Job A. Edson, president of Kansas City Southern Railway 1905-1918 and 1920–1927, dies (born 1854).^[9]

References

• Colin Churcher's Railway Pages (August 16, 2005), Significant dates in Canadian railway history. Retrieved September 22, 2005.
• Santa Fe Railroad (1945), Along Your Way, Rand McNally, Chicago, Illinois

1. ↑ Palmer, Alan; Veronica (1992). The Chronology of British History. London: Century Ltd. pp. 369–370. ISBN 0-7126-5616-2. 
2. ↑ Mullay, A. J. (1989). Non Stop! London to Scotland Steam. Gloucester: Alan Sutton. ISBN 0-86299-600-7. 
3. ↑ Rivanna Chapter, National Railway Historical Society (2005). "This Month in Railroad History: June". Retrieved 2012-05-20. 
4. ↑ "1904-1928 : la construction". Histoire Pau–Oleron–Canfranc. Retrieved 2012-05-20. 
5. ↑ Saxena, R. P. (2008). "Indian Railway History Time Line". Retrieved 2009-12-23. 
6. ↑ "Railway Statistics 2008" (pdf). Norwegian National Rail Administration. 2009. p. 34. Retrieved 2010-04-28. 
7. ↑ "Fire Destroys the GTPR Station". Wainwright Railway Preservation Society. 2004. Retrieved 2005-11-28. 
8. ↑ Bradley, Rodger (1988). GWR Two Cylinder 4–6–0s and 2–6–0s. Newton Abbot: David and Charles. ISBN 0-7153-8894-0. 
9. 1 2 "The Kansas City Southern Lines". Kansas City Southern Historical Society. Retrieved 2005-08-15. 
10. ↑ "Moyers Jr., Edward L.". Chicago Tribune. June 8, 2006. Retrieved February 20, 2014. 
11. ↑ Associated Press (July 9, 1928). "Howard Elliott Dies At Age Of 67; Former President Of New Haven And Northern Pacific Railroads. Victim Of Heart Disease End To Career Of Half A Century Comes At Dennis, Mass.--Was Of Distinguished Family. Began As A Level Rodman. Elected President Of Northern Pacific. Member Of Railroads' War Board. Overseen At Harvard. Director In Many Companies.". New York Times. Retrieved December 21, 2013. Howard Elliott, former President of the New York, New Haven Hartford and the Northern Pacific railroads, died here late tonight of heart disease.