1928 in rail transport explained

Events

January events

• January 5  - Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway opens its Bombay suburban electrified system on 1.5 kV DC.^[1]
• 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 393miles of the British East Coast Main Line from London King's Cross to Edinburgh Waverley^[2] 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.^[3]

June events

• June 13 - The first tests are performed with the first rail detector car, invented by Elmer Ambrose Sperry, in Beacon, New York.^[4]
• June 27 - Darlington rail crash on the London and North Eastern Railway in England: Two trains collide head-on at Darlington Bank Top railway station in County Durham following a signal passed at danger; 25 killed.
• 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.^[5]

September events

• September 1
  • Frontier Mail express passenger service between Colaba Terminus (Bombay) and Peshawar inaugurated by Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway.^[6]
  • The Philadelphia Broad Street Line begins service between City Hall and Olney Avenue.
• 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.^[7]

November events

• November 1 - New Keihan Railway Line, Tenjinbashisuji-Rokuchome Station of Osaka to Sanin station of Kyoto route officially completed in Japan (as predecessor of Hankyu Kyoto Line).
• November 15 - Nara Electronic Railway Line, Kyōto Station to Yamato-Saidaiji Station of Nara route officially completed in Japan (as predecessor of Kintetsu Kyoto Line).
• 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.^[8]
  • In Gunma Prefecture, Japan, the Jomo Electric Railway opens for service connecting Chūō-Maebashi Station and Nishi-Kiryū Station.^[9]
• 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.^[10]

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.
• Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft Class ET 165 "Stadtbahn" electric multiple units for Berlin S-Bahn introduced; the class will remain in commuter service into the 1990s.
• The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway acquires the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway.^[11]

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).^[12]

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).^[13]
• July 30 - Job A. Edson, president of Kansas City Southern Railway 1905-1918 and 1920–1927, dies (born 1854).^[11]

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

Notes and References

1. Rao, M. A. (1988). Indian Railways. New Delhi: National Book Trust. pp.150-1.l
2. Book: Palmer, Alan. Palmer . Veronica. 1992. The Chronology of British History. Century Ltd. London. 369–370. 0-7126-5616-2.
3. Book: Mullay, A. J.. Non Stop! London to Scotland Steam. Alan Sutton. 1989. Gloucester. 0-86299-600-7.
4. Web site: This Month in Railroad History: June. Rivanna Chapter, National Railway Historical Society. 2005. 2012-05-20.
5. Web site: 1904-1928 : la construction. Histoire Pau–Oleron–Canfranc. 2012-05-20.
6. Web site: Indian Railway History Time Line. Saxena. R. P.. 2008. 2009-12-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20120229092028/http://irse.bravehost.com/IRHTML.htm. 2012-02-29. dead.
7. Web site: Railway Statistics 2008. Norwegian National Rail Administration. 2009. pdf. 2010-04-28. 34. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120302040853/http://www.jernbaneverket.no/no/dokumenter/Om-oss/Jernbanestatistikk/Jernbanestatistikk-2008/. 2012-03-02.
8. Web site: Wainwright Railway Preservation Society. 2004. Fire Destroys the GTPR Station. 2005-11-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20060303165004/http://www.wainwrightmainstreet.org/railpark/chronology.html. 2006-03-03. dead.
9. Web site: 企業情報 . Company History . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240120125155/https://jomorailway.com/company.html . 20 January 2024 . 9 February 2024 . jomorailway.com . ja.
10. Book: Bradley, Rodger. 1988. GWR Two Cylinder 4–6–0s and 2–6–0s. David and Charles. Newton Abbot. 0-7153-8894-0.
11. Web site: Kansas City Southern Historical Society. The Kansas City Southern Lines. 2005-08-15.
12. News: Moyers Jr., Edward L.. June 8, 2006. Chicago Tribune. February 20, 2014.
13. News: 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.. Howard Elliott, former President of the New York, New Haven Hartford and the Northern Pacific railroads, died here late tonight of heart disease.. Associated Press. Associated Press. The New York Times. July 9, 1928. December 21, 2013.