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Portals → Technology → Transport → Trains
In rail transport, a train is a vehicle or (more frequently) a string of vehicles capable of being moved along a continuous line of rails or other guideway for the purpose of conveying freight or passengers between points on a predetermined route. The train may be hauled or propelled by one or more vehicles designed exclusively for that purpose (locomotives) or may be driven by a number of motors incorporated in all or several of the vehicles (multiple units). |
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Rail transport • Operations • Stations • Trains • Locomotives • Rolling stock • History/Timeline • Rail terminology • By country • Disasters • Modelling
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The Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge was the world's first working railway suspension bridge. It spanned 825 feet (251 m) and stood 2.5 miles (4.0 km) downstream of Niagara Falls from 1855 to 1897. Connecting Niagara Falls, Ontario, to Niagara Falls, New York (the two cities assimilated the towns at the ends of the bridge by 1892), the bridge carried mixed traffic on its two decks across the Niagara River; trains crossed over the river by way of the bridge's upper deck while pedestrians and carriages used the lower. By 1854 his bridge was nearly complete, and the lower deck was opened for pedestrian and carriage travel. On March 18, 1855, a fully-laden passenger train drove across the upper deck at 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h), and officially opened the completed bridge. Three railway lines crossed over the bridge, connecting cities on both sides of the border. The Great Western Railway, New York Central Railroad, and New York and Erie Rail Road differed in the gauges of their tracks; the bridge used a triple gauge system to conserve space, overlapping two tracks on top of each other and using a rail of each to form the third track. Throughout its years of service, the Suspension Bridge stood strong and allowed thousands of passengers and trains to pass over it safely. Its success proved that, contrary to general opinion, a safe and operational railway suspension bridge was tenable, and allayed concerns induced by the 1854 collapse of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge. Slowly decaying, the bridge's wooden structures were replaced with steel and iron versions by 1886, and the renovated bridge was stronger, capable of bearing a heavier load. By the end of the 19th century, the weight of trains had increased greatly and far exceeded the maximum capacity of the bridge. The Suspension Bridge was finally replaced by the Steel Arch Bridge, which was later renamed the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge, on August 27, 1897. When the Suspension Bridge was dismantled, its wire cables were found not to have noticeably degraded, a testament to its strength and design.
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Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway conductor George E. Burton and engineer J.W. Edwards synchronize their watches in March 1943 before pulling out of Corwith Yard in Chicago for Chillicothe, Illinois.
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- ...that although the Chicago and North Western Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway considered buying EMD SD80MACs, all 30 units built were purchased by Conrail?
- ...that Silkstone Common railway station near Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England, is built over the tunnel through which passed the Silkstone Wagonway, an early rail link from the coal pits in Silkstone Common via a rope-hauled incline and the village of Silkstone to the Barnsley Canal?
- ...that the Tramway de Bordeaux in France uses an Alimentation par Sol (APS) ground-level power supply system in the city centre to avoid overhead wires spoiling the view of buildings?
- ...that the Prussian T 20 was the most powerful tank locomotive to be procured by the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft, able to haul a train load of 2060 tonnes at a speed of 50 km/h (31 mph) on the flat, 430 tonnes at 25 km/h (16 mph) on a 25‰ incline, and even cope with inclines of up to 70‰ without needing a rack?
- December 1
- 1909 – The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway inauguates Britain's first rail electrification scheme in South London.
- 1938 – David Blyth Hanna, first president of Canadian National Railway, dies (b. 1858).
- 1989 – The Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad is merged into the Missouri Pacific Railroad.
- 1990 – Construction crews on the Channel Tunnel from both England and France break through the last amount of rock separating the two tunnels, forming the first land link between the two countries.
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November 14 – Amtrak president and CEO Alexander Kummant submits his resignation after just two years in the position. Some inside sources indicate that Kummant did not in fact resign voluntarily, but was made to quit because of a dispute with the board of directors about debt restructuring. Amtrak COO, William Crosbie will assume the role of interim CEO. (Bloomberg) (Amtrak) (Trains)
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November 9 – Construction work of the Nanguang Railway begins in China. The 577 km (359 mi) long railway will connect Nanning and Guangzhou, with a design speed of above 200 km/h (120 mph), and is expected to be completed in 4½ years. 23 stations will be constructed along the line, and 54.2% of rail tracks along the line will be laid on bridges or in tunnels. (Xinhua)
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November 8 – Construction work of the Jinqin Passenger Railway begins in China. The 261 km (162 mi) long railway will connect Tianjin and Qinhuangdao, with a design speed of 350 km/h (220 mph), and is expected to be completed in 4 years. This railway is estimated to cost 33.8 billion yuan, and 67.6% of rail tracks along the line will be laid on bridges or in tunnels. (Xinhua)
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November 4 – The Ministry of Transportation of Nigeria notifies China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, a subsidiary of China Railway Construction Corporation, that it must stop all construction work on a new double track line in Nigeria, claiming that the line is now under the ownership of the Ministry. The 1,315-kilometre (817 mi) line would connect Lagos and Kano, allowing train speeds up to 150 km/h (93 mph). (Forbes) (TradingMarkets)
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November 3 – Canadian National Railway (CN) announces the purchase of New Brunswick East Coast Railway (NBEC) and its sister companies Chemin de fer de la Matapédia et du Golfe (CFMG), Compagnie de gestion de Matane (COGEMA), and the Ottawa Central Railway (OCRR) for $49.8 million from the Quebec Railway Corporation. The CN announcement indicates that the reacquired rail lines will be integrated back into the CN network with no significant changes, other than introducing CN locomotives and rolling stock to train operations. CN also mentioned investing significant capital upgrades in the rail network for outstanding maintenance. (CN) (Canadian Press)
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November 3 – Logistec announces that it has purchased the Sydney Coal Railway (SCR) to haul coal from the pier in Sydney Harbor to the Lingan Generating Station of Nova Scotia Power. The purchase was made for $11 million in cash plus an additional payment to be determined once the 2008 financial statements are submitted in Spring 2009. Logistec purchased SCR from Quebec Railway Corporation, a company in which Logistec owns a 16% share. (Cape Breton Post) (TMC)
WikiProject Trains (Shortcut: WP:TWP)
- WikiProject Stations (WP:STA)
- WikiProject Streetcars (WP:TRAM)
- WikiProject Rapid transit (WP:RTPJ)
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See also Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/Todo |
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