Portal:Trains/Anniversaries/October 18

Wisconsin Central 715, a GP30, on display at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin

1886 – Between 5:00 AM and 6:00 PM, the St. Louis, Arkansas and Texas Railroad, a predecessor of the Cotton Belt Railroad, converts 418 miles (673 km) of track from narrow gauge to standard gauge.^[1]
1947 – Alaska Railroad inaugurates the Aurora passenger train service between Fairbanks and Anchorage.^[1]^[2]
1961 – General Motors Electro-Motive Division completes construction of the first GP30 diesel locomotive (example pictured).^[1]
1999 – After 15 months, three months ahead of schedule, the $74 million project to rebuild the Franklin Avenue Shuttle in New York City is completed; the shuttle as well as four stations reopen for service.^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Rivanna Chapter, National Railway Historical Society (2005). "This Month in Railroad History: October". Retrieved October 18, 2005.
^ Alaska Railroad. "Alaska Railroad History". Retrieved July 20, 2006.
^ New York City Transit. "New York City Transit – History and Chronology". Retrieved October 18, 2005.