Portal:Trains/Anniversaries/May 6/More

This article lists anniversary events related to rail transport that occurred on May 6.

Events

1853 – The Norwalk rail accident becomes the first major U.S. railroad bridge disaster when an engineer passes a red signal and drives his train through an open swing bridge in Connecticut.^[1]
1856 – The newly constructed sidewheeler Effie Afton runs into one of the supports for the first railroad bridge across the Mississippi River, causing a fire that destroys the bridge just two weeks after it had opened.^[2]
1862 – The bill that would become the Pacific Railroad Act authorizing construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad is passed by the United States House of Representatives.
1895 – Service begins on the Chicago "L" Northwest Branch as far as Robey Street (Damen Avenue).^[3]

1983 – The last Georgia Railroad mixed train is operated by the Seaboard System Railroad.
1994 – The Channel Tunnel linking England and France officially opens.

1881 – Victor V. Boatner, president of Peoria and Pekin Union Railway 1921-, Chicago Great Western Railway 1929-1931 (d. 1950).

^ Haine, Edgar A. (1994). "The first of many railroad bridge disasters: South Norwalk, Conn–May 1853–56 dead". Railroad Wrecks. p. 34 – via Google Books.
^ Willard, John (January 31, 2006). "Dinner marks 150th birthday of the first railroad crossing on the Mississippi". Quad City Times. Retrieved January 31, 2006.
^ "Paulina Connector". Chicago "L".org. Retrieved August 18, 2013.