1999 in rail transport
Encyclopedia
January events
- January 15 – The Harbour Island People MoverHarbour Island People MoverThe Harbour Island People Mover was an automated guideway transit people mover service used to carry visitors between Downtown Tampa and Harbour Island across the Garrison Channel in Tampa, Florida, United States. Privately owned but operated by the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority ,...
ends service between Downtown TampaDowntown TampaImage:Tampa_Skyline.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Downtown Tampa looking from the Hillsborough Riverpoly 2403 537 2441 500 2488 483 2516 455 2566 439 2597 410 2649 390 2682 358 2803 315 2949 342 2956 362 3068 383 3074 406 3202 431 3204 447 3332 473 3350 484 3485 1616 2446 1587 Wachovia Centerpoly 1745 1216...
and Harbour IslandHarbour Island (Tampa), FloridaHarbour Island is an island neighborhood within the city limits of Tampa, Florida and the sub-district within Downtown Tampa. The ZIP Code serving the area is 33602.-Geography:...
in TampaTâmpaTâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States. - January 25 – The New York City Transit AuthorityNew York City Transit AuthorityThe New York City Transit Authority is a public authority in the U.S. state of New York that operates public transportation in New York City...
installs the first MetroCard Vending Machines at two subwayRapid transitA rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
stations in the city.
March events
- March 15 – In the Bourbonnais train accidentBourbonnais train accidentThe 1999 Bourbonnais, Illinois train accident was a train-truck collision between Amtrak's southbound City of New Orleans passenger train and a semi truck in the village of Bourbonnais, Illinois, near the city of Kankakee. Almost the entire train derailed, killing 11 passengers...
, the southbound AmtrakAmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
train 59, City of New OrleansCity of New OrleansThe City of New Orleans is a nightly passenger train operated by Amtrak which travels between Chicago, Illinois and New Orleans, Louisiana. Before Amtrak's formation in 1971, the train was operated by the Illinois Central Railroad along the same route . The train currently operates on a 19½ hour...
, strikes a loaded semi-truck on a grade crossing in Bourbonnais, IllinoisBourbonnais, IllinoisBourbonnais is a village in Kankakee County, Illinois, United States. The population was 15,256 at the 2000 census, but it was estimated to have grown to 19,119 in 2009...
; all but three of the passenger cars derail, killing 11 of the train's passengers. The NTSBNational Transportation Safety BoardThe National Transportation Safety Board is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incidents, certain types of highway crashes, ship and marine...
attributes the cause to the truck driver trying to beat the train at the crossing.
April events
- April – Final trains operate between AsunciónAsunciónAsunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.The "Ciudad de Asunción" is an autonomous capital district not part of any department. The metropolitan area, called Gran Asunción, includes the cities of San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambaré, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, San...
and YpacaraiYpacaraíYpacaraí is a town in the Central Department of Paraguay on Lake Ypacarai. On the road system, it is located between Asunción and Caacupé. In 2004, the village had a population of 30,150, and is 64.1 m above sea level. Notable agricultural crops of the area include tobacco and cotton...
, the last regular passenger service in ParaguayParaguayParaguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
and, arguably, the world's last commuter service worked wholly by steam locomotiveSteam locomotiveA steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s. - April 12 – A train on the Wuppertal Schwebebahn is derailed, plunging into the WupperWupperThe Wupper is a right tributary to the Rhine river in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Rising near Marienheide in western Sauerland it runs through the mountainous area of the Bergisches Land Berg County and enters the Rhine at Leverkussen, south of Düsseldorf...
and killing five. - April 15 – First freight train operated under concession by Ferrovias GuatemalaGuatemalaGuatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
(subsidiary of Railroad Development Corporation) to rehabilitate the national rail network, disused since 1996.
May events
- May 14 – The first section of the London UndergroundLondon UndergroundThe London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
Jubilee Line ExtensionJubilee Line ExtensionThe Jubilee Line Extension is the extension of the London Underground Jubilee line from to through south and east London. An eastward extension of the Jubilee line was first proposed in the 1970s and a modified route was constructed during the 1990s...
opens between StratfordStratford stationStratford station is a large multilevel railway station in Stratford, east London. The station is served by the National Rail services National Express East Anglia, London Overground and c2c, by London Underground's Central and Jubilee lines, and by the Docklands Light Railway . Stratford is in...
and North GreenwichNorth Greenwich tube stationNorth Greenwich is a station on London Underground's Jubilee Line, opened on 14 May 1999.Despite its name, North Greenwich is not in the area historically known as North Greenwich, on the Isle of Dogs, north of the river; an entirely different station used to be there, between 1872 and 1926...
in east London.
June events
- June 1 – The end of Conrail, which is officially split up on this date, all operations being transferred to CSXCSX TransportationCSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
and Norfolk SouthernNorfolk Southern RailwayThe Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
. - June 12 – The rebuilding of Fremont-Centerville (Amtrak station)Fremont-Centerville (Amtrak station)-Rail Service:*The Altamont Commuter Express serves the station on weekdays.*Amtrak's Capitol Corridor stops 14 times daily, with seven trains in each direction....
is completed. - June 28 – The Guangzhou MetroGuangzhou MetroGuangzhou Metro is the metro system of the city of Guangzhou in Guangdong Province of China. It is operated by the state-owned Guangzhou Metro Corporation and was the fourth metro system to be built in mainland China, after those of Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai.The earliest effort of preparation...
Line One is fully completed and operational.
July events
- July 16 – Indian RailwaysIndian RailwaysIndian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
' Grand Trunk Express on its way to DelhiDelhiDelhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
collides with derailed freight cars near Mathura, India; 17 people die and 200 more are injured in the accident.
August events
- August 1 – Gauhati rail disaster: two trains carrying 2,500 people collide at the remote station of Gaisal, 310 miles from the city of Gauhati in West BengalWest BengalWest Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
, India, killing more than 285 people. - August 22 – NSB Gardermobanen opens Romerike Tunnel (14.58 kilometres (9.1 mi)) in NorwayNorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, the longest railway tunnel in Europe north of the Alps, completing the Gardermoen Line. - August 30 – The United States Surface Transportation BoardSurface Transportation BoardThe Surface Transportation Board of the United States is a bipartisan, decisionally-independent adjudicatory body organizationally housed within the U.S. Department of Transportation. The STB was established in 1996 to assume some of the regulatory functions that had been administered by the...
approves Utah RailwayUtah RailwayThe Utah Railway is a class III railroad operating in Utah and Colorado, and owned by Genesee & Wyoming Inc.-History:The Utah Railway Company was incorporated on January 24, 1912, with the name of Utah Coal Railway, shortened to Utah Railway in May of the same year...
's petition to haul freight on the former Union Pacific RailroadUnion Pacific RailroadThe Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
line between Salt Lake CitySalt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
and DraperDraper, UtahDraper is a city in Salt Lake and Utah Counties in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Between 1990 and 2000 Draper was Utah's fastest-growing city over 5,000 people . Its population in 1990 was 7,143 and had grown to 25,220 by the 2000 census...
, a line now owned by Utah Transit AuthorityUtah Transit AuthorityThe Utah Transit Authority operates a public transportation system throughout the Wasatch Front of Utah, United States. It operates fixed route buses, express buses, ski buses, three light rail lines , and a commuter rail line from Salt Lake City to Pleasant View, north of Ogden. UTA is based in...
.
September events
- September 3 – RailAmericaRailAmericaRailAmerica, Inc., based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a holding company of a number of short-line railroads and regional railroads in the United States and Canada....
takes over operations of former Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe RailwayAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe RailwayThe Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
subsidiarySubsidiaryA subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
Toledo, Peoria and Western RailwayToledo, Peoria and Western RailwayThe Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway is a short-line railroad that operates of track from Mapleton, Illinois, through Peoria across Illinois to Logansport, Indiana, and includes a branch line between Logansport to Winamac, Indiana...
, for a purchase price of approximately $United States dollarThe United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
18 million. - September 18 – Trillium Rail subsidiary Port Colborne Terminal Railway begins operations on 41 miles (66 km) of trackRail tracksThe track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
in OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
's Niagara PeninsulaNiagara PeninsulaThe Niagara Peninsula is the portion of Southern Ontario, Canada lying between the south shore of Lake Ontario and the north shore of Lake Erie. It stretches from the Niagara River in the east to Hamilton, Ontario in the west. The population of the peninsula is roughly 1,000,000 people...
.
October events
- October – SY class 2-8-22-8-2Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
#1772 is completed at TangshanTangshan"唐山"redirects here. For an alternative name of China, see Names of China#TangTangshan is a largely industrial prefecture-level city in Hebei province, People's Republic of China. It has become known for the 1976 Tangshan earthquake which measured 7.8 on the Richter scale and killed at least...
, People's Republic of China, thought to be the world's last steam locomotiveSteam locomotiveA steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
built for commercial service. She is delivered to the TiefaTiefaTiefa is a town in Diaobingshan, in the north of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Located northwest of Tieling City and north of Shenyang, the provincial capital, it is a coal production centre. Diaobingshan was known as Tiefa until 2002....
Mining Railway. - October 5 – The Ladbroke Grove rail crashLadbroke Grove rail crashThe Ladbroke Grove Rail Crash was a rail accident which occurred on 5 October 1999 at Ladbroke Grove, London, England. Thirty-one people were killed and more than 520 injured...
occurs at Ladbroke Grove Junction, a few miles west of London Paddington stationPaddington stationPaddington railway station, also known as London Paddington, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex.The site is a historic one, having served as the London terminus of the Great Western Railway and its successors since 1838. Much of the current mainline station dates...
, when two passenger trains collide nearly head-on killing 31 and injuring 400; the cause is attributed to the placement of a signal (showing a stop indication) that could not be seen far enough down the track for drivers to react in time. - October 18 – After 15 months, three months ahead of schedule, the $United States dollarThe United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
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. - October 22 – RomeriksportenRomeriksportenThe Romerike Tunnel is a railway tunnel in Norway that connects Oslo with Lillestrøm. Being the longest railway tunnel in Norway, the tunnel forms the first half of the Gardermoen Line...
, Norway's longest railway tunnel, is taken into use.
November events
- November 6 – The first LRT Line in SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Bukit Panjang LRT LineBukit Panjang LRT LineBukit Panjang LRT Line is a 7.8 km light rail line opened on 6 November 1999 and part of Singapore's LRT system. It is fully automated, and the project was contracted to Adtranz, Keppel Corporation and Gammon Construction...
, opened.
December events
- December 2 – Glenbrook rail accident occurs near SydneySydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South WalesNew South WalesNew South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. - December 6 – Manchester MetrolinkManchester MetrolinkMetrolink is a light rail system in Greater Manchester, England. It consists of four lines which converge in Manchester city centre and terminate in Bury, Altrincham, Eccles and Chorlton-cum-Hardy. The system is owned by Transport for Greater Manchester and operated under contract by RATP Group...
in England is extended to Broadway. - December 22 – The London UndergroundLondon UndergroundThe London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
Jubilee Line ExtensionJubilee Line ExtensionThe Jubilee Line Extension is the extension of the London Underground Jubilee line from to through south and east London. An eastward extension of the Jubilee line was first proposed in the 1970s and a modified route was constructed during the 1990s...
is finally fully operational with the start of services at Westminster tube stationWestminster tube stationWestminster is a London Underground station in the City of Westminster. It is served by the Circle, District and Jubilee lines. On the Circle and District lines, the station is between St. James's Park and Embankment and, on the Jubilee line it is between Green Park and Waterloo. It is in...
, although through running has been in operation since November.
Unknown date events
- David L. GunnDavid L. GunnDavid L. Gunn is a transportation system administrator who has headed several significant railroads and transit systems in North America....
is succeeded by Rick DucharmeRick DucharmeRichard C. Ducharme P.Eng. has served as an administrator for several Canadian transit and transportation authorities, most recently as General Manager of Transportation for the City of Edmonton....
as commissioner of the Toronto Transit CommissionToronto Transit Commission-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
. - AmtrakAmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
begins a massive rebuild program to overhaul the railroad's fleet of EMD AEM-7EMD AEM-7The AEM-7 is a B-B electric locomotive that is used in the United States on the Northeast Corridor between Washington DC and Boston and the Keystone Corridor between Philadelphia and Harrisburg in Pennsylvania. They were built by Electro-Motive Division from 1978 to 1988...
locomotives at the Wilmington, DelawareWilmington, DelawareWilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
, shops. - MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
's suburban rail network and tram network is privatised with operators Hillside Trains (now Connex MelbourneConnex MelbourneConnex Melbourne was a wholly owned subsidiary of French company Veolia Environnement, which had a franchise from the State Government of Victoria to operate all suburban passenger rail services in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. In August 2007, Connex's contract was extended to 30 November 2009....
), Bayside Trains (later M>Train), as well as tram operators Swanston Trams (later M>Tram) and Yarra TramsYarra TramsYarra Trams is the trading name of the Melbourne tram network, which is fully owned and registered by the Victorian State Government. The current franchise is operated by a consortium named KDR Melbourne which consists of a partnership between French company Keolis and Australian company Downer EDI...
.
North America
1999 E. H. Harriman Awards| Group | Gold medal | Silver medal | Bronze medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Norfolk Southern Railway Norfolk Southern Railway The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada... |
Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway | CSX Transportation CSX Transportation CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles... |
| B | Illinois Central Railroad Illinois Central Railroad The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa... |
Kansas City Southern Railway Kansas City Southern Railway The Kansas City Southern Railway , owned by Kansas City Southern Industries, is the smallest and second-oldest Class I railroad company still in operation. KCS was founded in 1887 and is currently operating in a region consisting of ten central U.S. states... |
NJ Transit |
| C | Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad The Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad is a class II railroad that operates in northwestern Pennsylvania and northeastern Ohio.The railroad's main route runs from the Lake Erie port of Conneaut, Ohio to the Pittsburgh suburb of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, a distance of 139 miles... |
Duluth, Winnipeg and Pacific Railroad | Guilford Rail System |
| S&T | Belt Railway of Chicago Belt Railway of Chicago The Belt Railway of Chicago , headquartered in Chicago, is the largest switching terminal railroad in the United States. It is co-owned by six Class I railroads — BNSF Railway, Canadian National Railway, Canadian Pacific Railway, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway, and Union... |
Port Terminal Railroad Association Port Terminal Railroad Association The Port Terminal Railroad Association is an American terminal railroad that operates of track at the Port of Houston in Houston, Texas.... |
Patapsco and Back Rivers Railroad |
Awards presented by Railway Age
Railway Age
Railway Age is an American trade journal for the rail transport industry. It was founded in 1856 in Chicago and is published monthly by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation. The magazine's original title was the Western Railroad Gazette, and was renamed the Railroad Gazette in 1870...
magazine
- 1999 Railroader of the YearRailroader of the YearRailroader of the Year is an annual award presented to a North American railroad industry worker by trade journal Railway Age. The award was first presented in 1964 by trade journal Modern Railroads and has continued through the magazine acquisition in 1992 to the present.Past recipients of this...
: Edward A. Burkhardt (WC) - 1999 Regional Railroad of the YearRegional Railroad of the YearThe Regional Railroad of the Year is an annual award given to exemplary North American regional railroads by rail transport industry publication Railway Age...
: Providence and Worcester RailroadProvidence and Worcester RailroadThe Providence and Worcester Railroad is a Class II railroad in the United States. The railroad connects from Gardner in central Massachusetts, south through its namesake cities of Worcester and Providence, Rhode Island, and west from Rhode Island through Connecticut and into New York City... - 1999 Short Line Railroad of the YearShort Line Railroad of the YearThe Short Line Railroad of the Year is an annual award presented to North American short line railroads by rail transport industry publication Railway Age.Past recipients of this award are:* 1992 - RailTex...
: South Central Florida ExpressSouth Central Florida ExpressSouth Central Florida Express, Incorporated is a short line railroad in southern Florida run by U.S. Sugar. It serves customers at 26 locations.U.S. Sugar, the only sugar company in the continental U.S...