Portal:Trains/Anniversaries/May 6/More

19th century

 * 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.
 * 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.
 * 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).

20th century

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

Births

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