This Day in Railroad History

First Long-Distance Telegraph Message

Washington, D.C.

Samuel Morse transmits 'What hath God wrought' from Washington to Baltimore.

First Telegraph Message via Railroad Route

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad

Washington, D.C.

Samuel Morse transmitted the historic message 'What hath God wrought' along the B&O right-of-way from Washington to Baltimore.

Trans-Siberian Railway Section Opens

Trans-Siberian Railway

Irkutsk

A key segment of the Trans-Siberian Railway opened, linking European Russia with Siberian frontiers.

First Section of Liverpool and Manchester Railway Opens

Liverpool and Manchester Railway

Liverpool

The world's first inter-city railway line begins limited passenger service between Liverpool and Manchester.

Brooklyn Bridge Opens with Rail Service

New York and Brooklyn Bridge Railway

New York City

The Brooklyn Bridge opens, featuring elevated rail tracks for trains.

Brooklyn Bridge Rail Service Begins

Brooklyn Bridge Cable Railway

New York City

Cable railway service starts across the newly completed Brooklyn Bridge, linking Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Munich U-Bahn Line U6 Inaugurated

Munich U-Bahn

Munich

Munich opened its first U-Bahn subway line, modernizing urban transit ahead of the 1972 Olympics.

B&O Begins Early Passenger Service

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad

Baltimore

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad inaugurated one of America's earliest scheduled passenger services using horse-drawn cars on its initial track.

Tōkaidō Shinkansen Extension Begins Service

Japanese National Railways

Tokyo

Japan extends its high-speed rail network with new stations and trains.

Trans-Siberian Railway Reaches Irkutsk

Trans-Siberian Railway

Irkutsk

The Trans-Siberian Railway extends service to Irkutsk, advancing Russia's vast continental rail network.