This Day in Railroad History

August 19

1883
143 years ago
OpeningSwitzerland

Opening of the Gotthard Tunnel

Swiss Federal Railways

Göschenen

The Gotthard Tunnel opened to rail traffic on August 19, 1883, linking northern and southern Europe through the Swiss Alps with advanced engineering for its era.

1865
161 years ago
InnovationUnited States

First Railway Post Office Trial

Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad

Hannibal

The Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad conducted an early trial of sorting mail aboard moving trains on August 19, 1865, revolutionizing mail delivery across the expanding American West.

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