1999 in rail transport

1998, 1999, 2000

This article lists events related to rail transport that occurred in 1999.

[edit] Events

January 25 - The New York City Transit Authority installs the first MetroCard Vending Machines at two subway stations in the city.^[1]

March 15 - In the Bourbonnais train accident, the southbound Amtrak train 59, City of New Orleans, strikes a loaded semi-truck on a grade crossing in Bourbonnais, Illinois; all but three of the passenger cars derail, killing 11 of the train's passengers. The NTSB attributes the cause to the truck driver trying to beat the train at the crossing.

June 1 - The end of Conrail, which is officially split up on this date, all operations being transferred to CSX and Norfolk Southern.
June 12 - The rebuilding of Fremont-Centerville (Amtrak station) is completed.
June 28 - The Guangzhou Metro Line one is fully completed and opearated.

July 16 - Indian Railways' Grand Trunk Express on its way to Delhi collides with derailed freight cars near Mathura, India; 17 people die and 200 more are injured in the accident.^[2]

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 Bengal, India, killing more than 285 people.^[2]
August 30 - The United States Surface Transportation Board approves Utah Railway's petition to haul freight on the former Union Pacific Railroad line between Salt Lake City and Draper, a line now owned by Utah Transit Authority.^[3]

September 3 - RailAmerica takes over operations of former Santa Fe Railroad subsidiary, Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway, for a purchase price of approximately $18 million.^[4]
September 18 - Trillium Rail subsidiary Port Colborne Terminal Railway begins operations on 41 miles (66 km) of track in Ontario's Niagara Peninsula.^[5]

October - SY class 2-8-2 #1772 is completed at Tangshan, People's Republic of China, thought to be the world's last steam locomotive built for commercial service. She is delivered to the Tiefa Mining Railway.
October 5 - The Ladbroke Grove rail crash occurs at Ladbroke Grove Junction, a few miles west of London Paddington station, 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.^[6]
October 18 - After 15 months, three months ahead of schedule, the $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.^[1]

December 6 - Manchester Metrolink in England is extended to Broadway.
22 December - The London Underground Jubilee Line Extension is finally fully operational with the start of services at Westminster tube station, although through running had been in operation since November.

David L. Gunn is succeeded by Rick Ducharme as commissioner of the Toronto Transit Commission.
Amtrak begins a massive rebuild program to overhaul the railroad's fleet of EMD AEM-7 locomotives at the Wilmington, Delaware, shops.
Melbourne's suburban rail network and tram network is privatised with operators Hillside Trains (now Connex Melbourne), Bayside Trains (later M>Train), as well as tram operators Swanston Trams (later M>Tram) and Yarra Trams.

Group	Gold medal	Silver medal	Bronze medal
A	Norfolk Southern Railway	Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad	CSX Transportation
B	Illinois Central Railroad	Kansas City Southern Railway	NJ Transit
C	Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad	Duluth, Winnipeg and Pacific Railroad	Guilford Rail System
S&T	Belt Railway of Chicago	Port Terminal Railroad Association	Patapsco and Back Rivers Railroad