2003 in rail transport
Encyclopedia
January events
- January – Electrification of the Trans-Siberian RailwayTrans-Siberian RailwayThe Trans-Siberian Railway is a network of railways connecting Moscow with the Russian Far East and the Sea of Japan. It is the longest railway in the world...
, a project begun in 1929, is completed. - January 1 – E. Hunter HarrisonE. Hunter HarrisonE. Hunter Harrison is a Tennessee-born railroader who served as the president and Chief Executive Officer of Canadian National Railway through the end of 2009.-Life:...
, former president of Illinois Central RailroadIllinois Central RailroadThe 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...
(now a subsidiary of CN), succeeds Paul TellierPaul TellierPaul Mathias Tellier, PC, CC is a Canadian businessman and former public servant. Born in Joliette, Quebec, Tellier was educated at Laval University and the University of Oxford.- Biography :Tellier entered Canada's civil service in the 1970s...
as president of Canadian National RailwayCanadian National RailwayThe Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
. - January 3 – Ghatnandur train crashGhatnandur train crashThe Ghatnandur train crash occurred on the 3 January 2003, when a passenger train travelling from Secunderabad to Manmad crashed into the rear end of a heavy goods train near Ghatnandur in Maharashtra, India....
: A passenger train travelling from SecunderabadSecunderabadSecunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
to ManmadManmadManmad is one of the cities in Nasik district in the state of Maharashtra state in India. It is the third largest city in Nasik district, with a population of approximately 125,000...
, crashes into the rear end of a heavy goods train near Ghatnandur in Maharashtra, India, killing 18 people. - January 18 – 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...
's second LRT Line, Sengkang LRT LineSengkang LRT LineThe Sengkang LRT Line is a 10.7 km light rail line which partly opened on 18 January 2003. It is the second LRT system in Singapore and is fully automated and currently operated by SBS Transit. The line uses the Crystal Mover rolling stock supplied by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries...
, is opened. - January 21 – The first segment of High Speed 1 in England is completed.
- January 27 – A head-on collision between an Italian and a French train in the Tende line's Biogna tunnel leaves two dead and four seriously injured.
- January 27 – Mumbai Bombing, a bomb exploded near Vile ParleVile ParleVile Parle , also known as "Parla", is a suburb of Mumbai. Vile Parle is also the name of the railway station in this suburb, on the Mumbai suburban railway on the Western Railway railway line. Vile Parle has a significantly strong base of Marathi and Gujarati population. The name "Vile Parle" has...
railway station in Mumbai, India. - January 31 – The Waterfall rail accident occurred near Waterfall, New South WalesWaterfall, New South WalesWaterfall is a small suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Waterfall is located 38 kilometers south of the Sydney central business district in the Sutherland Shire....
, Australia. A train derailed, killing seven people on board.
February events
- February 1 – The Dete train crashDete train crashThe Dete train crash was a railway accident which occurred on the 1 February 2003 in the Zimbabwean town of Dete in the Western part of the country about from Victoria Falls....
killed 50 people in the ZimbabweZimbabweZimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
an town of DeteDeteDete is a small railway re-crewing depot and village on the Bulawayo-Hwange-Victoria Falls railway line in Zimbabwe, approximately north of Bulawayo and south of Hwange, lying within the Hwange National Park.-Features:...
in the Western part of the country about 90 miles (144.8 km) from Victoria FallsVictoria FallsThe Victoria Falls or Mosi-oa-Tunya is a waterfall located in southern Africa on the Zambezi River between the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe.-Introduction:...
. - February 18 – An arsonist causes the Daegu subway fireDaegu subway fireThe Daegu subway fire was a mass murder suicide attack on February 18, 2003 which killed at least 198 Koreans and injured at least 147. An arsonist set fire to a train stopped at the Jungangno Station of the Daegu Metropolitan Subway in Daegu, South Korea...
when he sets fire to a train stopped at the Joongang-ro (or Jungang-ro) station of the Daegu Metropolitan SubwayDaegu Metropolitan Subway-Lines:-Line 1:Line 1 was the site of the Daegu subway fire of 2003, when an arsonist set fire to a train in rush hour and killed nearly 200 people.-AGT Line:The transport department has approved plans to build an Automated Guideway Transit line.-Fare:...
in DaeguDaeguDaegu , also known as Taegu, and officially the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea, the fourth largest after Seoul, Busan, and Incheon, and the third largest metropolitan area in the country with over 2.5 million residents. The city is the capital and principal city of the...
, South Korea.
March events
- March 13 – Mumbai Bombing – A bomb exploded as a train pulled into Mulund station, killing 10 people.
- March 21 – Official launch of M>Train's new Siemens Mo-MoSiemens (train)The Siemens Nexas comprises 72 triple car electrical multiple unit trains built by Siemens Mobility for the suburban railway network of Melbourne, Australia from 2002-2005. The design of the trains was based on the Siemens Modular Metro concept built in Austria...
trains in Melbourne, Australia.
April events
- April 3 – First revenue run of M>Train's new Siemens Mo-Mo train.
- April 11 – M>Train withdraws fleet of Siemens Mo-Mo trains due to braking and traction issues.
- April 26 – DLWDiesel Locomotive WorksThe Diesel Locomotive Works in Varanasi, India, is a production unit owned by Indian Railways, for which it manufactures diesel-electric locomotives and spare parts.-Company:...
completes construction of the first WDP-4 locomotiveLocomotiveA locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
to be built entirely within India.
May events
- May 15 – The Ladhowal rail disaster was a flash fire on the Frontier Mail train service in India, which engulfed three carriages. 39 people lost their lives.
June events
- June 20 – North EastNorth East MRT LineThe North East MRT Line is the third Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore and the world's second longest fully underground, automated and driverless, rapid transit line after Singapore's Circle MRT Line. The line is 20 km long with 16 stations and operated by SBS Transit. Travelling from one end...
MRTMass Rapid Transit (Singapore)The Mass Rapid Transit or MRT is a rapid transit system that forms the backbone of the railway system in Singapore, spanning the entire city-state. The initial section of the MRT, between Yio Chu Kang Station and Toa Payoh Station, opened in 1987 establishing itself as the second-oldest metro...
LineNorth East MRT LineThe North East MRT Line is the third Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore and the world's second longest fully underground, automated and driverless, rapid transit line after Singapore's Circle MRT Line. The line is 20 km long with 16 stations and operated by SBS Transit. Travelling from one end...
in Singapore opened. It is the world's first fully underground, automated and driverless rapid transit line. - June 23 – The Vaibhavwadi train crashVaibhavwadi train crashThe Vaibhavwadi train crash was a fatal train derailment near the village of Vaibhavwadi in Sindhudurg district, Maharashtra in India on 23 June 2003.- Overview :...
killed 53 people near the village of VaibhavwadiVaibhavwadiVaibhavwadi is a tehsil in Kankavli subdivision of Sindhudurg district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.-References:It was earlier a small market town by the name Vabhwe .In the early 1980s it was accorded the status of Tehsil under the new district-Sindhudurg...
in Sindhudurg districtSindhudurg districtSindhudurg is an administrative district in the state of Maharashtra in India, which was carved out of the erstwhile Ratnagiri District. The district headquarters are located at Oros . The district occupies an area of 5207 km² and has a population of 868,825 of which 9.47% were urban...
, Maharashtra in India.
July events
- July – David LaneyDavid LaneyDavid M. Laney is the Amtrak board chairman since July 2003. An alumnus of St. Mark's School of Texas, Laney graduated from Stanford University and the law school at Southern Methodist University...
is promoted to Chairman of the Board of Directors for 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...
. - July 2 – The Warangal train crashWarangal train crashThe Warangal train crash was an accident which occurred on July 2, 2003 in the town of Warangal, Andhra Pradesh, in India.The Golconda Express passenger service from Guntur to Secunderabad was scheduled to stop at Warangal station in mid-morning, but the driver failed to halt the train...
killed 22 people in the town of WarangalWarangalWarangal is a city and a municipal corporation in Warangal district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Warangal is located northeast of the state capital of Hyderabad and is the administrative headquarters of Warangal District. This district is a combination of three cities: Warangal,...
, Andhra Pradesh, in India. - July 21 – A tornadoTornadoA tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
knocks down most of the former Erie RailroadErie RailroadThe Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
's Kinzua BridgeKinzua BridgeThe Kinzua Bridge or the Kinzua Viaduct was a railroad trestle that spanned Kinzua Creek in McKean County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania...
.
- July 30 – EurostarEurostarEurostar is a high-speed railway service connecting London with Paris and Brussels. All its trains traverse the Channel Tunnel between England and France, owned and operated separately by Eurotunnel....
train number 3313/14 establishes a new speed record in England at 334.7 km/h (208 mph) on High Speed 1.
August events
- August 9 – 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....
begins passenger train service between Hyderabad and SecunderabadSecunderabadSecunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
with 13 trains between LingampallyLingampallyLingampally is a suburb near Hyderabad in India. It was a sleepy village until the IT boom has made it into a preferred, affordable residential suburb for IT professionals.It is 5 km from the HITECH city....
and Hyderabad, and 11 between Lingampally and Secunderabad. - August 10 – M>Train (Melbourne, Australia) returns fleet of Siemens trains to service.
- August 22 – Sound TransitSound TransitSound Transit has been the popular name of Washington state's Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority since September 19, 1999. It was formed in 1996 by the Snohomish, King, and Pierce County Councils...
connects to Tacoma, WashingtonTacoma, WashingtonTacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
.
September events
- September 1 – Deutsche BahnDeutsche BahnDeutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany...
takes over operations of shipping company Stinnes Group in Germany. - September 25 – James J. Dermody becomes President of Long Island Rail RoadLong Island Rail RoadThe Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
in New York.
October events
- October 1 – M>Train (Melbourne, Australia) withdraws its fleet of Siemens trains for the second time.
- October 7 – RENFERENFERenfe Operadora is the state-owned company which operates freight and passenger trains on the 1668-mm "Iberian gauge" and 1435-mm "European gauge" networks of the Spanish national railway infrastructure company ADIF .- History :The name RENFE is derived from that of the former Spanish National...
opens the MadridMadridMadrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
-Lerida section of the railroad's new MadridMadridMadrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
-BarcelonaBarcelonaBarcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
line in Spain. - October 7 – The CahirCahirCahir is a town in South Tipperary in Ireland. The town is best known for its castle and the Swiss Cottage. It is in the barony of Iffa and Offa West.-Location and access:...
viaduct on the Limerick-Rosslare railway lineLimerick-Rosslare railway lineThe Limerick–Waterford railway line is the only true non-radial route still open in Ireland that is not a branch line. The route was commenced in 1848 by the Waterford and Limerick Railway and finished in 1854 – one of the oldest routes in Ireland, and the first approved by the British...
collapses under a cement train travelling to WaterfordWaterfordWaterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
. No one hurt but the line remains closed until the following September for repairs to the structure. - October 27 – Fleet of Siemens trains returned to M>Train (Melbourne, Australia) service, some minus livery.
November events
- November 3 – NYC Subway's "Redbird" R36 trains make final run from 42nd Street Times Square to Willets Point Shea Stadium.
- November 4 – A new intermodalIntermodal freight transportIntermodal freight transport involves the transportation of freight in an intermodal container or vehicle, using multiple modes of transportation , without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes. The method reduces cargo handling, and so improves security, reduces damages and...
service is inaugurated between AitonAiton, SavoieAiton is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France....
, France, and OrbassanoOrbassanoOrbassano is a comune in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 15 km southwest of Turin. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 21,667 and an area of 22.1 km²....
(near TurinTurinTurin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
), Italy, to transport complete trucks (both the tractor and trailer) and their loads; the trains include coach seating for the truck drivers as well. - November 28 – SNCFSNCFThe SNCF , is France's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV, France's high-speed rail network...
(France) celebrates the one-billionth passenger on its TGVTGVThe TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
.
December events
- December 5 – Opening of 15.34 km (9.5 mi) Severomuysky TunnelSeveromuysky TunnelSeveromuysky Tunnel is a railroad tunnel on the Baikal Amur Mainline , in northwestern Buryatia, Russia. It is named after the Severomuysky Range it cuts through....
on Baikal Amur Mainline after twenty-seven years’ construction. - December 5 – The 2003 Stavropol train bombing2003 Stavropol train bombingThe 2003 Stavropol train bombing was a suicide bomber blast which ripped through the commuter train in Stavropol Krai, Russia going from Kislovodsk to Mineralnye Vody as it was leaving Yessentuki on December 5, 2003. The explosion killed at least 46 people and injured more than 170.The rebel...
was a suicide bomber blast on a commuter train in Stavropol KraiStavropol KraiStavropol Krai is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Stavropol. Population: -Geography:Stavropol Krai encompasses the central part of the Fore-Caucasus and most of the northern slopes of Caucasus Major...
, Russia going from KislovodskKislovodskKislovodsk is a city in Stavropol Krai, Russia, which lies in the North Caucasian region of the country, between the Black and Caspian Seas. The closest airport is located in the city of Mineralnye Vody. Population:...
to Mineralnye VodyMineralnye VodyMineralnye Vody is a town in Stavropol Krai, Russia, which lies along the Kuma River and the main rail line between Rostov-on-Don and Baku . Population:...
as it was leaving Yessentuki. The explosion killed at least 46 people and injured more than 170. - December 9 – The European CommissionEuropean CommissionThe European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
approves the franchise of the Trans-Pennine Express JV between LiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, Manchester, NewcastleNewcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
and other northern England locations as a joint operation of FirstGroup plcFirstGroup plcFirstGroup plc is a public transport company, registered in Scotland at its headquarters in Aberdeen, operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Canada and the United States...
and KeolisKeolisKeolis is the largest private sector French transport group. It runs passenger railways, tramways, bus networks, funiculars, trolley buses, and airport services. The company, based in Paris, is majority owned by SNCF, the French state rail operator. AXA Private Equity and Caisse de dépôt et...
. - December 20 – The KCR West Rail in Hong Kong starts services.
- December – Great North Eastern RailwayGreat North Eastern RailwayGreat North Eastern Railway was a British train operating company, owned by Sea Containers Ltd. It operated high-speed express train services on the East Coast Main Line from 1996 until 9 December 2007 when the franchise was taken over by National Express East Coast.GNER's primary service routes...
s, operators of services on the East Coast Main LineEast Coast Main LineThe East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
in England and Scotland, begin trials of 802.11b wireless LANWireless LANA wireless local area network links two or more devices using some wireless distribution method , and usually providing a connection through an access point to the wider internet. This gives users the mobility to move around within a local coverage area and still be connected to the network...
access to the Internet on their Mallard Intercity 225InterCity 225The InterCity 225 is a locomotive-hauled domestic train in the United Kingdom, comprising a Class 91 electric locomotive, nine Mark 4 coaches and a Driving Van Trailer...
trains.
June deaths
- June 10 – Livio Dante PortaLivio Dante PortaLivio Dante Porta was an Argentine steam locomotive engineer. He is particularly remembered for his innovative modifications to existing locomotive systems in order to obtain higher performance, energy efficiency and reduced pollution. He developed the Kylpor and Lempor exhaust systems...
, ArgentinianArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
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...
mechanical engineer (b. 1922).
North America
2003 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... |
||
| B | Metra Metra Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by... |
Soo Line Railroad Soo Line Railroad The Soo Line Railroad is the primary United States railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway , controlled through the Soo Line Corporation, and one of seven U.S. Class I railroads. Although it is named for the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste... |
|
| C | |||
| S&T | Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis The Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis is a terminal railroad owned by railroads in St. Louis, Missouri which handles traffic through its metropolitan area.-Components:It was founded in 1889 in a deal orchestrated by Jay Gould by:... |
Conrail |
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:
- 2003 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...
: Richard K. Davidson (UPUnion 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....
) - 2003 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...
: Indiana Harbor Belt RailroadIndiana Harbor Belt RailroadThe Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad is a Class III railroad in the United States. The line comprises of track—30 miles of single mainline track, of double-main track and of additional yard and side track—starting northwest of Chicago in Franklin Park, Illinois, traveling southeast... - 2003 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...
: San Joaquin Valley RailroadSan Joaquin Valley RailroadThe San Joaquin Valley Railroad is one of several short line railroad companies and is part of the Sunset Division of RailAmerica. It operates about of track primarily on several lines in California's Central Valley/San Joaquin Valley outside of Fresno, California and Bakersfield, California...