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This article lists events related to rail transport that occurred in 1941.

Events

February events

• February 11 – The first Gold record is presented to Glenn Miller for Chattanooga Choo Choo.

March events

• March – Alco-GE build the first ALCO RS-1 road switcher. This model will have the longest production run of any diesel locomotive for the North American market.^[1]

April events

• April 28 – The Supreme Court of the United States unanimously rules that, based on the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, African American passengers are entitled to equal accommodations on all passenger trains in the U.S.^[2]

May events

• May 22 – Canadian Pacific Railway's Angus Shops in Montreal produce its first tank as part of the war effort for World War II.^[3]

July events

UP ”Big Boy” #4014 on display (in Pomona, CA)

• July 7 – Deutsche Reichsbahn accepts delivery of an experimental "V-8" steam locomotive from the Henschel Locomotive Works. Nominally a 2-8-2, the locomotive had four sets of two cylinders in a 90 degree "V" shape on the ends of each drive axle, alternating from side to side. Captured by the Allies, it was tested in the U.S. before being scrapped in 1952.
• July 11 – Spain's national railway, RENFE, is formed.^[4]
• July – Union Pacific Railroad's M-10002 streamliner trainset is removed from active service on the City of Portland and placed in storage.

August events

• August 14 – Union Pacific Railroad's M-10001 streamliner trainset is sold for scrap.

September events

• September 5 – The first 4-8-8-4 "Big Boy" steam locomotive is delivered from Alco to the Union Pacific Railroad at Omaha.

October events

• October 1 – After a bankruptcy, Spokane International Railway is reorganized as Spokane International Railroad.
• October – Robert E. Woodruff becomes president of the Erie Railroad.^[5]

November events

• November 17 – The Prospector multiple unit passenger trainset debuts on the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad in operating between Denver, Colorado, and Salt Lake City, Utah.

December events

• December – British War Department takes over operation of Trans-Iranian Railway from Bandar Shahpur to Teheran to assist in sending wartime supplies to the USSR.^[6]
• December 7 – The New York Central Railroad, with much fanfare, launches a new Empire State Express. The bombing of Pearl Harbor puts an immediate damper on the planned festivities.
• December 9 – Chesapeake and Ohio Railway officials accept the first 2-6-6-6 Allegheny steam locomotive from the Lima Locomotive Works. Despite many claims made by Alco, Union Pacific Railroad and others for the 4-8-8-4 Big Boy, the Alleghenies are the largest steam locomotives ever built for service in the United States.
• December 19 – Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's Columbian passenger train route is extended frm Jersey City-Washington to Jersey City-Chicago.

Unknown date events

• Armand Mercier succeeds Angus Daniel McDonald as president of the Southern Pacific Company, parent company of the Southern Pacific Railroad.^[7]
• The Heisler Locomotive Works produces the last Heisler locomotive.
• The Hollywood, a lounge car built for use on the City of Los Angeles becomes the first passenger car whose interior is built entirely out of synthetic materials. The car's interior featured the newly invented materials of formica and naugahyde.
• General Motors Electro-Motive Division introduces the EMD TR1.

Births

Deaths

April deaths

• April 5 – Nigel Gresley, Chief mechanical engineer of the London and North Eastern Railway 1923–1941 (b. 1876).^[8]
• April 16 – Josiah Stamp, Chairman of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1926-1941 (b. 1880) (in an air raid).^[9]

Unknown date deaths

• Angus Daniel McDonald, president of the Southern Pacific Company, parent company of the Southern Pacific Railroad, 1932–1941 (b. 1878).
• Alonzo C. Mather, founder of Mather Stock Car Company, designed the first widely-recognized humane stock car (b. 1848).^[10]
• Frederick Methvan Whyte, mechanical engineer for the New York Central railroad, creator of Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives (b. 1865).

References

• Wayner, Robert J., ed. (1972). Car Names, Numbers and Consists. New York: Wayner Publications.  
• White, John H., Jr. (Spring 1986). "America's most noteworthy railroaders". Railroad History 154: pp. 9-15. OCLC 1785797. ISSN 0090-7847.