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This article lists events related to rail transport that occurred in 1945.

Events

January events

• January 1 - The national railway operator in the Republic of Ireland, Great Southern Railways, with responsibility for the southern part of the Irish railway network is merged into a new national transport operator, Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ).
• January 10 - Los Angeles streetcars make their last run.
• January 12 - Bituminous Coal Research Incorporated’s Locomotive Study Group, made up of representatives from eastern railroads and locomotive manufacturers, meets to find ways to combat the rise of the diesel locomotive. They decide reciprocating steam is dead, and to explore coal-fired turbines.

February events

• February 23 - The Treuchtlingen railway station in Bavaria is bombed during World War II; with over 600 killed and 1500 injured, it is the worst railroad disaster in German history.
• February - General Motors Electro-Motive Division introduces the EMD E7.

March events

• March 25 - Virginian Railway takes delivery of its first 2-6-6-6 (class AG) steam locomotives from Lima Locomotive Works.^[1]

May events

• May 11 - Western Maryland Railway places an order with Lima Locomotive Works for what will be the last Shay locomotive. It will wear number 6.
• May 12 - The Rev. W. V. Awdry's book for children The Three Railway Engines is published in Leicester, England, the first in what is to become The Railway Series.^[2]

July events

• July - General Motors Electro-Motive Division introduces the EMD F3.
• July 16 - Canadian National Railway opens its ore dock at Port Arthur, Ontario.^[3]

August events

• August 9 - Near Michigan, ND, the second section of the Great Northern Railway's Empire Builder rear-ends the stalled first section at an estimated 45mph, killing 34 people and injuring 110 others. The first section was forced to stop due to a hotbox on the locomotive's tender; the collison occurred before a flagman had time to protect the rear of the train.
• August 24 - The Yosemite Valley Railroad, which had operated between Merced, California, and Yosemite National Park, runs its last trains.^[4][5]

September events

• September 27 - The Arlberg-Orient Express resumes operations after World War II.

December events

• December 13 - The New York Central Railroad places what is up to now the largest single order for passenger equipment: 420 cars.

Unknown date events

• The Milwaukee Road enters bankruptcy for the third time in its history.
• Matthew S. Sloan steps down from the presidency of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad.^[6]

Births

Deaths

October deaths

• October 12 - Charles Fairburn, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1944–1945 (b. 1887).
• October 27 - George Hughes, Chief Mechanical Engineer for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway 1904–1922, the London and North Western Railway 1922–1923 and the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1925–1931 (b. 1865).

References