Portal:Trains/Anniversaries/May 2

1878 – William Kissam Vanderbilt II, heir to Cornelius Vanderbilt and president of the New York Central system, is born (d. 1944).
1969 – Donald Gordon, president of Canadian National Railway 1950-1966, dies (b. 1901).
2002 – An eastbound Canadian National train collides with a trailer near Firmdale, Manitoba, Canada; about 20 cars carrying plastic pellets, benzene, glycol and hexane catch fire, forcing the evacuation of nearly 200 local residents.