1981 in rail transport

This article lists events related to rail transport that occurred in 1981.

Events

February 21 – MBTA discontinues passenger train service to Rhode Island.
February 26 – A TGV Sud-Est (trainset no. 16) breaks the world record for rail speed at 380 km/h (236 mph)^[1] between Courcelles-Frémois (Côte-d'Or) and Dyé (Yonne), France.

April 3 – The inaugural runs of the first 2600-series cars are made. The 2600-series (2601–3200), built by the Budd Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, had increased interior floor space and seats that fold up for wheelchairs. After completing the order, Budd stopped making rail cars.
April 26 – Amtrak and Via Rail introduce the Maple Leaf passenger train between New York City and Toronto.

June 6 – In the Bihar train disaster, a passenger train carrying 800 or more passengers between Mansi and Saharsa, India, derailed and plunged into the Bagmati river while it was crossing a bridge. Estimates of the death toll range from 500 to 800.

July 17 – The Manchester–Sheffield–Wath Woodhead Line, carrying electric-hauled freight traffic through the Pennines in England, is closed and all British Rail Class 76 locomotives used on it are stored at Guide Bridge and Reddish before being scrapped.
July 26 – Fukuoka Airport Line (Kūkō Line) open, for first time of Fukuoka City Subway, Kyūshū, Japan.

September 1 – Illinois Terminal Railroad is purchased by Norfolk and Western Railroad.
September 15 – The John Bull becomes the oldest operable steam locomotive in the world when it is run under its own power by the Smithsonian Institution.
September 27 – Passenger service begins on the very first TGV line, the LGV Sud-Est.^[1]

October 25 – Amtrak introduces an unnamed overnight passenger train between Los Angeles and Sacramento, California. This train is named the Spirit of California in December.

November 15 – Via Rail discontinues the Super Continental and Atlantic passenger trains.^[2]

December 3 – The first of the 2600-series rapid transit cars (2601–3200), built by the Budd Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, are placed in service on the Chicago 'L' system. After this 600 car order was completed in April 1987, Budd (later Transit America) retired from railcar manufacturing.
December 11 – The Seer Green rail crash occurred near Seer Green, Buckinghamshire, England, killing a driver and three passengers.

Maine Central Railroad Company is purchased by Guilford Transportation Industries.
Burlington Northern Railroad corporate headquarters are moved from St. Paul, Minnesota, to Seattle, Washington.
Union Pacific 3985 is restored to operating condition, making it the largest operable steam locomotive in the world.
William W. Stinson succeeds Fred Burbidge as president of Canadian Pacific Railway.
The New York City Subway discontinues use of its R8A revenue car.

Railway accidents in 1981 (1981)

Location and date	Brandsen, Argentina (8 March) Osieck, Poland (4 June) Bihar, India (6 June) Seer Green, United Kingdom (11 December)

1980 1982

May 11 - Rogers E. M. Whitaker ("E. M. Frimbo"), writer on rail travel (b. 1900).

↑ 1.0 1.1 "TGV Paris – Sud Est". Thomas Cook Continental Timetable, September 27–edition of October 31, 1981, p. 65.
↑ "The business car". Canadian Rail (360): 26–27. January 1982.