Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
NASA astronaut and U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) pilot George D. Zamka was born to a Colombian mother and Polish father in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1962. Zamka grew up living at one point or another in each of the following places: New York City; the village of Irvington, New York; the city of Medellin,... Continue Reading →
October 14, 1892 The first type of tram service in the city of Belgrade in the Kingdom of Serbia (a region that is now part of the Republic of Serbia) was formally introduced. The government of Serbia’s capital had contracted with Periklos Tziklos, a native of Italy, to build this public transportation system. The first... Continue Reading →
October 13, 1881 A railway station that been constructed in the city of Larvik in southeastern Norway was formally opened. At the time, the present-day Kingdom of Norway was part of the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway. Larvik Station was built as part of the Vestfold Line in that region of Norway. Construction on... Continue Reading →
October 12, 2014 Construction began on the Kazungula Bridge between the Republic of Zambia and the Republic of Botswana in the southern region of Africa. The Kazungula Bridge carries vehicular, rail, and pedestrian traffic over the Zambezi River, which is the fourth longest river in Africa and the largest river flowing into the Indian Ocean... Continue Reading →
October 11, 1852 A station in the village of Ferryside in southwest Wales was opened as part of the South Wales Railway. Ferryside railway station was one of five stations serving the South Wales Railway to begin operations on that date. Those other stations were built in the Welsh towns of Llanelly (now known as... Continue Reading →
October 8, 1956 Janice E. Voss, an engineer and NASA astronaut, was born in South Bend, Indiana. In 1975, she received a B.S. in engineering science from Purdue University. Voss earned her M.S.in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) a couple of years later. In 1987, Voss received her PhD in aeronautics... Continue Reading →
October 7, 1826 The first train of the Massachusetts-based Granite Railway went into service. The Granite Railway was among the first railroads in the United States. This enterprise was established to carry granite from the city of Quincy to a dock on the Neponset River in the town of Milton, where that stone was transported by... Continue Reading →
Irene Rico’s longtime career with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) began in 1985 when she joined the agency as a highway engineer trainee. She had received a B.S. in civil engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso the previous year, and would earn her M.S. in civil engineering from the University of New... Continue Reading →
October 5, 1849 On the coast of Scotland’s Western Highlands, Ardnamurchan Lighthouse made its formal debut when an oil light there was first illuminated to help guide ships sailing through the portion of the North Atlantic Ocean in that area. This lighthouse was built on the furthest western reach of the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, which in turn... Continue Reading →
October 4, 1928 The opening day of the First National Aeronautical Safety Conference took place at the Hotel Pennsylvania on Seventh Avenue in New York City. This conference was held under the auspices of the Daniel Guggenheim Fund for the Promotion of Aeronautics. This conference reflected efforts both within the United States and across the... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 