Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
October 24, 1906 On Spain’s northeastern coast, operations began for the Vallvidrera Funicular in the district of Sarrià-Sant Gervasi in the city of Barcelona. This cable railway system was built on a steep slope of a hill that is part of the Collserola mountain range. The funicular serves as a link between the neighborhood of... Continue Reading →
1942: A Pivotal Milestone for Dodge Trucks Used Extensively as Ambulances During World War II October 23, 1942 Nearly eleven months after the United States entered World War II, the U.S. Army adopted a standardized design for the trucks that served as the main field ambulances for the Allies for the remainder of that global... Continue Reading →
In the Canadian province of British Columbia, the paddle steamer sternwheeler Moyie was launched at Kootenay Lake in the city of Nelson. This vessel, which was built in prefabricated sections in Toronto, became the newest steamship acquired by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). The launch of Moyie was described by the Vancouver-based Daily News Advertiser... Continue Reading →
October 21, 2001 The Goodwill Bridge in Brisbane, the capital and largest city of Australia’s state of Queensland, was officially opened. This structure, which spans the Brisbane River, was built for walking, bicycling, and inline skating. The Goodwill Bridge serves as a connection between Gardens Point in the central business district of Brisbane; and --... Continue Reading →
October 20, 1919 USS Mahopac, originally designated as Fleet Tug No. 29, was commissioned into the U.S. Navy under the command of Lieutenant (junior grade) Harry J. Carey. Mahopac was one of the Navy’s Bagaduce class of steel tugboats. These vessels were designed to carry out major towing assignments at navy yards and also to... Continue Reading →
October 17, 1888 The Eckington & Soldiers’ Home Railway became the first electric streetcar service to begin operations in Washington, D.C. The company’s streetcars initially ran along tracks from the intersection of Seventh Street and New York Avenue, N.W., in the downtown area -- and near the Soldiers’ Home that had been in existence in... Continue Reading →
October 16, 1888 CGS (Canadian Government Ship) Stanley, which is widely considered to be Canada’s first fully functional icebreaker, was launched at the shipyard of Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Limited (Fairfields) in the burgh of Govan (now part of Glasgow) in Scotland. This steamship was named after Frederick Arthur Stanley (1841-1908), 16h Earl of Derby,... Continue Reading →
October 14, 1971 In northwestern England’s ceremonial county of Lancashire, a motorway service area (MSA) in the civil parish of Anderton was opened to the public. This MSA is specifically located between the junctions 6 and 8 for the motorway M61. MSAs are facilities in the United Kingdom and Ireland where drivers and their passengers... Continue Reading →
The Boston Bridge in southwestern Pennsylvania’s Allegheny County was officially inaugurated. This cantilever bridge, which crosses the Youghiogheny River, serves as a link between Elizabeth Township and the borough of Versailles. The structure was named after Elizabeth Township’s Boston neighborhood. (That neighborhood, in turn, had been named after the capital city of Massachusetts.) About 5,000... Continue Reading →
October 10, 1992 The first segment of the Montour Trail in the Pittsburgh region was formally opened in Cecil Township. The dedication ceremony for this 4.4-mile (7.1-kilometer) section of the multi-use recreational trail was specifically held at Cecil Park. Those taking part in this ceremony included Robert A. Hall, supervisory community planner for the Federal... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 