– The Chicago Great Western Railway is merged into the Chicago and North Western Railway to avoid bankruptcy. July 4 – Renfe opens the Madrid–Burgos direct railway in Spain using Talgo trains. July 19 – Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway's Texas Chief passenger train discontinues station stops at Dallas, Texas. July 30 The Chicago and North Western Railway railroad acquires the Des Moines and Central Iowa Railway and the Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern Railway. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway operates its last passenger train on its subsidiary Grand Canyon Railway, carrying only three passengers for the final run. August August 4 – Santa Fe Railroad discontinues the Dallas, Texas, section of the Texas Chief. August 11 – British Rail operates its last steam locomotives on the standard gauge, the "Fifteen Guinea Special". August 22 – Magma Arizona Railroad discontinues its use of steam locomotives. September September 1 – The Victoria line of the London Underground opens between Walthamstow Central and Highbury and Islington. October October 4 – First section of Frankfurt U-Bahn opens, pioneering the Stadtbahn concept in Germany. October 14 – The Queen opens British Rail's rebuilt Euston station in London. November November 30 – Swiss Federal Railways officially operates its last steam locomotive on the standard gauge. December December 5 – The Southern Railway (U.S.) discontinues the Carolina Special. December 6 – Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad operates its last steam-hauled freight train over its gauge San Juan Extension, Alamosa–Durango. December 23 – Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge, opened in China, with a rail track on the lower deck completing the Beijing–Shanghai railway. December 27 – Toei Mita Line opened in Japan. December 31 – Penn Central's purchase of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad is completed. Unknown date The fully automated Muskingum Electric Railroad in southeastern Ohio begins operation. Murmansk–Nikel Railway completed throughout. South African Railways gauge NGG16 class no. 156 completed by Hunslet Taylor, Johannesburg: last Garratt locomotive and SAR's last steam locomotive. The Philippine National Railways scraps its last known flagship tender locomotive built prior to World War II. Manila Railroad No. 176, a 170 class locomotive, entered service in 1922 and was primarily used on the inaugural Bicol Express to Legazpi, Albay starting in 1938. Accidents Births Deaths October 7 - Richard M. Dilworth, General Motors Electro-Motive Division chief engineer credited with developing the diesel-electric locomotive concept