about 6 miles (10 km). October events October 2 – First section of Sri Lanka Railways, at this time known as Ceylon Government Railways, officially opens from Colombo to Ambepussa () on 5 ft 6in (1676 mm) gauge. October 18 – Almelo railway station in the Netherlands is opened. December events December 20 – Alkmaar railway station in the Netherlands is opened. Unknown date events The United Kingdom Institution of Civil Engineers forms the Engineer and Railway Staff Corps. The Union Pacific Railway, later to become the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad and not to be confused with the Union Pacific Railroad, begins operations. A group of businessmen in San Francisco, led by Timothy Guy Phelps, found the Southern Pacific Railroad to build a rail connection between San Francisco and San Diego. Erastus Corning resigns from his executive post for the New York Central Railroad. The Canadian Engine and Machinery Company, predecessor of the Canadian Locomotive Company, is founded from the assets of the bankrupt Kingston Locomotive Works. Missouri Car and Foundry Company, later to become part of American Car and Foundry, is founded in St. Louis, Missouri. Pittsburgh & Steubenville Extension Railroad Tunnel opens for rail service. Births March births March 2 – Frederick Methvan Whyte, mechanical engineer for the New York Central Railroad, creator of Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives (d. 1941). October births October 9 – George Hughes, Chief Mechanical Engineer for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway 1904–1922, the London and North Western Railway 1922–1923 and the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1925–1931 (d. 1945). Deaths Unknown date deaths William T. James, American inventor of the link motion and spark arrester (b. 1786). References Further reading