Events January January 26 – To provide an all-India rail route to Assam following the Partition of India, the Northeast Frontier Railway opens to passengers a new line between Kishanganj and Fakiragram () on which construction commenced only on January 26, 1948; also, Chittaranjan Locomotive Works, India, commences steam locomotive production, the first locomotive (class WG no. 8401) being rolled out on November 1. February February 5 – The first diesel locomotive to pull a freight train on the San Diego and Arizona Railway begins its journey from El Centro, California, on a trial run. February 6 – A labor strike by United Mine Workers causes shortages of bituminous coal encouraging New England railroads to accelerate replacement of steam locomotives with diesel-electric locomotives. February 10 – Canadian National Railway gains control of Temiscouata Railway in the provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick. February 17 – Rockville Centre train crash: A head-on collision between two Long Island Rail Road evening trains in Rockville Centre, New York kills 32 and injures 158, the worst in the road's history until November. March March 2 – The Nickel Plate Road runs its first mainline freight train powered by diesel locomotives, as two yard switchers are pressed into service to handle a train from Peru, Indiana, to Michigan City. April April – The Canadian Pacific Railway registers its first, unsuccessful application with Canada's Board of Transport Commissioners to abandon passenger service on its interurban subsidiary, the Canadian Pacific Electric Lines. April 30 – The Pennsylvania Railroad replaces its Steeler with the Morning Steeler and Afternoon Steeler passenger trains between Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Cleveland, Ohio. May May 6 – Pacific Electric quits the Los Angeles to San Bernardino railway post office, the last interurban RPO in the United States. May 7–8 Long Island Rail Road's Jamaica Bay Trestle erupts in a major fire between The Raunt and Broad Channel stations, destroying the bridge over Jamaica Bay, and leading to the eventual decline of the Rockaway Beach Branch five years later. May – ALCO introduces the ALCO RS-3. June June 16 – Copper Range Railroad's coal unloading dock at Houghton, Michigan, is razed. July July 2 – Pacific Electric service along the West Santa Ana Branch is truncated to Bellflower, California. August August 1 – Indian Railways takes over most remaining state railways. August 8 – Illinois Central retires the Illinois Central 121 passenger trainset from active