and Churchill, Manitoba. July 14 – The United States Surface Transportation Board's temporary moratorium on railroad mergers is upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit; the ruling contributes to the failure of the proposed BNSF/CN merger. July 20 - The Manila Line 3 commenced full commercial operations by opening the remaining segment from Buendia station to Taft Avenue station. July 21 – Manchester Metrolink, in Manchester, England, is extended to Eccles. October events October 2 – Via Rail operates a funeral train for Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau between Ottawa and Montreal; the train's journey, which was frequently slowed through towns for the numerous well-wishers, was documented by a CBC news helicopter. October 29 – Amtrak upgrades service on the California Zephyr to daily. December events December 11 – Amtrak's Acela Express makes its first run. Accidents January 4 – The Åsta accident, a northbound BM92 multiple unit and a southbound passenger train headed by a Di 3 locomotive collided on Norway's Rørosbanen line near Åsta station, killing 19 people. February 6 – The Brühl train disaster; in Brühl, Germany killed 9 when a train negotiated a low speed turnout at three times the correct speed and derailed, on the West Rhine Railway. March 8 – Tokyo train disaster: a sideswipe collision of two Tokyo Metro trains kills 5 people near Naka-Meguro Station. October 17 – The Hatfield rail crash, south of Hatfield, Hertfordshire, UK, occurs when a train traveling at 115 mph derails due to a rail that breaks under it. Four people are killed, and there is considerable disruption to the national rail network as the infrastructure is reviewed. November 11 – A faulty heater aboard a funicular train in Kaprun, Austria, starts a fire in the train's brake fluid while the train is in a tunnel; only twelve of the train's 155 passengers survived the fire in the Kaprun disaster. December 2 – The Sarai Banjara rail disaster in the Punjab, India killed 46 and injured at least 150 when a freight train derailed into the path of a passenger train. December 30 – The Rizal Day bombings occurred around Metro Manila in the Philippines leaving 22 dead. Deaths Industry awards Japan Awards presented by Japan Railfan Club 2000 Blue Ribbon Award: JR East E26 series Cassiopeia sleeping car 2000 Laurel Prize: Hiroden 5000 series Green Mover tramcar JR Central/JR West 700