19th century

• 1844 – The Bristol and Exeter Railway extension to Exeter opens.
• 1872
  • The Buckfastleigh, Totnes and South Devon Railway, in England, opens.
  • The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad begins construction westward from Newton, Kansas, toward Colorado.
• 1874 – Construction begins on the Seattle and Walla Walla Railroad, the first railroad to be built in Seattle, Washington, United States.

20th century

• 1905 – The Darvel Branch, originally built by the Glasgow and South Western Railway in Scotland, is upgraded to become a through line to Strathaven and beyond when the Glasgow and South Western Railway and the Caledonian Railway open a jointly run line.^[1]
• 1917 – The Santa Fe de Luxe passenger train between Chicago and Los Angeles is discontinued as it is not considered essential for the war effort.
• 1937 – Takahata Station on the Gyokunan Electric Railway in Japan is renamed to Takahatafudō Station.
• 1971 – Amtrak begins operations of most intercity passenger train service in the United States.

21st century