1998 in rail transport

This article lists events related to rail transport that occurred in 1998.

Events

February events

• February 20 – The Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad files an application with the Surface Transportation Board to build new railroad track to haul coal from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming.

June events

• June 3 – The Eschede train disaster, the worst railroad accident in German history, occurs when a wheel on the high speed InterCity Express breaks; the derailed train's forward momentum caused it to slam into a bridge pier which increased the damage to the train and caused a higher injury toll than would otherwise have occurred.
• June 6 – The majority of Conrail's railroad assets are split between CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern
• June 19 – The government of Panama relinquishes control of the Panama Railway to the Panama Canal Railway Company, a subsidiary of Kansas City Southern.

September events

• September – Construction begins to convert the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel in Alaska from rail traffic only to combined rail and highway traffic.

December events

• December 10 – The Surface Transportation Board gives preliminary approval to Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad's application to build into the Powder River Basin, pending completion of an Environmental Impact Statement.

Unknown date events

• Canadian National Railway acquires the Illinois Central, giving the CN direct access to the Gulf of Mexico port of New Orleans, Louisiana.
• The former Lima Locomotive Works erecting shed and heavy Shay locomotive shops are razed.

Deaths