1853 in rail transport
Events January events January 25 – The Cincinnati, Cambridge and Chicago Short Line Railway, a predecessor of Pennsylvania Railroad, is incorporated in Indiana to build from New Castle southeast via Cambridge to the Ohio state line. January – The Memphis and Little Rock Railroad, the first railroad built in Arkansas is chartered. February events February 5 – The Mississippi and Missouri Railroad, a predecessor of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, is established in Iowa to build a railroad between Davenport and Council Bluffs. April events April 2 – The New York Central Railroad is formed through the merger of ten smaller railroads in the New York area. April 16 – The first passenger train in India is inaugurated between Bori Bunder, Bombay (edge of site of modern-day Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai), and Thana covering a distance of . April 20 – Lord Dalhousie, Governor-General of India, resolves that trunk rail development in that country will be by private enterprise under close government supervision. May events May 6 – The Norwalk rail accident is the first major US railroad bridge disaster, killing 48. May 17 – The New York Central Railroad is formed through the merger of ten smaller