This article will list events related to rail transport that occurred in 1970.

Events

March events

• March 2 - The Great Northern Railway, Northern Pacific Railway, Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad and the Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway merge to form Burlington Northern Railroad.

June events

• June 21 - The Penn Central declares Section 77 bankruptcy in the largest corporate bankruptcy in United States history thus far. The trains continue to run.

Unknown date events

• The Boston and Maine Corporation, operators of the Boston & Maine Railroad, declares bankruptcy.
• The diesel engine manufacturing business of the former American Locomotive Company is sold to White Motor Corporation.

Births

Deaths

July deaths

• July 4 - Harold Stirling Vanderbilt, heir to Cornelius Vanderbilt and president of the New York Central railroad system (b. 1884).