1910 (Japan) - (de-facto point of divergence) The JGR begins plans of a new 0-8-2T locomotive, dubbed the Class 8900. The Class 8600 4-6-2 tender locomotive is also planned.
1920 (Malaysia) - (main point of divergence) Malaya re-gauges its railroads into 1,067mm gauge to anticipate the arrival of Japanese exports.
1922 (Malaysia) - The first Japanese locomotives arrive in Malaysia, being three Class 2120 tank locomotives, one Class 9600 tender locomotive, and one Class 8900 tank locomotive.
1939 (Britain) - The LNER builds the Gresley Class P3, a class of only one 2-8-2 express locomotive. There were originally going to be five, but due to the second World War, the second and third locomotives were scrapped for the war effort and plans for the fourth and fifth were cancelled.
1940 (Britain) - The War Department builds a massive railway gun, dubbed “Britannia”, in response to similar German railway guns. The Class P3 8100 “London King’s Cross” and the Class P2 2002 “Earl Marischal” are loaned from the LNER sent as motive power for the railway gun.
1942 (Germany) - Plans for a 2-10-4 freight locomotive are drawn up to open up more valuable freight services. Later, the DRB Class 59 locomotives are created, being rebuilt from Class 45 locomotives.
1942 (Japan) - Japan reveals plans to build the JNR Class D60, a 4-8-2 steam locomotive. Only one would be produced, being a rebuild of a singular Class D52, while the others are planned to be built after the war.
1944 (Germany) - As the tide turns for the allies, the “Britannia” railway gun is destroyed in action after encountering the “Schwerer Gustav”, along with the tender of WD Class P3 “London King’s Cross”. The “Schwerer Gustav”, in turn, is also destroyed by a bullet of the British railway gun in a huge explosion, along with two DRB Class 59s.
1944 (Russia) - Moscow Leningradsky station is destroyed in a bombing raid carried out by the USSR, along with a troop transport train and four passenger trains.
1945 (Russia) - Gorky station is annihilated in the atomic bombing of September 1st, and Voronezh station is demolished in the atomic bombing of September 9th.
1945 (Japan) - Following the official surrender of the SRE, Japan continues rebuilding three more D52s to D60s. The E50, a 2-10-2 locomotive, is rebuilt from another D52.
1945 (Britain) - Following the end of the Second World War, the War Department releases 8100 and 2002 back to the LNER. 2002 is immediately rebuilt into a P2/2, redesignated 8102, instead of being converted into an A2/2.
1955 (Britain) - British Railways tries out a steam turbine design with streamlined B-B+C+B-B locomotive “Atlas”. The locomotive proves to be a success in its first few years, but became slowly more unreliable as time passes on.
1958 (Malaysia) - EMD exports the E9NG, an export version of the E9 built to 1,067mm gauge with a Bo’-Bo’-Bo’ configuration, with the first exports arriving in Malaysia. They are then renamed the class DF60s.
1958 (Japan) - EMD exports the E9NG, an export version of the E9 built to 1,067mm gauge with a Bo’-Bo’-Bo’ configuration, with the first exports arriving in Japan. They are then renamed the class DF60s, with plans for converting them into electric locomotives.
1958 (United States) - New York Central ‘Niagara’ 4-8-4 steam locomotive 6103 is slated for preservation after a contract was signed between manager Alfred Perlman and the Baltimore & Ohio Transportation Museum. She would be the only one of her class to be preserved.
1960 (Britain) - The BR Modernization Plan is authorized. “Atlas” is the first one to be taken off the list, leading to protests for its preservation, but the locomotive would be hauled to the Woodham Brothers scrapyard along with other steam locomotives.
1962 (Britain) - 8100 and 8102 are hauled into the Woodham Brothers scrapyard.
1964 (Japan) - The Shinkansen service is inaugurally opened with a sleek red-white-blue livery. The USSR and the United States begin their own plans for a high-speed rail service following this news.
1965 (Japan) - The type EF65 electric locomotives are introduced into service, being rebuilt from DF60s. Originally their body shell was to be altered into a standard JNR design, but when trials were put up between the EF65s and the preceding EF64s, it was found that the aerodynamic casing made the EF65s a bit faster, so thus it was used for express services replacing the aforementioned preceding EF64s.
1966 (Russia) - The USSR tests a locomotive-hauled high-speed service between Moscow and St. Petersburg, with speeds measuring approximately 195 km/h, utilizing two Chs4 passenger locomotives in a double-heading configuration.
1970 (United States) - The United States fires up its national high speed project, Amtrak HSIC, which utilizes specially-built General Electric DMUs measuring 120 km/h. The project is funded by its namesake corporation.
1972 (Britain) - British Railways launches the Intercity 125 program, involving the newly-built Class 43 diesel locomotives and matching Mk3 passenger carriages. The trains are painted in specially-designed Intercity liveries.
1976 (United States) - Locomotives 6013 of the New York Central and 4449 of the Southern Pacific are chosen for the American Freedom Train in a double-heading configuration.
1979 (Britain) - 8102 is cut up, rendering the Class P2/2 extinct.
1982 (Japan) - The first batch of Shinkansen 200 series trains arrive. They will be relevant later.
1985 (Britain) - While being hauled for preservation at a railway museum, “Atlas” derails unexpectedly on an incline, pulling two Class 37s along with it. The steam turbine locomotive is damaged beyond repair, but is able to still be carried on to the same railway museum, while the Class 37s were scrapped.
1987 (Britain) - The Class 43s are converted to EMUs and renumbered the Class 320s, making them capable of exceeding 230 km/h.
1990 (Britain) - A rusted 8100 is preserved by railway preservationists and taken to the Bo’ness and Kinneil Heritage Railway to be restored.
1990 (Malaysia) - KTM attempts a high speed rail project between the Peninsular and Bornean territories utilizing two exported Shinkansen 200 series sets from Japan. Funding is granted from ASEAN in hopes that the nation would expand its project to an ASEAN-wide system. The tests prove to be a success.
1991 (Russia) - After the fall of the Soviet Union, Siberia decides to secede and create its own railway network, utilizing the Trans-Siberian railway as a starting point.
1992 (Siberia) - Siberia starts using steam locomotives again as they provide sufficient heat to keep natural warmth. President Vladimir Mikhovich states that in addition to this, the steam locomotives represent the heritage and history of the nation.
1996 (Southeast Asia) - The ASEAN INST project is started, the first international high speed railway in Asia, expanding from Malaysia’s high speed railway project. Supporting railways include KTM, KAI, PNR, VNR, SRT, and Myanma Railway. The former Shinkansen 200 series sets are effectively rebuilt as bilevel trains, the first in SEA.
1996 (United States) - The Chessie System and Norfolk & Western announce their merger, officially granting the new era of both railways; the Norfolk & Chessie Railway.
1996 (Britain) - 8100’s restoration is scheduled to finish on January 1st, 2000, as 3/4ths of the engine are almost completed.
1999 (Britain) - British Rail finally splits up between three operations; British Rail (for passenger operations), GB Railfreight (for freight operations), and GB Intercity (for high speed rail).
2000 (Southeast Asia) - A retired ICE 1 set from Germany is acquired to assist the two Shinkansen 200 series sets in the western section, and a BR Class 320 set from Britain is purchased for backup in the eastern section. To celebrate the new millennium, Malaysia’s KTM celebrates the inaugural opening of the new specialized ASEAN INST Kuala Lumpur railway terminal station, a neoclassical station that contrasts with the modernity of the high speed trains, topped with a majestic clock tower that plays Asian melodies in the carillon every hour. The railway line is renamed INSTant as well.
2000 (United States) - To celebrate the new millennium, the United States sends New York Central 6013 and Southern Pacific 4449 to double-head the Millennium express through the contiguous states, with no diesel helper for this special occasion. The locomotives are still in their AFT liveries from 1976.
2000 (Japan) - To celebrate the new millennium, EF65 65 and D51 15 are chosen to lead the Millenia Joyful Train of JR East. From 2000 to 2020, the train runs every year during January only.
2000 (Britain) - 8100’s restoration is completed to celebrate the new millennium. The locomotive is sent to pull a special train around Scotland with the acceptance of British Rail.
2000 (Siberia) - P36 locomotive 0120 is selected to haul the Siberian Millenium train. A Russian ER2R train collides with the excursion, damaging the locomotive and killing 59 people in both trains combined.
2001 (United States) - In solidarity with the 9/11 attacks, Southern Pacific 4449, still in its AFT livery, is sent to Manhattan flying American flags half-mast for the innocent and governmental lives lost.
2005 (United States) - The N&C Gran’ Steam Program begins, with New York Central 6013, Reading 2101, Southern Pacific 4449, and Norfolk & Western 611 all being selected for the four trains of the program; the Sole Survivor (6013), the Queen of Roanoke (611), the Pride of The Line (4449), and the Savior (2101). 4449 is finally repainted back into its SP livery.
2006 (Japan) - JNR D51 498 stars in an anime, pulling a fictional train named SL Arigawa, which is a major location and plot point in said anime.
2010 (Britain) - As the neglected hulk of “Atlas” continues rusting off in the museum, it is decided that the locomotive can no longer be restored into its former glory. One final, slow haul to the scrapyard is taken and widely photographed, with the engine being in between SR Merchant Navy “Clan Line” and a BR Class 55. The turbine mechanism and the cab were removed, preserved, and restored before the rest of the engine was scrapped.
2020 (Japan) - The JR East Millenia reaches its twentieth anniversary and locomotives D51 15 and EF65 65 hauls their last train, with the most people since the first run.