• 1854 – The first trains operate in what is now Romania between Oraviţa, Transylvania, and Baziaş, on the Danube.
• 1868 – The Abergele train disaster, the first major railway disaster in Britain, occurs when a train uncouples and runs away down a steep incline; railroads install catchpoints to prevent such a disaster in the future.
• 1975 – Viking Program: NASA launches the Viking 1 (pictured) planetary probe toward Mars.
• 1977 – Voyager Program: The United States launches the Voyager 2 spacecraft.
• 1979 – The East Coast Main Line rail route between England and Scotland is restored when the Penmanshiel Diversion opens.

More events: August 16 – August 17 – August 18