Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1954, January 11 - Crossing Accident at Finch, CPR Winchester sub., one fatality, one injury

From the Ottawa Citizen  11 January 1954 Farmer Killed By Train At Finch Level Crossing FINCH (Special) A retired farmer was killed and his son injured early this morning when their car was struck by a train at a level crossing near here. Dead is Emmanuel Forget, 60. who was hurled from the car and killed instantly. Now in Hotel Dieu Hospital, Cornwall, suffering from a fractured shoulder and serious cuts and bruises to the face and head is his 18-year-old son, Marcel Forget. The car was hit by the CPR passenger train, to Montreal as it passed through the north side of this village about 6.30 a.m. The Forgets live a mile west of St. Albert on the Ninth Concession of Cambridge Township, about 11 miles from Finch. Finch is about 50 miles from Ottawa, 27 miles from Cornwall. Frosted windows and the fact that all windows of the car were closed due to the intense cold were believed to have been contributory factors in the accident. Signal Operating The Forget car was hit by the second section of the fast train. Crew members reported that the double flasher lights and warning bells were operating as the train approached the crossing. The road was County Road No. 12. Dr. J. G. MacLeod, of Finch, attended. The injured Marcel Forget was taken to hospital by Kenneth Hanna, a Finch area farmer for whom Marcel Forget worked. Provincial Constable Ray Reid. of Cornwall, investigated. No decision has yet been made on an inquest. Dr. J. M. Pollock, of Avonmore. is coroner. Members of the train crew, all from Smiths Falls, included Engineer E. McReynolds. Fireman F. Moore and Conductor I. Arnold.

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Updated 25 October 2019