Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1878, June 9 - Collision on the Grand Trunk at Brockville, no injuries.

Almonte Gazette 14 June 1878 Collision on the Grand Trunk An Express train Runs into an Engine at Brockville - No Lives Lost. Brockville, June 9. - A serious collision occurred at three o'clock this morning on the Grand trunk Railway, about one mile east of this place, which, although no lives were lost, resulted in considerable damage to the engines. It appears a special engine left Maitland shortly before the midnight express, and on arriving near Brockville was detained owing to the semaphore being up. While waiting for the semaphore to be put down, the express train came along at a rapid rate, and ran into the rear of the engine, smashing both engines and causing a terrible wreck. The express and baggage cars were thrown a distance of twenty-five feet from the track into an adjoining field. An auxiliary car was sent down at once with a large force of men, who soon cleared the track, and another engine being procured, the express train left for the west after a detention of three hours. It is a miracle that no lives were lost. The baggageman, who was in the car at the time of the accident, had his arm broken. It is not yet known what was the cause of the collision, but it was said that while waiting for the semaphore to be put down, the engineer and fireman on the special engine fell asleep. A large force of men are engaged in clearing the wreck.

Return to Main Page of Railway Accidents

Updated 9 March 2022