Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1888, February 15 - Freight Train Derails at Pike falls, one injury

Almonte Gazette 24 February 1888 PERTH NEWS A BAD SMASH-UP, - Occurred six miles east of here on the 15th inst., caused by a freight train leaving the track. It seems as the train was approaching the Pike Falls siding, some section men who happened to be there thought they heard her whistle for the switch, and one of them, supposing he was saving the brakeman the trouble, opened the switch, but the train not wishing to stop there, did not slack up, and consequently left the track after running to the end of the siding. Driver Lawer was severely injured. The wrecking gang from Perth was soon at the scene of the accident, and built a track around the wreck to allow other trains to pass. The express trains were delayed six hours. Several car loads of cattle which were on the train suffered severely from cold and hunger for two days, the owners refusing to look after them, maintaining that the railway company was responsible for them.

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Updated 12 December 2022