Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1894, February 14 - Streetcar hits a Locomotive at Bank Street crossing

Ottawa Journal 15 February1894 Electric car No. 33 came in for a rough experience and [sic] the Bank Street route yesterday afternoon. The car was going south with two passengers a lady and a gentleman.  As the car approached the C.A.R. crossing the gates were let down to allow a locomotive to pass.  The motorman at once tried to apply the brake but the "controller" or handle came off and before he could get it on again the car crashed into the gate and smashed it and passed on. At the same time the locomotive reached the crossing moving slowly and striking the end of the electric car turned the car round.  There was nothing injured but the gate. Mr. J.F. St. Louis, who was the gentleman passenger on the car at the time of the accident, says the car as it approached the crossing was slowed down and only when a few feet away were the gates dropped. When the motorman applied the brake to stop the "controller" of the brake came off, and as the current was on the car struck and broke the gates and went through. The accident, Mr. St. Louis says, was almost unavoidable. Nobody was hurt. He remained on the car all the time even when the locomotive brushed up against the rear end of the car and turned it round. Also reported in the Ottawa Free Press same date

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Updated 8 June 2023