Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area
1901, September 14 - Canada Atlantic Railway Mail Train Derails Near Vankleek Hill - No Injuries
Eastern Ontario Review (Vankleek Hill) Friday 20 September 1901 C.A.R. Leaves the Track Bad wreck on the Canada Atlantic Railway last Saturday - much damage done but no lives lost. The Canada Atlantic mail train, due here at noon, was wrecked at Potter's brick yard on Saturday last on its way to Hawkesbury. The train was taking two new engines down to Hawkesbury for the use of the Great Northern Railway. It is thought the weight of these engines running at a rapid rate of speed spread the rails and derailed the train. The first part of the train, including one of the engines broke away from the wreck and did not leave the track, One engine, four freight cars, a baggage car and the passenger coach were wrecked. The engine and one freight car were turned entirely upside down and another freight car was thrown at right angles across the track. The road bed and track were completely destroyed for several rods. There were only four passengers in the coach and they escaped without any injury as the coach did not topple over. A wrecking crew came down from Ottawa in the afternoon and after working all night and all day Sunday in the rain succeeded in clearing the track. Passenger service was uninterrupted, the passengers being transferred from one train to the otrher around the wreck. The loss to the company will be pretty heavy as many of the cars were badly damaged. |
Updated 14 March 2024