Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1902, April -  Hull Electric Railway Guard Rails between the Alexandra and Dufferin Bridges

Ottawa Citizen 16 April 1902 Guard Rails are Lacking. On the Pontiac Railway Embankment. And Hull Aylmer Cars only use one track between Alexandra and Dufferin Bridges. The track which runs nearest the edge of the steep embankment between Dufferin Bridge and Alexandra Bridge and which was used for some time by the Hull-Aylmer electric cars has not been used by those cars for some weeks, and the reason is said to be that there are no guard rails or timbers between the outer rail and the edge of the precipice.  Should a car jump the outer track, in the direction of the river, there is no guard rail or timbers to keep it from going over to the rocks or river below, and to prevent all danger from such a calamity the motormen have been instructed to use the middle tracks.  Practically the electric cars are only using one track between Ottawa and Alexandra Bridge.  Should a car jump the inside track it would have to go over two rails before it could reach the edge of the embankment, and it is considered extremely unlikely that any accident could occur. The matter has been brought to the attention of Mayor Cook and he has asked City Engineer Kerr to report on it at once. Ottawa Journal 16 April 1902 GUARD RAILS TO ALEXANDRA BRIDGE Mayor Cook Wants to Know Why They Are Not in Place. Mr. P.W. Resseman, general superintendent of the Ottawa, Northern and Western Railway was asked today why guard rails were not placed on the edge of the embankment between Alexandra and Dufferin bridges. Mr. Resseman says he does not think the guard rails are needed and for that reason they were not put down. He says the Hull Electric company have been objecting to the absence of the guard rails but he says he has had no official communication from the company in regards to the matter. If guard rails are needed on the edge of the embankment between the two bridges Mr. Resseman says they would also be needed along other parts of the Hull-Aylmer railway. Mayor Cook has asked city engineer Ker [sic] to make a report upon the matter. It appears that the Hull electric cars do not use the tracks nearest the edge of the embankment. - - - In another part of same edition GUARD RAILS ARE LACKING ON THE PONTIAC RAILWAY EMBANKMENT And Hull-Aylmer Cars Only Use one Track Between Alexandra and Dufferin Bridges. The track which runs nearest to the edge of the steep embankment between the Dufferin bridge and Alexandra bridge and which was used for some time by the Hull-Aylmer electric cars, has not been used by those cars for some weeks, and the reason is said to be that there are no guard rails or timbers between the outer rail and the edge of the precipice. Should a car jump the outer track, in the direction of the river, there is no guard rail or timbers to keep it from going over to the rocks or river below, and to prevent all danger from such a calamity the motorman have been instructed to use the middle tracks. Practically the electric cars are only using one track between Ottawa and Alexandra bridge, and that track is the one which is back some distance from the edge of the embankment. The electric cars run slowly to and from Alexandra bridge. Should a car jump the inside track it would have to go over two rails before it could reach the edge of the embankment and it is considered extremely unlikely that any accident could occur. The matter has been brought to the attention of Mayor Cook, and he has asked city engineer to report upon it at once.

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Updated 27 September 2023