Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1919, February 24 - The Moccasin derails near Maitland, GTR., Kingston sub., no injuries

Kempville Weekly Advance 27 February 1919 MOCCASIN TRAIN IS DERAILED BUT PASSENGERS LUCKY All Four Coaches and the Locomotive off Track Below Maitland Brockville, February 24. To only a lucky break can be attributed the fact that no persons met serious injury or death when the G.T.R. express No. 26, known as the Moccasin train was derailed at 6:45 oclock this morning, on a slight grade, two miles east of Maitland and a half mile west of the Blue Church road crossing. The accident was caused by spreading rails and before the train, driven by Engineer Charles Pettigrew of Brockville, with J. A. Beckstead of Montreal, as conductor, could be brought to a stop, fully a quarter of a mile of track had been torn up. Not one of the passengers, or an employee, suffered even a small scratch. All the four coaches of the train and all the trucks of the locomotive with the exception of the pony trucks left the rails, the locomotive being the first to leave. The engine was travelling at fair speed when the accident occurred, having just got up speed after leaving Maitland. In addition there is a slight grade at the point where the train went off. That it was not ditched was due to the fact that the pony trucks kept the rails and that the run-off occurred on the inner side of the track. On the outer side, there is a drop of fully ten feet from the embankment and just a few rods west of the scene of the accident there is a 25-foot embankment. All the coaches of the train remained upright and suffered injuries only to their trucks which will have to be replaced. At places the rails were bent and broken by the pressure to which they were subjected by the derailed trucks, and the roadbed and ties were cut up and otherwise damaged so that replacement will be necessary. The local auxiliary proceeded to the scene of the wreck as soon as word was received here. Trainmaster. W. J . Nixon accompanied it. The Brockvillc and Prescott station gangs were also called to assist in repairing the tracks, and late this morning the Montreal derrick arrived to clear the westbound track which was blocked hy the second class passenger coach. Dr. T. F. Robertson, Grand Trunk surgeon at this point, was called to the scene of the wreck, at 8.30 o'clock but on arrival there found that his services were not required. It is expected that trains will be able to proceed through by the westbound track at an early hour this afternoon. The baggage cars and the rear passenger coach retained almost the alignment of the track, but the second class coach has shifted its position so that it obstructs traffic.

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Updated 17 February 2022