Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1920, August 29 - Two rear cars of CPR transcontinental derailed at Central Station, GTR., Alexandria sub., no injuries

Ottawa Citizen 29 August 1920 COACHES LEAVE RAILS AS TRAIN PULLS OUT Peculiar Mishap to Vancouver-Montreal Express at Union Station. The C.P.R. train from Vancouver to Montreal and pulling out of Ottawa at 7 o'clock standard time, was held up for about 45 minutes this morning as the result of the derailment of the two end cars.. The train had just left the station and was immediately under the Laurier avenue bridge when the two rear cars jumped the rails and travelled in that manner for about fifty feet before the train could be stopped. Fortunately the train had not yet gathered speed. As soon as Engineer Geo. Gorman, this city, saw the situation he applied the brakes and the train stopped before any damage occurred. There was quite a number of passengers on the two cars which left the rails. The passengers included a number of women and children, but all remained quiet until a transfer from the two cars to the other coaches could be effected after which the train proceeded on its way. The cause of the derailment has not yet been discovered, though investigations are being carried on. Investigation is made more difficult since the "jump" occurred immediately where the C.P.R. and the G.T.R. change ownership of the track.

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Updated 20 October 2020