Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1936, December 28 - Crossing collision Chesterville, CPR., Winchester sub., one fatality.

Ottawa Journal  28 December 1936 Winchester Township Farmer Killed by Train Donald Gray's Car Hit by Express On Crossing Near Chesterville. CHESTERVILLE, Ont.. Dec. 28. (Special) Fatally injured when the C.P.R. Montreal-Toronto passenger train struck his stalled automobile on a dangerous level crossing one mile and three-quarters west of Chesterville at 9.45 o'clock today, Donald Gray, 29-year-old Winchester Township farmer, died before he could receive medical assistance. The automobile was carried 500 feet down the track. The accident was witnessed by Harold Windsor, district farmer, who was following Mr. Gray's car westbound along the Winchester-Chesterville boundary road. He noticed the car. with trailer of milk cans attached, stalled on the crossing. There is a double twist to the road, marked by checkerboard signs. But visibility is such that the driver has to look over his shoulder to sight an approaching train. Mr. Windsor thought the driver would have had time to escape from his machine before the collision. Train Hits Car. The train struck the car in the centre on its left side, and carried it down the track. The trailer was broken apart by the impact. The machine was a total wreck. Mr. Windsor pulled Mr. Gray, still living from the wreckage, and drove him to Chesterville. He died on the way to the office of Dr. W. H. Lloyd. Coroner Dr. Peter McLaughlin, Winchester, was summoned, and ordered an inquest, and the body was removed to Dixon's undertaking parlors, Chesterville, where funeral arrangement will be made. Engineer D. Hayes and Conductor J. Phillips, both of Smiths Falls, made a report at that divisional point to A. Williams, C.P.R. superintendent. All crossing signals had been given, and the train had been travelling at 15 miles per hour when the stalled car was noticed. Brakes were applied, but the accident could not be averted. The train was delayed 80 minutes. Ottawa Citizen 11 January 1937 Jury Attaches No Blame In Donald Gray Death CHESTERVILLE, Jan. 10. Recommendation that flashing signals be installed on the approaches to the railway crossing on the Chestervllle-Wlnchester highway, was made here Saturday by a coroner's jury investigating the death of Donald Gray, who was killed on December 28 when his car was struck by a train. The jury attached no blame to anyone for the accident, but it was pointed out that since the highway runs parallel to the track on each side of the crossing, lights should be installed.

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Updated 3 May 2021