Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1939, July 30 - Gatineau train delayed by mud slide.

Ottawa Citizen  31 July 1939 Gatineau Train Delayed. With the line blocked by a mud slide north of Tenaga during the early hours of Sunday morning the Ottawa-Maniwaki C.P.R. passenger train left the Capital nearly three hours behind schedule. In addition several small washouts occurred and before the train was allowed to leave, according to railway officials, a complete patrol of the line was carried out. With the mud slide the railway was blocked for about 150 feet and to a depth of about six feet. When the blockade was reported a special train with special equipment and workmen was despatched from Smiths Falls under the direction of W. C. Beck, divisional superintendent. A snow plow was pressed into service and with that the stretch of tracks was sufficiently cleared to allow a locomotive to pass. This was followed up by a spreader which pushed the accumulation of mud and loose earth back still further. It was further north along the line that the washouts occurred. None of them was serious, officials stated, but to assure the protection of railway patrons against, accident, all were attended to and repairs made. It was stated that the rainfall which continued almost without intermission since Friday afternoon, was particularly heavy in the Gatlneau district. There have been slides on previous occasions along the railway line into the Gatineau but these occurred some distance further north of the scene of yesterday's blockade.

Return to Main Page of Railway Accidents

Updated 4 July 2021