Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1950, November 15 - Crossing accident Canadian Pacific Carleton Place subdivision at Parkdale Avenue. one injury

From the Ottawa Citizen  16 November 1950 Driver Critically Injured in Car-Train Collision James "Jimmy" Lee, 23-year-old construction worker with the Foundation Company of Ontario, of Chelsea, Que., was critically injured shortly before five o'clock last night, when the car he was driving was struck by an Ottawa-bound CPR passenger train at the Parkdale Avenue level crossing on Scott Street. Rushed to Ottawa Civic Hospital in the Ottawa Fire Department's emergency car, when an ambulance could not be obtained, Mr. Lee was detained with undetermined internal imuries, possible fractures of both legs and deep shock. However hospital authorities later reported his condition as "favorable " Sgt. William Cowan of No. 2 police station, who took charge of the investigation into the accident, reported that Mr Lee was travelling south on Parkdale, when he was struck by the eastbound passenger train. Minutes before, he had left the site of a construction project under taken by the Foundation Company of Canada, near the tracks, on Parkdale Avenue. He had driven his light early model Ford coupe less than a distance of 100 feet, without changing gears, when he was struck by the locomotive. The impact hurled the car, the driver firmly wedged Inside, an estimated distance of 120 feet. It finally came to rest in the ditch, bordering the north side of the tracks. Only with great difficulty were passersby able to pry the injured man, still conscious, loose from the wreckage The eastbound passenger train, slowing down for a quick stop at the Ottawa West Station, just east of Bayview Road, was driven by CPR Engineer James Cummings of 42 Bayswater Avenue. He told police he had sounded his whistle before approaching every one of the string of crossings west of the station and that his bell was sounding continually. His statement was corroborated by his fireman, Donald Heney of 126 Brockville Street, Smiths Falls, CPR Brakeman Bert Scharfe of 67 Smir'e Avenue, and Clifford Trudeau. 1019 Gladstone Avenue, conductor in charge of the train. Constables Hugh Rutherford and Rex Renaud of No. 2 police station, first to arrive at the scene of the near fatality conducted the preliminary investigation and controlled traffic across the CPR right-of-way

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Updated  19 April 2019