Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1955, June 13 - Crossing Accident St. Laurent Boulevard, CPR Montreal and Ottawa sub., one fatality

SCENE OF FATALITY Lumber truck driver Alfred Sickman, 49, of 1346 Alta Vista Drive, was killed Instantly this morning when his truck was hit by a CPR train at the St. Laurent  Boulevard level crossing. Shown above is part of the vehicle which was carried halt a mile down the track by the locomotive. Photo by Newton From the Ottawa Citizen 13 June 1955: Albert Sickman, 49, of 1546 Alta Vista Drive, died instantly this morning when his light truck was struck by the CPR Montreal- Ottawa passenger train. The accident occurred about 11 a.m. at the CPR level crossing on St. Laurent Boulevard  half-a-mlle from Cyrville. Mr. Sickman was driving his 1951 three-quarter-ton truck north on the Boulevard. The train was travelling toward Ottawa, approaching from his right. Going 45 MPH Train crew and one other eyewitness told police the train was travelling 40 to 4S miles per hour and Mr. Sickman's truck approximately 30 miles per hour. The truck was struck just behind the cab in the center of the crossing. Wreckage was strewn for half-a-mlle down track to where the train eventually stopped. Mr. Sickman's body was thrown on swampy ground beside the track on the north side 174 feet from the crossing. The engine, wheels, cab and axles of the truck were strewn along the same side of the right-of-way. The frame of the vehicle dropped off the engine when it braked to a stop 917 yards west of the crossing. In addition to the fireman, William Shorthouse of 173 Daly Avenue, Apt. G. Henry Groulx was the only other eye-witness. Living some 400 feet north-east of the crossing, Mr. Groulx had come to his back door to watch the train pass. He told the police the train whistle was still blowing at the crossing and the bell bad been ringing. He Judged the train speed at 40 to 45 miles an hour. Fireman Shorthouse told police the whistle cord had been pulled down at the time of impact. He had seen Mr. Sickman's truck approaching the crossing and believed it would stop. The train was on top of the truck before he realized anything was wrong. He yelled to engineer Calvin Hyndman, of 55 Starwood Road, City View, when the train hit and the brakes were thrown on immediately. Shortly after the crash, Rev. Jean Brunelle, a Cyrvllle priest, arrived at the scene and administered the last rites of the church. Coroner Dr. W. T, Kendall viewed the body and ordered it removed by Exclusive Ambulance to Civic Hospital for an autopsy, An Inquest will probably be held. Mr. Sickman, employed by the Thibeault Lumber Company on the Montreal Road, was driving a company truck empty at the time of the accident. He is survived by his widow and four children. His widow, recently recovered from a serious operation, was prostrate by the news. The passenger train, No. 503 from Montreal, was held up for more than an hour during police investigation and while wreckage was cleared. Conductor was John Glllan, 75 Hugh Street, Arnprlor.

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Updated 3 November 2019