Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area



1961, January 25 - Crossing Accident at Maxville, CNR Alexandria subdivision, one fatality
 



From the Ottawa Citizen 26 January 1961

MAXVILLE (Special) Philip Michaud, 63, of this small community 30 miles north of Cornwall, was killed instantly in a car-train collision last night.
Mr. Michaud's car, a 1960 small sedan, was struck, by the engine of the CNR's "Supercontinental" passenger train about 6.30 p.m. at a level crossing which passes through the town.
He was no more than a five minute drive from his home.
The train consisting of 10 passenger cars and three diesel engines struck the front of the car, and carried it three-quarters of a mile west along the tracks spewing wreckage in its wake, police said.
Mr. Michaud, a painter, was alone in the car. He had just taken his wife, Annie, 58, to the village bus stop and was on his way home when the accident happened.
Eye-witnesses said that the wig-wag signal at the crossing was working at the time of the accident. It was not working after the accident because it was probably hit by a flying piece of the car, police said.
Police. estimated the speed of the train between 60 and 80 miles per hours.
Police thought that Mr. Michaud was thrown clear of his car, but in front of the train, and run over.
Constable Neil Brush of the Maxville detachment of the OPP investigated.



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Updated 8 February 2019