Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1962, February 25 - CNR freight train derails 30 cars at Lansdowne, Kingston sub., no injuries but station damaged.

Ottawa Citizen Monday 26 February 1962 Brockville.  Derailment Damages CNR Station The railway station at Lansdowne was heavily damaged by a freight-car derailment that blocked the CNR's main line Saturday (sic) morning. Lansdowne is about 20 miles southwest of Brockville. Thirty cars of an 84-car eastbound freight train left the tracks, tearing up 300 yards of roadbed and crashing into the station building.  Damage to the station was estimated at $35,000. Work crews started a clean up at noon Sunday, and expected to restore service on the line which connects Toronto and Montreal this afternoon.  In the meantime, both CNR and CPR traffic were rerouted through Smiths Falls. Passengers for Brockville, Prescott and other river front points completed their trips by bus. From the Ottawa Journal Monday 26 February 1962 CN Freight Derailed Near Brockville BROCKVILLE (Special) A CNR freight train westbound on the main CN line and about 30 cars were derailed Sunday morning at 6.15 in the village of Lansdowne 22 miles west of here. No one was injured. The accident occurred directly in front of the Lansdowne Station. One car flew into the west side of the station causing considerable damage. The people of Lansdowne used to trains were not rudely awakened by the crash. One woman described it as sounding like a snowplow hitting a culvert. Several cars completely leveled two buildings owned by William McConnell, a construction supplier and lumberman. The buildings contained about 50 tons of coal, a large quantity of lumber, bags of cement and $2,000 of roofing shingles. It Is not known how much can be salvaged. Mrs. William McConnell said a derailment happened in 1946 at the same spot leveling two buildings. The. station was not damaged on that occassion. The main road leading Into the village was blocked for several hours. However, residents were able to cross the main CNR line by a village road just east of the .station. Mrs. McConnell said the "buildings have just gone." She said damage may reach $70,000. First person on the seen was John Haffie who heard crash as he was preparing go to work. He roused neighbors behind the station to assist possibly injured. Also on the seen was Ernie Moorehead who notified the McConnells and those adjacent to the accident. R. A. Wilson, in charge of wrecking operations, said the cause of the derailment had not . been determined. Most likely cause is thought to be a hot bearing box. Wrecking hooks from Montreal and Belleville started to clear the track at 10 a.m. Sunday. One track on the line was open at 10 p.m. Freight officials in Brockville said the westbound track has been cleared but were unable to say how long it would take to repair the badly damaged eastbound track. Meanwhile, both east and westbound traffic is being run the one track, they said   See also Heritage Place Museum Lyn

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Updated 28 March 2018