Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1967, May 25 - Canadian Pacific train #85 hits work equipment near Calumet, Lachute subdivision and derails two locomotives.

From Bruce Chapman At 0715, May 25th, 1967. at mp 57.3 Lachute Subdivision, Extra 4069 West (#85) consisting of three D.E. units coupled in multiple-unit control, 24 loads, 10 empties, 2398 tons, travelling at 20 M.P.H., after coming out of a two-degree curve at the bottom of a 1.02 descending grade to the west, struck a lorry, which in turn pushed into a lorry carrying a spike puller - motor car - spike driver - lorry - junior tamper and tie inserter of the tie gang, derailing units 4069 and 8766 and causing damage of nearly $25,000. Extra 4069 West left St. Luc at 0345, and when proceeding towards Calumet, Maintenance of Way flagman, who had taken up a position at mp 55.9 Lachute Subdivision, after placing two sets of torpedoes at least 200 yards east of that point, flagged train and advised crew that tie gang was working east of mp 58.  This information was conveyed to conductor via train radio.  Train then commenced moving and after coming out of a left-hand two degree curve at the bottom of 1.02 descending grade to the west, tie gang was observed and engineman made an emergency application of the brake.  Prior to coming out of the curve, engineman claims he made an eight lb. brake reduction.  At his location, engineman's vision with a type "A" unit is 900 feet.  Train could not be stopped before it contacted and damaged the above-mentioned work equipment. A violation of M. W. Rule 40 (f) was the cause of this collision. Weather: Clear, good visibility, 40F above

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Updated January 2014