Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1972, January 7 - 22 freight cars derailed on the CNR Kingston Sub east of Long Sault.

From Ottawa Journal January 7, 1972 CN freight train derailed, 22 cars blocking main line A train derailment early today near Long Sault spilled 22 cars of an 84-car Canadian  National freight train across both east and west CN mainlines between Toronto and Montreal. The wreckage is expected to make the tracks impassable for at least 24 hours. The accident took place about 1.30 a.m., 350 feet east of the abandoned Long Sault station and one-half mile north of the village itself. Long Sault is eight miles west of Cornwall. No one was injured. Three tanker cars containing propane gas were among those derailed and at first it was believed  their cargo was leaking. OPP Long Sault cordoned off the area but Earl Woito, a CN track supervisor, reported late this morning that there was "no leakage at all." Cause of the accident is not known. Sources at the scene pointed out that the Long Sault station is not in operation so the accident could not have occurred while the train was being backed onto a spur line. At the same time, the sources did not believe the train jumped the track of its own accord because the track is a straight-away. A similar accident occurred at the same location last year, Mr. Woito said it was caused by a broken axle on one of the cars. Two cranes were being used at the scene of today's derailment to lift the wrecked cars from the tracks. While that is being done, Montreal-Toronto traffic is being re-routed  from-Brockville to Dorval via Smiths Falls. The Rapido between the two cities will be going the entire route on Canadian Pacific tracks. A CN dispatcher in Belleville estimated that trains could be delayed as much as two hours by the re-routing. Total damage to the derailed train could not be estimated this morning but Mr. Woito said a lor of empty cars were involved In the accident. The train was en route from Toronto to Montreal. Ottawa Citizen 7 January 1972 CNR main line closed at Long Sault after freight train jumps the tracks LONG SAULT (Staff) Twenty-two cars of an 84-car Canadian National freight train were derailed near here 1.30 a.m. today, ripping up track and closing both east and west Toronto-Montreal lines until at least noon Saturday. No one was injured in the accident in which a car near the end of the eastbound freight jumped the rails and pulled 21 other cars off the tracks. Only about half of the cars were loaded. Three tank cars loaded with propane gas were cordoned off shortly after the accident in fear of an explosion but a railway spokesman said later in the morning there was no danger since none of the cars was leaking. Rapido late Passenger and freight trains between Toronto and Montreal are being re-routed over Canadian Pacific tracks through Smiths Falls and are running up to BO minutes behind schedule. The Rapido, a fast passenger train between Toronto and Montreal, is expected to run about 30 minutes late until the CN line is cleared. Cranes arrived at the accident scene about 5 a.m. and crews expect to have one line cleared by noon. Saturday. The second line should be repaired by Sunday. It is the second time a CN train has been derailed here in little more than a year. Last January track was torn up in almost the same location, about 400 feet east of the old Long Sault railway station. Railway officials have found no cause for today's derailment in which the locomotive and 62 cars continued down the track several hundred feet before stopping. Ontario provincial police and ponce are investigating. Ottawa Citizen 10 January 1972 CN Toronto-Montreal main line back in use. The Canadian National main line between Toronto and Montreal is back in use today after 22 cars of an 84-car freight train derailed Friday and ripped up several hundred feet of track. A CN spokesman, said today the westbound line was re-opened at 7 p.m. Friday, 17 hours after the eastbound freight derailed. Railway officials have not yet determined the cause of the accident which forced rerouting of trains over Canadian Pacific tracks through Smiths Falls. The eastbound line was reopened early Saturday and freight and the passenger service returned to normal.

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Updated 20 April 2020