Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1978, August 23 - Crossing accident at Cedarview Road, Canadian National Smiths Falls subdivision, one fatality

Ottawa Citizen 24 August 1978 Skid marks show truck bid to stop By Ralph Wilson Citizen staff writer . Nepean police say the truck driver killed in a collision with a Via Rail passenger train Wednesday, was unable to stop when he tried to brake to avoid hitting the westbound train. Osgoode Sand and Gravel driver Dale Blaney, 31, of 1921 Saunderson Dr., was dead on arrival at Queensway-Carlcton hospital. He is survived by his wife, Peggy and two children. Nepean police Sergeant Wayne Phillips said there were "extremely heavy skid marks" on the north side of the Cedarview Road level crossing, indicating the driver was aware the train was in his path. It's not known how fast Blaney was travelling when he hit the train. The posted speed limit is 80 kilometres per hour and Via Rail officials said the train was travelling about 40 kilometres per hour. Trains do not usually accelerate until out of municipal limits. The empty truck, travelling south, apparently slammed into the side of the second engine and rolled into a gully bordering the tracks. Blaney was trapped inside the truck's cab for several minutes. Police used cutting equipment to free him from the crumpled wreck. The truck also ripped the railway signal box away from the side of the tracks and the audible signal was still ringing long after the accident. Both police and railway investigators are attempting to determine the cause of the collision. Farmer Sam McKenna, who has lived on Cedarview Road near the crossing all of his life, said there has never been an accident at the crossing before. After the collision the passenger train was hauled back to Union Station and the Toronto-bound passengers transferrd to buses. Repairs to the tracks were completed by late afternnoon. The damage from the accident is estimated at $300,000. Nepean Reeve Andrew Haydon said there have been no proposals to contruct a grade separation-  an overpass or underpass - at the level crossing. Ottawa Journal 24 August 1978 Truck-train crash kills man A 31 year-old truck driver died in (he wreckage of his vehicle after a collision with a CN passenger train on Cedarview Road about 10 a.m. Wednesday. Nepean police said Dale Bllaney. 31, 1921 Saunderson Dr., an employee of Osgoode Sand and Grave!, died shortly after his truck collided with the train about I½ miles south of the Fallowficld Road. The victim was apparently still alive in the gravel truck after the crash but efforts bv police and firefighters to free him while he was slill living failed. Police said there were no injuries to passengers or operators on the train. The impact spewed pieces of twisted metal from the truck over a wide area and caused the gas tank on the truck to erupt. Nepean firefighters hosed down (he area while rescue attempts were being made. The (rain was a CN passenger bound from Ottawa to Toronto. The wreckage forced the closing of the line for "more than four hours.

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Updated 1 June 2020