Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1979, February 18 - VIA Rail train hits an abandoned car at a crossing, CNR Alexandria sub., no injuries.

Ottawa Journal 19 February 1979 Train crushes car A Via Rail train travelling west of Ottawa from Montreal struck an abandoned car Sunday at Cumberland, delaying it for more than six hours. OPP said the car had been abandoned on the tracks at Concession Nine after It had been reported stolen by the owner in Sarsfleld. There were no Injuries on the train, which was delayed until 7: 35 a.m. while repairs were made to the railway bed. Ottawa Citizen 19 February 1979 Train demolishes stolen car left abandoned on crossing An Ottawa-bound VIA passenger train was delayed more than six hours early Sunday after it slammed into a stolen car abandoned on the tracks at Regional Road 31 near Carlsbad Springs. None of the estimated 100 passengers aboard the train were injured. CN officials speculated the thieves of the late-model Gremlin either walked away from the car after it stalled on the track, or deliberately parked it there. The accident, involving train number 139 from Montreal, occurred just after 1 a.m. Rockland OPP reported the car had been stolen only hours earlier from Marilyn Laplante of RR1, Sarsfield. The car, struck at the left front fender, was reduced to a twisted mass of steel and upholstery, with the steering wheel virtually driven into the right-hand corner of the rear seat. It was dragged nearly a kilometre down the track before the train was able to stop. The train, which received slight front-end damage, was due at Ottawa station at 1:20 a.m. but didn't arrive until 7:35 a.m. Passengers whiled away the time by sleeping, playing cards or drinking coffee. J. P. Paquette, 22, of Aylmer, sitting in the second passenger car behind the engine, said he heard a loud "thump" and realized the train was dragging whatever it had struck. "I felt quite a few bumps it was as if the whole car was jumping up and down a bit." Police are continuing their search for the driver.

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Updated 2 June 2020