Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1982, June 21 - Two cars of a VIA train derail at Johnstown, CNR, Kingston sub., no injuries

Ottawa Citizen 22 June 1982 VIA train loses car JOHNSTOWN -Mechanical failure is believed the cause of a derailment here Monday involving one car from a Toronto-bound VIA passenger train. Ontario Provincial Police from nearby Prescott said 69-year-old Laura Leviolette of Hamilton suffered minor injuries in the 12:45 p.m. derailment. Leviolette was able to continue the Montreal to Toronto trip after another VIA passenger train picked up the passengers. Woman hurt in train derailment JOHNSTOWN Mechanical failure is believed the cause of a derailment here Monday involving one car from a Toronto-bound VIA passenger train. Ontario Provincial Police from nearby Prescott said 69-year-old Laura Leviolette, of Hamilton, suffered minor injuries in the 12:45 p.m. derailment, but refused medical attention. Leviolette was able to continue the Montreal to Toronto trip after another VIA passenger train arrived at the scene. Prescott OPP said the derailed car went off the track, but didn't flip over. Bytown Railway Society Branchline July-August 1982 The last two coaches of VIA train 63, numbers 5641 and 5471 what derailed at high speed on June 26th [sic] at mile 111 of CN'ss Kingston subdivision. The cars left the track just west of the highway 16 overpass, then rode the overturned north rail for approximately one mile. During thir rather bumpy trip, they destroyed a mile of track, tore the deck off a small bridge, destroyed the Frederick Street crossing, tore out both dragging equipment and hot box detectors, and damaged an instrument shed. The last car ended up with its rear truck firmly planted in the south ditch. Injuries were quite minor. The train crew wanted to have one lady admitted to hospital but she refused. One other passenger, riding in the last car leaving the Brockville, had a heart attack and was sent to hospital. This incident may or may not be related to the derailment. Following the incident, the errant cars were uncoupled and the train continued on its way less than 2 hours late. Two cranes were dispatched to the scene. Mobile wrecker RC 10792, from Montreal, rolled in off Highway 401 in the early evening. Track crane 50408 which was in MOW service near Cornwall, was ordered to leave its duties there and run down to the derailment site as soon as possible in the evening.  I was unable to witness the rerailing operation so I cannot report on it. The two coaches were brought in to Brookville, where they will stay until investigation of the derailment is complete. The Brockville CN car Department changed all eight wheel sets on June 28th. Cause of the derailment is still very much in doubt, and officials are reluctant to speculate on what actually happened. The grapevine indicates that one very possible cause is that a generator drive shaft broke loose, getting under the wheels and lifting them from the rail. Apparently marks on the ties suggest something was bounding along with a rotary motion. VIA officials say the two coaches involved will be totally rebuilt before they are released for service. (S.H.)

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Updated 20 June 2020