Train Wrecks

A wreck at Canning in 1912

The Dominion Atlantic Railway had their share of accidents, wrecks, incidents and derailments over the years and valley photographers seemed to delight in recording these events and even issuing them as postcards in many cases. Of most interest will be train related events but we will not rule out or fail to list anything else that might have occurred in the "line of duty" on any part or service of the D.A.R.

We also already have a gallery of photos where these events can be seen and we also have many articles that describe the events.

Chronologically

• 1894-01-14 Engineer and fireman killed in snow plow accident at Wilmot
• 1894 July 23 Head on collision with westbound Cherry Carnival Special with 50 passengers hit by eastbound gypsum special at Mount Denson, mile 36.1 of Halifax sub, injuring 5 crew.
• 1894 Nov. 6 Halifax to Kentville freight special with “Kentville” locomotive hits Intercolonial freight in heavy fog beside Windsor Junction water tower, injuring 2 crew.
• 1896 July 14 Flying Bluenose with Locomotive No. 21 and freight with locomotive No. 20 collide head-on at by Wolfville Wharves with one injury.
• 1898 Jan. 1 Train No. 5 hits wagon at Garland’s Crossing near Windsor, killing driver of wagon.
• 1899 Sept. 23 Troop train from Aldershot derails at Mount Uniacke switch, forcing engine over the bank.
• 1900 Oct. 10 Brakeman Isaac Amero falls between cars of ballast train at Hebron, both legs amputated. Later dies in hospital.
• 1901 Aug. 26 DAR locomotive reversing from North Street Station in Halifax hit by arriving Intercolonial Maritime Express passenger train near Richmond Sugar Refinery, injuring ICR firemen.
• 1904 Mar. 4 Digby to Annapolis suburban train hits flat car at which rolled out of siding in storm at Clementsport. Flat car destroyed, engine damaged, no injuries.
• 1904 May 4 Kennetcoot Windsor to Truro mixed train hits lumber flatcar at Higgs Siding just west of Kennetcook. Engine overturns, entire train derails, injuring one.
• 1904 May 12 Annapolis to Yarmouth mixed train derails at Ohio, spilling 50,000 feet of lumber, damaging half mile of track, no injuries.
• 1912-11-09 Kingsport bound train approaching a level crossing at Canning when an axles broke, derailing the locomotive and the baggage car, injuring 2.
• 1913 Sept 9 23-car troop train headed to Camp Aldershot derailed by pusher locomotive on CVR branch in Kentville Railyard, 1 minor injury.
• 1915 July 8 Fire destroys old Kentville Roundhouse and two locomotives inside the sheds, Nos. 12 and 22.
• 1916 July 22 Yarmouth-Middleton mixed train derails at Weymouth water tower, 2 crew badly injured, 1 killed.
• 1916 July 22 Kentville shunting engine kills Mrs. Frank McCaull in Kentville Railyard.
• 1917 Dec. 6 Halifax Explosion kills 4 DAR employees, seriously damages DAR Halifax Freight Shed. DAR medical train is 2nd to bring help to devestated city.
• 1918 Feb. 5 Windsor to Truro train derails at South Maitland, ¼ mile from Shubenacadie Bridge, coach falls into shallow creek, 6 students badly cut.
• 1919-04-05 Locomotive No. 33 derails with a passenger train near Hantsport.
• 1920-10-12, Lower Truro was the scene of a serious fatal accident when Locomotives No. 26 and No. 27 were wrecked after striking livestock.
• 1920s or 30s, A wreck just east of Bridgetown opposite Lew Pulans (sp?) or west of Paradise depending on the version.
• 1921-01-25 Train No. 95 derails at Moschelle at Sawmill creek, 3 miles east of Annapolis Royal.
• 1921 May 7 Westbound passenger & freight express derails at 4 am. Five cars derail in Annapolis Royal Railyard. No injuries.
• 1922 Nov. 15 Engine derails on Train No. 100, the Yarmouth-Halifax night train at Upper Clements. No injuries.
• 1922-05-07-0426, Annapolis Royal railyard wreck in the wee hours of the morning.
• 1923-01-19 Locomotive No. 39 and snowplow wreck at Somerset.

• 1924 April 26 Windsor to Truro freight derails at Clifton grade. Two cars off the track, one badly wrecked. Line cleared after a day.
• 1924 June 30 Halifax to Yarmouth overnight “Fast Freight”, No. 99, derailed at 11:45 pm in Pembertons, 3 miles east of Windsor. All cars left track and engine overturned but no injuries.
• 1924 July 1 Yarmouth-bound Halifax express jumped the rails at Upper Clements. Refrigerator, mail, express, baggage and 2 passenger cars derail. No injuries.
• 1924 Sept. 4 Loco 385 with Truro to Windsor passenger train & over 100 passengers and freight derails mile east of Kennetcook.
• 1924 Dec. 31 Snowplow special wrecked at Beaver Bank. Line blocked until at least Jan 1. DAR passenger trains for Halifax divert through Truro.
• 1925-04-14 Locomotive No. 37 and train derail at Lawrencetown.
• 1928-06, Wreck at North Range
• 1929-07-16, Level crossing accident near Falmouth when eastbound New Yorker hit an automobile killing five members of the Wright family of Wolfville.^[1]
• 1935-07-11, At Pereau a fatal level crossing accident occurred when westbound locomotive No. 39 pulling Train No. 14 struck a car.
• 1936-mm-dd Locomotive No. 33 and passenger cars(s) derail at Falmouth.
• 1944-08-02, Train No. 98 derailed at Mile 3 of the Yarmouth Subdivision near Clementsport.
• 1965-10-29, At Coldbrook, Dayliner No. 9058 involved in an accident with a Burro Crane.
• 1977-02, In February 1977, Dayliner No. 9049 was involved in a level crossing fatality in Windsor, killing a truck driver.^[2]
• 1982-05-30, Engine 8139 & another SW1200 derailed due to track issues in Mantua. Train heading West back to Windsor from Truro

References