O-Train Line 1 Derailment - September 19, 2021

Story and Photos by David Bellerive.

To this day, the September 19th derailment is the most severe incident to occur on Line 1 since its opening two years ago. It occurred on the westbound track between Tremblay and Hurdman Stations. No injuries were reported from this incident.

A few hours after the derail, I was on-site and took the following pictures. Luckily, no one was injured, but it remains a considerably large incident. Police presence was spread throughout between Tremblay and Hurdman, with most of them located around the train, treating it as a possible crime scene with yellow cords to secure certain segments of tracks. 

At Tremblay station, ballast (rocks) were spread on the end of the platform, a concrete tie cracked (a really uncommon sight on a modern rail line, and a show of considerable stress being applied). 

After Tremblay, ballast was displaced, in addition to a lot of debris along the trackside, though I was unable to identify them. Getting closer to the Riverside Drive overpass, a concrete lid for utilities likely impacted on the trackside showing the momentum of the train. Further debris and ballast can be seen alongside as we get closer to the stopping point. 

During my visit, access to the train was limited, but it was easy to see the scale of the damage: signal box, signage, bogies and their covers... pieces spread and all. A large-scale cleanup and repair job will be needed to rehabilitate the track, and if possible, LRV 1121.