Caption: The remains of CN HR616 2105 are seen a day after being in the lead of train 272 when it was involved in a major rear-end collision on the Strathroy Subdivision. The unit was on the point of the eastbound train, when it rear-ended standing manifest 308 at Hyde Park. In turn, the force of the impact pushed train 308 into the rear of train 223, another standing freight which was stopped ahead of it. The collision was enough to derail both 2105 and second unit, LMSX C40-8W 723. The locomotives suffered heavy damage, with 2105 bearing the worst of it. Fortunately, the crews involved escaped with non-life threatening injuries. The LMSX lessor would be repaired, however 2105 was subsequently retired on October 26, 1995 after it was determined the damage was too extensive and it would be too costly to repair the aging locomotive.
Here in this photo, looking west from the Hyde Park Road overpass in London, the derailment cleanup was proceeding. Both the HR616 and LMSX Dash 8-40W 723 are viewed as well as several of the derailed freight cars. The two people in the field taking photos of 2105 are myself and a friend. I didn’t realize that my dad had gotten us in a few of his photos until I scanned the negatives.
In the end, the Transportation Safety Board eventually had determined that the engineer of train 272 had missed a restrictive signal indication west of Hyde Park due to fatigue and was ultimately unable to completely stop as his train approached and struck the stopped 308.