Head-On

A 22-year-old Canadian National Railways telegrapher was blamed for a violent collision between a transcontinental passenger train and a troop train on Nov. 21, 1950. The head-on crash caused 21 deaths and was British Columbia's deadliest railway accident. The alleged culprit was charged with manslaughter and was very fortunate to be defended by a future Prime Minister of Canada, who gave a bravura courtroom performance. The "not guilty" verdict returned by jurors was an indirect smack at CNR, which was touched with corporate arrogance even while being on the governmental welfare roll....