Orange Line derailment in Loop - 12/19

From the photos I saw on CNN, looks like the train picked a switch... no one hurt, no cars turned over, but trackways blocked.

"Emergency crews are responding to a CTA Orange Line train derailment in the South Loop. A still-and-box alarm was called at 22 E. Roosevelt Rd. about 11:45 a.m. for the train derailment, according to Fire Media Affairs Chief Kevin MacGregor." - Chicago Sun Times

The train derailed south of Roosevelt Road. The last car is sitting crosswise on the track. They're trying to determine if a switch was accidentally activated as there were two transit employees working near the site. They get to pee in a cup.

MetraBNSF wrote:I heard that Green line service was also affected by this incident.

Yep. Green was cut in half, with no service in either direction between 35th and Adams/Wabash.

Just by coincidence, I was on an inbound Metra UP/W train this afternoon, and as we were leaving Oak Park, I noticed a Green line train heading east just out of the Harlem terminal with a destination sign that said "Loop". Didn't think much of it at first, but later on it gave me a funny feeling that something might be wrong. Guess that little voice was right...

Normal service has resume as they fixed the rail ties, and the thhird rail that was damaged because of yesterdays derailment.

According to abc 7 website that the CTA had to replace about 120 railroad ties and about 200 feet of third rail to get the tracks back into service.


Here's the article from channel 7 website below

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?sectio ... id=4864061

Last two cars on CTA elevated train derailNormal service expected Wednesday
By John Garcia

December 19, 2006 (last updated 10:19 p.m.) - Crews are working to get CTA service back on line for the morning commute. Two Orange Line cars derailed south of the Loop near 14th and State about noon Tuesday. Some passengers had to be rescued.


About 24 passengers were evacuated, and eight were taken to area hospitals with minor injuries ranging from "anxiety to a couple bumps and bruises," Fire Commissioner Raymond Orozco said.
About a dozen crew members were still working on the tracks late Tuesday night. They had to replace about 120 railroad ties and about 200 feet of third rail, all of which was damaged when the train came off the tracks Tuesday morning. They planned to work through the night and said they expect to have it all finished in time for Wednesday's morning rush hour.

Crews worked to repair the tracks Tuesday night, trying to get them ready so trains can safely travel through the area Wednesday morning. Meantime, with the section of track shut down, on the ground, passengers are trying to find their way by shuttle bus.

"I need to find out exactly where the bus is taking us, because I am going to Midway, and I really don't know how to get from Archer to wherever they're going," said Debra Jones, commuter.

Joel Southall was headed back to Midway Airport Tuesday evening for a flight home. He already had his share of transportation problems earlier in the day.

"I was in the train behind the one that derailed. So we actually didn't actually know anything that was going on. People on the trained called their friends who saw it from the news helicopters; they told us what was going on. I was an hour late to my job interview," said Joel Southall, commuter.

CTA officials say switching equipment either gave way or was inadvertently activated as the four car train crossed the area of 14th and State causing the derailment.

"It should not be possible for what happened to happen. The fact of the matter is it did happen. The question is, Why did it happen? What can we do to make sure it doesn't happen again?" said Frank Kruesi, CTA president.

When the back wheels of the last car of the four-car Orange Line train came off the tracks late Tuesday morning, they damaged a large section of tracks.

CTA officials say the passengers were never in any danger. They shut off power to the third rail so fire department rescue crews could bring the passengers down from the elevated tracks. By early evening they were able to jack the train back onto the tracks and move it out of the way so they could return the tracks to working condition.

The Orange and Green line train schedule begins Wednesday morning just after 3:30. The CTA expects to run on schedule. They will run rather slowly through the affected area, but beyond that, everything else should be back to normal.

Normal service has resume as they fixed the rail ties, and the thhird rail that was damaged because of yesterdays derailment.

According to abc 7 website that the CTA had to replace about 120 railroad ties and about 200 feet of third rail to get the tracks back into service.


Here's the article from channel 7 website below

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?sectio ... id=4864061

Last two cars on CTA elevated train derailNormal service expected Wednesday
By John Garcia

December 19, 2006 (last updated 10:19 p.m.) - Crews are working to get CTA service back on line for the morning commute. Two Orange Line cars derailed south of the Loop near 14th and State about noon Tuesday. Some passengers had to be rescued.


About 24 passengers were evacuated, and eight were taken to area hospitals with minor injuries ranging from "anxiety to a couple bumps and bruises," Fire Commissioner Raymond Orozco said.
About a dozen crew members were still working on the tracks late Tuesday night. They had to replace about 120 railroad ties and about 200 feet of third rail, all of which was damaged when the train came off the tracks Tuesday morning. They planned to work through the night and said they expect to have it all finished in time for Wednesday's morning rush hour.

Crews worked to repair the tracks Tuesday night, trying to get them ready so trains can safely travel through the area Wednesday morning. Meantime, with the section of track shut down, on the ground, passengers are trying to find their way by shuttle bus.

"I need to find out exactly where the bus is taking us, because I am going to Midway, and I really don't know how to get from Archer to wherever they're going," said Debra Jones, commuter.

Joel Southall was headed back to Midway Airport Tuesday evening for a flight home. He already had his share of transportation problems earlier in the day.

"I was in the train behind the one that derailed. So we actually didn't actually know anything that was going on. People on the trained called their friends who saw it from the news helicopters; they told us what was going on. I was an hour late to my job interview," said Joel Southall, commuter.

CTA officials say switching equipment either gave way or was inadvertently activated as the four car train crossed the area of 14th and State causing the derailment.

"It should not be possible for what happened to happen. The fact of the matter is it did happen. The question is, Why did it happen? What can we do to make sure it doesn't happen again?" said Frank Kruesi, CTA president.

When the back wheels of the last car of the four-car Orange Line train came off the tracks late Tuesday morning, they damaged a large section of tracks.

CTA officials say the passengers were never in any danger. They shut off power to the third rail so fire department rescue crews could bring the passengers down from the elevated tracks. By early evening they were able to jack the train back onto the tracks and move it out of the way so they could return the tracks to working condition.

The Orange and Green line train schedule begins Wednesday morning just after 3:30. The CTA expects to run on schedule. They will run rather slowly through the affected area, but beyond that, everything else should be back to normal.