A fatal crash in Western Springs halted BNSF Metra service through Downers Grove for hours Wednesday, Nov. 11. An Amtrak train struck a car at a grade crossing, killing two people and forcing significant cancellations into the evening commute.
The collision happened at approximately 8:10 a.m. at the Wolf Road crossing near the Western Springs Metra station, according to Michael Gillis, a Metra representative, as reported by Shaw Local. The westbound Amtrak train No. 381, known as the Carl Sandburg, was traveling from Chicago to Quincy when it collided with a southbound vehicle, according to Trains.com.
Two people in the vehicle died. The Village of Western Springs confirmed the deaths in a press release, according to Trains.com. A third person was transported to Loyola Hospital in Maywood with severe injuries, Trains.com reported.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office had not released the victims' names as of about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Shaw Local reported. One person was also transported to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
None of the 35 passengers and crew aboard the Amtrak train were hurt, Amtrak said in a statement. The railroad provided a bus to carry passengers the rest of the route to Quincy.
How Downers Grove-area riders were affected
The BNSF line carries the highest ridership in the Metra system, with 95 weekday trains scheduled, according to Trains.com. The crash site sits between the Western Springs and LaGrange Stone Avenue stations, blocking a stretch of track that all BNSF trains pass through, including those serving Downers Grove.
All BNSF trains remained stopped as of 11 a.m. Wednesday, Shaw Local reported. Gillis said it was unclear when the tracks would reopen and that more cancellations were expected throughout the day.
By Wednesday afternoon, Metra resumed service on two of the line's three tracks, Trains.com reported. But the agency cautioned riders to expect significant delays and cancellations into the evening rush.
Metra canceled at least 11 trains Wednesday, with outbound cancellations extending as late as 6:10 p.m., according to Trains.com. Trains scheduled to depart Chicago between 5:05 and 6:05 p.m. were still slated to operate.
Earlier in the day, Metra ran limited service between LaGrange Stone Avenue and Union Station downtown, and between Hinsdale and Aurora. Two Pace buses filled the gap between the Hinsdale and LaGrange stations, Gillis said, according to Shaw Local.
Metra warned passengers that crowding on remaining trains could be severe and advised riders to plan on alternate transportation if possible, the Sun-Times reported.
Scene and investigation
The Western Springs Police Department posted on social media at 8:36 a.m. that the Wolf Road crossing was closed "due to an accident" and told people to avoid the area, Shaw Local reported.
As of 2:20 p.m. Wednesday, Western Springs said all grade crossings near the crash scene had reopened, according to Trains.com. Several law enforcement and emergency response teams were on scene as the investigation continued, the Sun-Times reported.
The evening's eastbound Carl Sandburg from Quincy to Chicago was canceled, and Amtrak said it was attempting to arrange alternate bus transportation for that route, according to Trains.com.
