2023 Chicago train crash explained

2023 Chicago train crash
Time:10:39 a.m. CST
Location:Howard Yard near Howard station
Location City:Chicago, Illinois
Country:United States
Line:CTA Yellow Line
Trains:1
Vehicles:1
Passengers:30
Crew:7
Injuries:16
Damage:$9 million

On November 16, 2023, a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) passenger train collided with maintenance equipment north of Howard station, injuring 16 people.[1] [2]

Accident

At 10:39 a.m. local time (07:50 UTC) on November 16, 2023, a Yellow Line passenger train, carrying 30 passengers and 1 operator, approaching its terminal at Howard station at 26.9mph collided with stopped snow-removal equipment, carrying 6 employees, on the southern track.[3] The front car of the two-car train was partially crushed and derailed.[4] [5] Fifteen ambulances responded to the scene.[6] Of the 37 people aboard both vehicles, 16 were injured, 3 of which were in critical condition.

Service on the Yellow Line was discontinued pending an investigation.[7]

Train

Footage from investigators show that the train involved in the accident was one 5000-series pair, cars 5599 and 5600, and the maintenance vehicle was a Niigata Transys-built diesel snow removal vehicle numbered S-500.[8]

Investigation

The following day, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) started an investigation into the crash.[9] [10] Initial news reports suspected the operator to be incapacitated or in error;[11] however, a preliminary announcement from the NTSB indicated that the CTA had underestimated its trains' braking distance, compounded by the effects of slippery rails.[12] [13]

In a preliminary report released on December 12, 2023, the NTSB found that, at the time of the incident, the snow-removal equipment had stopped 370feet north of a red signal. The passenger train operator received a stop command from the signal system when the train was traveling southbound at approximately 54mph, about 2150feet behind the snow-removal equipment. The operator engaged the brakes and emergency brakes, and the train decelerated to 26.9mph before colliding with the stationary equipment.[14]

Aftermath

Following the incident, service on the Yellow Line was fully closed and replaced with bus service, initially announced to be for a period of five days. Following the release of the NTSB's preliminary report, the CTA announced that it would reduce the speed limit on the Yellow Line from 55mph to 35mph, and to 25mph in the area where the crash occurred.[15] Yellow Line service resumed on January 5, 2024.[16]

See also

External links

NTSB investigation page

Notes and References

  1. News: Goudie . Chuck . Jordan . Karen . Markoff . Bob . Tressel . Christine . 2023-12-12 . NTSB report on CTA Yellow Line train crash that injured 16 says signal equipment not updated . 2024-01-06 . . Chicago . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20231212193510/https://abc7chicago.com/cta-yellow-line-ntsb-national-transportation-safety-board-train-crash/14172040/ . 2023-12-12 . live.
  2. Chicago Transit Authority Yellow Line Train Collision with Snow Removal Machine . . 2024-01-06 . 2023-12-12 . RRD24MR002.
  3. News: 2023-12-12 . NTSB releases first report on November Yellow Line train crash, offering insights behind moments leading up to the incident . 2023-12-31 . . Chicago . https://web.archive.org/web/20231212190648/https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/ntsb-releases-first-report-on-november-yellow-line-train-crash/3301461/ . 2023-12-12 . live . en-US.
  4. News: Cherone . Heather . 2023-11-16 . 23 people injured as CTA train derails near Howard Street station: Officials . . Chicago . live . 2023-12-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231116205409/https://news.wttw.com/2023/11/16/23-people-injured-cta-train-derails-near-howard-street-station-officials . 2023-11-16.
  5. NTSB B Roll – CTA Train Collision with Rail Equipment . 2023-11-18 . . YouTube.
  6. News: Hernandez . Alex V. . 2023-11-20 . 2023-11-16 . At least 23 hospitalized, 3 critically hurt after CTA train crashes near Howard . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231207035905/https://blockclubchicago.org/2023/11/16/breaking-cta-train-derails-near-howard-street-officials-say/ . 2023-12-07 . 2023-12-07 . Block Club Chicago.
  7. News: Sobol . Rosemary . Sherry . Sophie . Heather . Kade . Armentrout . Mitchell . Miller . Violet . 2023-11-17 . ‘Screeching and a bam’: Passengers have no answers on cause of CTA Yellow Line crash . . live . 2023-12-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231118154829/https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/11/17/23965477/chicago-cta-yellow-line-service-suspended-crash-howard-street . 2023-11-18.
  8. Chicago Transit Authority Evaluation of Rail Borne Snow Removal Vehicle (S-500). Final Report . Torres . W. R. . 1988 . National Academy of Sciences.
  9. News: Vinicky . Amanda . 2023-11-17 . National Transportation Safety Board launches investigation into CTA Yellow Line crash . . Chicago . live . 2023-12-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231117224737/https://news.wttw.com/2023/11/17/national-transportation-safety-board-launches-investigation-cta-yellow-line-crash . 2023-11-17.
  10. NTSB Media Brief – Chicago, Illinois CTA Train Collision . 2023-11-17 . . YouTube.
  11. News: Randhawa . PJ . Smyser . Katy . Capitanini . Lisa . 2023-11-16 . Radio traffic sheds light on CTA Yellow Line crash, one of worst in agency's history . . Chicago . live . 2023-12-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231116225109/https://www.nbcchicago.com/investigations/radio-traffic-sheds-light-on-cta-yellow-line-crash-one-of-worst-in-agencys-history/3280505/ . 2023-11-16.
  12. News: Bradley . Ben . 2023-12-20 . Why is the CTA Yellow Line still closed 1 month after crash? . 2023-12-31 . . Chicago . https://web.archive.org/web/20231221013616/https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/why-is-the-cta-yellow-line-still-closed-1-month-after-crash/ . 2023-12-21 . live . en-US.
  13. News: Struett . David . 2023-11-19 . Passengers question role of human error in CTA Yellow Line crash . . live . 2023-12-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231119234218/https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2023/11/19/23967975/cta-yellow-line-crash-ntsb-passengers-question-human-error-in-causing-collision-with-snow-plow . 2023-11-19.
  14. News: Feurer . Todd . 2023-12-12 . Yellow Line driver braked before crash with snow plow, NTSB finds . 2023-12-31 . . Chicago . https://web.archive.org/web/20231212201422/https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/yellow-line-snow-plow-crash-ntsb-preliminary-report/ . 2023-12-12 . live . en-US.
  15. News: Liederman . Mack . 2023-12-14 . CTA To Cut Yellow Line Speeds From 55 To 35 MPH After Crash . 2023-12-31 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20231217134637/https://blockclubchicago.org/2023/12/13/cta-to-cut-yellow-line-speeds-from-55-to-35-mph-after-crash/ . 2023-12-17 . live . en-US.
  16. News: Piekos . Christian . 2024-01-05 . CTA Yellow Line trains back in service for first time since November crash . 2024-01-06 . . Chicago . https://web.archive.org/web/20240105153938/https://abc7chicago.com/cta-yellow-line-chicago-trains-train/14278650/ . 2024-01-05 . live . en.

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