CNN Reporting - Train derailment in Chicago

[Sydnie]

76 passengers injured, one confirmed dead

It was a commuter rail. Not much more info yet.

[Walt Starr]

1. Happened at 8:36 this morning. MEtra train from Joliet. One dead

dozen injured.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/17/train.derailment.ap/index.html

No information on whether it was the Heritage Corridor line or the Rock Island District Line. Both run out of Joliet.

[Walt Starr]

2. Chicago Fire Department press briefing now on CLTV

Appened at 47th and Federal.

Bussed walking wounded to non-trauma hospitals and used ambulances for for trauma patient.

Sounds like it was the Rock Island Line...

[KharmaTrain]

3. No Local TV Coverage...Sheesh

I just scanned the local channels...they're all in local programming. Only CNN appears to be covering this.

From what I'm hearing there was some kind of track failure. Thank goodness this didn't happen during the weekdays. That route is one of the most heavily traveled.

[Walt Starr]

5. CLTV has live news conference rright now. n/t

[KharmaTrain]

7. Thanks...Got It On

I'm pissed the Sox game isn't on today.

Those are real old tracks...some of those go back 100 to 150 years.

[Walt Starr]

4. Used CTA to move non critical patients and non-injured persons n/t

[Walt Starr]

6. Sounds like 23 critically injured... n/t

[Walt Starr]

8. Based on timing of incident, probably Rock Island District Line train 504

which would have left Joliet at 7:24 AM:

http://metrarail.com/Sched/ri/ri_sai.shtml

I don't see how it could be any other train based upon the given information.

[KharmaTrain]

9. Derailment at 47th & Federal

Thoes are real old tracks. Not far from the "Back Of The Yards" area and the old stock yards.

Looks like things are under control...NTSB has been notified to investigate...and the line should be fully operational by Monday.

[Walt Starr]

10. This line had a similar derailment a few years back.

No word on the cause of this derailment.

[KharmaTrain]

11. I Remember The One In '72...I Think That Was The South Shore

Usually this happens in bad weather. Hopefully the NTSB will find out...one of the few Federal agencies I still have confidence in.

[KharmaTrain]

12. CLTV: 76 Injured...1 Fatal

[Walt Starr]

13. CLTV says it was the 404

But there is no 404 Train on Saturdays.

This was the 504 which left Joliet at 7:24

http://metrarail.com/Sched/ri/ri_sai.shtml

[Sydnie]

14. Yet another blow to our transportation infrastructure

I have been wondering if this could have been one of the reasons that they didn't want to use Amtrack for the evacuations in NO. With trains becoming more and more about moving product and not people, and with the devastating budget assistance cuts to Amtrack, should we brace ourselves for more stories like this?

Not familiar with the transit system in Chicago, was this a local metro type train or a commuter type Amtrack train?

[marions ghost]

16. right...

it's pathetic that we can't maintain a good train system in America. We need all the ground transportation and mass transit we can get.
This has not been a choice made by the public--good train systems have been deliberately denied, to keep us oil-dependent.

[Deja Q]

15. 917?