Derailment Cleanup Still Underway

Commuters will still feel the effects of the Union Pacific freight train that derailed yesterday.

Metra officials said Friday morning commutes will be delayed by 30 to 50 minutes on inbound Southwest and Heritage lines. After the rush hour, Metra plans to cancel the remainder of their trips on the Southwest line for the day, the Metra website says.

The last of the four derailed locomotives were loaded back onto tracks at around 5 am and crews will be inspecting the tracks for damage.

Several trains were canceled Thursday and others operated behind schedule due to the derailment of two Union Pacific freight trains near Canal Street.

Metra officials say they don't know whether the delays will continue through Friday morning's rush hour.

Crews are currently investigating how the freight locomotives, which were supposed to be decommissioned, rolled out of the rail yard at 18th street. They may have rolled out of the station on their own. Union Pacific were unsure if controls were set properly on the decommissioned trains. HAZMAT teams were dispatched because the locomotive was leaking fluid into the Chicago River.

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No one was injured in the crash and no reason for the derailment has been given.

A Metra spokesman said up to 20,000 commuters use the Southwest line and more than 30 trains run on its rails.




 

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