Regular riders of Metra's North Central Line will have to look for another way home Friday afternoon.
Approximately 5,000 Metra riders have been affected by a freight train derailment near Buffalo Grove overnight, which shutdown the entire length of track between Chicago and Antioch.
The derailment coupled with severe weather conditions caused major delays and some cancellations on Metra train lines early Friday and most of those cancellations are expected to continue through Friday night's rush hour.
Several cars of a Canadian National freight train derailed just north of the Buffalo Grove Metra station at about 4 a.m. Friday on tracks also used by Metra's North Central Line. Officials say there were no injuries.
According to the Metra Web site, those trains will not be running for at least the remainder of the day.
A timetable when service will resume has not been determined, spokesman Michael Gillis said.
Gillis said Metra hopes to have trains moving again by Monday morning.
Gillis said Canadian National will clear the scene and repair the tracks this weekend, when no trains are scheduled to run on the line.
“The derailed train is blocking both tracks,” Gillis said. Between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m., the North Central line runs 10 trains between Union Station and far north suburban Antioch, Gillis said.
The alternative line North Central riders were supposed to take, the Milwaukee District North, is also experiencing problems.
The severe weather and switch problems also caused delays early Friday on the Southwest Service, Union Pacific West Line, Milwaukee District West, Metra Electric University Park Branch Line, and BNSF trains, an advisory said.
The Buffalo Grove Fire Department, who is assisting in the derailed CN freight train, issued a hazardous materials response because the train was possibly carrying hazardous chemicals, according to a fire department lieutenant.
CN and Metra share the same tracks near the Buffalo Grove station, Gillis said.
