Amtrak Hits Vehicle in Riverside, BNSF Trains Stopped

Metra’s BNSF line trains stopped between Chicago and Aurora

An Amtrak train struck a vehicle near Harlem Avenue on the border of west suburban Riverside and Berwyn on Thursday, injuring a woman and bringing Metra BNSF line trains to a halt.

The Amtrak train was running on the BNSF tracks when it hit a vehicle near Harlem Avenue about 2:30 p.m., Metra spokesman Michael Gillis said.

Riverside Police Chief Tom Weitzel said a woman and her dog were in the car when it became stuck on the tracks.

Weitzel said the woman was able to back up slightly when she saw the train as the gates came down.

The woman was transported with non-life threatening injuries to MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn. No other injuries were reported.

Police believe it was the slight move that saved her life.

Metra’s BNSF line trains between Chicago and Aurora use those same tracks, and are currently stopped, the rail agency said. The crash happened near the Harlem Metra station in Riverside.

BNSF trains may be delayed between 30 and 60 minutes, Metra said.

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