(USNewsBreak.com) – The rail industry has had a bad year. In February, a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in Ohio, spilling chemicals and forcing an entire town to evacuate while cleanup crews worked to mitigate the impact. In June, an Amtrak train carrying 200 passengers derailed after colliding with a country water truck, injuring 15. Then, a New York City commuter train derailed in August, injuring seven. Yet another recent rail accident is capturing headlines.
On Thursday, November 16, a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Yellow Line train collided with snow-removal equipment. The train carried 31 commuters aboard when the crash occurred, and the incident also involved an additional seven CTA employees — all suffered injuries. Of the 23 people taken to area hospitals, medical teams pronounced three in critical condition, including the train operator. Maria Hadden, a Chicago alderwoman, said some speculated that the conductor might have experienced a medical emergency before the crash, but authorities haven’t confirmed that. The National Transportation Safety Board suggested in early findings that a design problem may have played a role in the crash.
The Chicago Fire Department arrived on the scene and took safety precautions that involved shutting down the power, evacuating all the passengers to emergency services, and changing out all of the tracks.
Chicago commuter train collides into snow removal equipment, 38 injured, 3 critically https://t.co/5cnC8wN6xI
— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 17, 2023
Federal safety officials have launched an investigation, but the probe could take up to a year or longer for investigators to finalize their findings. One of the details they’re looking into is whether the automatic train control system played a factor. This system should help prevent collisions before they occur. Authorities should release a preliminary report in a few weeks.
On the same day, an Amtrak train carrying 200 passengers heading to Chicago from Michigan also derailed after colliding with a tow truck trying to remove a vehicle from the tracks. First responders treated eleven people — 10 passengers and the train conductor — onsite for minor injuries. Train company officials paid to transfer the passengers to a bus to continue the remainder of the trip.
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