Metra Trains Delayed After Derailment

Chicago - The morning commute might be a sticky one for many Metra riders after a Thursday morning freight train derailment just south of Union Station prompted the suspension of a number of Southwest Service trains.

Metra canceled nine trains on the Southwest Service line because of the Union Pacific freight train derailment, which happened at 8:53 a.m. near 18th and Lumber streets.

Service was suspended for Metra trains No. 807, 811, 822, 826, 827, 837, 836, 842 and 830, according to spokesman Michael Gillis.

Emergency crews responded to the derailment near 18th and Lumber streets at 8:53 a.m., according to Fire Media Affairs Chief Kevin MacGregor, who said no passengers were aboard the train and there were no reports of injury. A HazMat response, due to a minor fuel leak in the Chicago River, was secured at 9:45 a.m.

Four Union Pacific locomotives on the eight-car train rolled from a railyard at Canal Street, according to Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis.

“Two of the locomotives had a couple of wheels off the rail and two others were leaning slightly off the tracks,” Davis said.

A rail worker at the scene said workers had gotten off the train and, for some reason, did not set the brake properly. Something went wrong and the train started rolling down a hill and hit a derail, which was intended to stop the train but did not work.

The derailment immediately blocked two Southwest Service trains, No. 812 and 818. All affected Metra trains were either leaving from the 179th Street station in Orland Park and heading to Union Station or heading back to Orland Park from Union Station, Gillis said.

The incident also prompted delays for three Amtrak trains from the East Coast. Two trains were heading from New York and one from Washington, D.C., according to Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari. The trains will be detoured and should be able to make connections to the West Coast.

Magliari said passengers traveling on the Amtrak Lincoln Service line from St. Louis and the Wolverine Service from Michigan were also affected.

Davis said it was unclear what caused the derailment and said once they’re able to lift the cars, engineers will investigate.