2005 Metra Rock Island derailment

2005 train derailment May 2026 May 2026 2005 Metra Rock Island derailment 41.8089 -87.6289 type:event_region:US-IL it September 27, 2005 8:35 a.m. local time (14:35 UTC) Chicago, Illinois, US United States Rock Island District Metra Derailment Overspeed through interlocking 1 185 4 2 83 On September 17, 2005, Metra's Rock Island District train No. 504 derailed on approach to LaSalle Street Station in downtown Chicago, Illinois, United States. Arriving from Joliet Union Station, the train was carrying 185 passengers and four crew members; two people were killed and 83 were injured.https://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/09/17/chicago.train/index.html One dead, dozens hurt in derailment CNN September 17, 2005 May 26, 2026 November 17, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231117033624/http://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/09/17/chicago.train/index.html livehttps://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/29612/dot_29612_DS1.pdf Accident Report of Chicago Metra Commuter Train Derailment on September 17, 2005 US Department of Transportation Kristine Severson Dan Parent May 26, 2026 Background Rock Island District The Rock Island District is a Metra commuter rail line from Chicago, Illinois, southwest to Joliet.Did you know? On the Bi-Level June 2009 http://metrarail.com/content/dam/metra/documents/Bi_Level/OTBLJune09.pdf 3 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20100102070558/http://metrarail.com/content/dam/metra/documents/Bi_Level/OTBLJune09.pdf 2010-01-02 In 2003, a similar derailment occurred at the same crossover, injuring 45 people.https://www.chicagotribune.com/2006/12/22/human-error-metra-blamed-in-2005-crash/ Human error, Metra blamed in 2005 crash Ray Quintanilla Richard Wronski Chicago Tribune December 22, 2006 May 29, 2026 February 4, 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150204033830/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2006-12-22/news/0612220083_1_human-error-metra-train live Accident Train No. 504 departed Joliet's Union Station on time at 7:24 a.m. (CST) en route to downtown Chicago. At approximately 8:35 a.m., the train violently derailed near Metra's 47th Street Yard south of downtown. The train sustained damage along the sides of the first three coaches, though it was not reported to be severe. The fourth coach struck a nearby bridge girder, causing significant damage to the right front section of the car body. The fifth coach, which was unoccupied, was decoupled at the front by the force of the impact, and ultimately scraped along the barrier wall of the same bridge. Emergency crews consisting of dozens of ambulances and Life Flight helicopters rushed to the scene. Investigation The accident was investigated by the United States Department of Transportation's Rail Accident Forensic Team and the National Transportation Safety Board. The derailment was determined to have been caused by the train attempting to negotiate a slow-speed interlocking, where it should have only been traveling at 10 mph km/h m/s, at 69 mph km/h m/s, nearly seven times the allowed speed.https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/RAB0607.pdf DCA-05-MR-013 National Transportation Safety Board May 26, 2026 May 26, 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20260526152710/https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/RAB0607.pdf live Positive train control, automated technology that can prevent such accidents from occurring, was not yet universal.https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R42637 Positive Train Control (PTC): Overview and Policy Issues Congress.gov September 4, 2018 John Frittelli May 29, 2026https://railroads.dot.gov/elibrary/fra-inaugurates-new-era-rail-safety-approval-first-positive-train-control-system-developed FRA Inaugurates 'New Era of Rail Safety' with Approval of First Positive Train Control System Developed Under New Regulations January 8, 2007 US Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration May 29, 2026 May 29, 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20260529073306/https://railroads.dot.gov/elibrary/fra-inaugurates-new-era-rail-safety-approval-first-positive-train-control-system-developed live The report cited human error as the cause for the crash, blaming one of Metra's engineers for failing to heed crucial warnings, and also blamed the agency's lack of a support system to override human error. References Category:2005 in Chicago Category:Accidents and incidents involving Metra Category:Derailments in the United States Category:Railway accidents and incidents in Illinois Category:Railway accidents in 2005 Category:September 2005 in the United States