1993 South Shore Line collision

Railway accident in Indiana in 1993 1993 South Shore Line collision 1993 South Shore Line crash KUTV.jpeg 1993 01 18 9:34 a.m. CST Gary, Indiana United States South Shore Line (Lakeshore Corridor) Head-on collision Operator error 2 7 (4 on eastbound train, 3 on westbound train) 70 $854,000 On January 18, 1993, two South Shore Line trains collided head-on in Gary, Indiana, killing 7 people and injuring 70 people.Railroad Accident Report: Collision between Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District Eastbound train 7 and Westbound train 12 near Gary, Indiana, on January 18, 1993 https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/RAR9303.pdf National Transportation Safety Board https://web.archive.org/web/20240713172144/https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/RAR9303.pdf July 13, 2024 Background The trains operated on the South Shore Line, an electric interurban railway operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD). Train 7 departed Chicago at 8:45 am bound for South Bend, consisting of two cars. Train 12 departed South Bend at 8:06 am bound for Chicago, consisting of three cars.7 Killed, 40 Injured In Gary Rail Crash https://www.chicagotribune.com/1993/01/18/7-killed-40-injured-in-gary-rail-crash/ Chicago Tribune 8 January 2025 18 January 1993 All five railcars were passenger electric multiple units built by Nippon Sharyo between 1981 and 1983.January 2025 A total of approximately 100 passengers were on board both trains, a lower than typical number due to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday.Walsh Edward 7 Die As Two Trains Collide in Indiana The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1993/01/19/7-die-as-two-trains-collide-in-indiana/90894ffa-6dcd-4250-8bf6-8a85314eed2c/ Crew Train 7 was operated by David Riordan. He had worked for the South Shore Line as a dispatcher and later an engineer. In a prior minor head-on collision accident in 1985, Riordan was working as a dispatcher and later reprimanded for failure to properly coordinate the movement of the two trains involved. While working as an engineer prior to the 1993 head-on collision, he has previously been reprimanded for speeding, failing to sound a horn at grade crossings, improper radio communications procedures, etc.Crash on the South Shore. Final report confirms crash was https://www.nwitimes.com/uncategorized/crash-on-the-south-shore-final-report-confirms-crash-was/article_f9a61443-f2dd-5dbb-9d18-bf45edc10102.html The Times of Northwest Indiana 9 January 2025 en 8 December 1993 Train 12 was operated by Willard Blewett. He was an experienced senior motorman, having been promoted to engineer since 1956. There were no known violations on his employee record for at least three years preceding the accident. Investigation and cause Riordan of train 7 failed to stop at a red stop signal, the lead cause to this accident. Blewett of train 12 did not apply emergency braking until impact, despite noticing danger.Both engineers fired following fatal train collision - UPI Archives https://www.upi.com/Archives/1993/02/19/Both-engineers-fired-following-fatal-train-collision/9349730098000/ United Press International 8 January 2025 en As both engineers were considered partly at fault, both engineers were fired following investigation. The NTSB also suggested that the accident could have been if positive train control (PTC) was implemented. The NICTD eventually implemented PTC 25 years later in 2018.Zorn Tim More than 20 years after crash killed 7, automated braking coming to South Shore https://indianaeconomicdigest.net/MobileContent/Most-Recent/Foreign-Investment-in-Indiana/Article/More-than-20-years-after-crash-killed-7-automated-braking-coming-to-South-Shore/31/285/85532 Indiana Economic Digest Indiana Business Research Center 9 January 2025 en-usSchulte Sarah South Shore trains' safety upgrade aims to prevent collisions, derailments https://abc7chicago.com/south-shore-trains-indiana-safety-positive-train-control/3320995/ ABC7 Chicago American Broadcasting Company 9 January 2025 en See also 1972 Chicago commuter rail crash References Category:South Shore Line Category:Railway accidents in 1993 Category:1993 in Indiana Category:1993 disasters in the United States