(The Associated Press circulated the following article on November 25.)
MOMENCE, Ill. — Two freight trains collided Thursday in this small town south of Chicago and forced the evacuation of some streets down wind of the tracks because of a leaking rail car, authorities said.
Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis said two houses were evacuated because of the spill of grain alcohol, which can be flammable. The Kankakee County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency said the spill was contained. Three minor injuries to crew members also were reported.
The collision between a southbound Union Pacific train and an eastbound Norfolk Southern train happened about 7:45 a.m. about 55 miles south of Chicago.
The Union Pacific train was headed to Little Rock, Ark., when it struck the side of the Norfolk Southern train, which was headed to Pittsburgh, Davis said.
None of the crew on the 90-car Norfolk Southern train was injured, said company spokesman Rudy Husband.
Two locomotives and 14 rail cars on the Union Pacific train derailed and the collision sent three locomotives and 31 rail cars from the Norfolk Southern train off the tracks, Davis said.
The cause of the crash was under investigation, Davis said.
He said crews would work through the night Thursday to reopen the affected stretch of track today.