(The following appeared on the Chicago Sun-Times website on January 15, 2009.)
CHICAGO — Crews worked throughout the night to repair damages caused by Wednesday’s Amtrak derailment, but minor delays are still expected on Metra trains departing Union Station Thursday morning.
Metra’s Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Heritage Corridor and Southwest trains provide full service Thursday morning, but minor delays are expected as trains depart Union Station because of train traffic congestion, according to Metra’s Web site.
Crews worked throughout the night to repair the damage caused by Wednesday’s Amtrak derailment that impacted service, the site said.
An Amtrak train became “disabled” when the wheels from two cars derailed about 3:20 p.m. just outside the south end of Union Station, Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said. One set of wheels from one car and another set from the following car left the tracks, he said.
The derailment forced all inbound and outbound Metra trains on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe line, the Heritage Corridor to Joliet and the Southwest line to Manhattan to be delayed, Metra spokeswoman Judy Pardonnet said.
No injuries were reported, but Magliari said one person “reported not feeling well.”
Magliari said the disabled train — outbound Southwest Chief No. 3 bound for Kansas City, Albuquerque and L.A. — was restricting track usage into Union Station, reducing track capacity.
Magliari said officials have “no idea” as to the cause of the derailment but were investigating. “No cause is immediately apparent,” he said at 5:30 p.m.