(The following report appeared on the News-Gazette website on May 23.)
TUSCOLA, Ill. — A railroad employee was listed in critical condition this morning after a railroad accident in Tuscola on Monday.
According to James Barnes, director of media information for the Union Pacific Railroad, railroad employee Tim Chambers, 56, was at work at 12:09 a.m. at 920 E. U.S. 36 in Tuscola when the incident happened.
Douglas County Sheriff Charlie McGrew said that, while he doesn’t know Chambers’ hometown, he is from Texas. Barnes refused to give Chamber’s hometown, citing federal privacy laws.
According to a sheriff’s report, Tuscola firefighters, a rescue crew and sheriff’s deputies were called to the scene at 12:15 a.m. and arrived a few minutes later.
McGrew said railroad workers told deputies Chambers was checking a train when another southbound train passed by him.
“The force of the southbound train going by pushed him into the train,” McGrew said. “He was blown into his own train, causing his injuries.”
Chambers was taken by helicopter to Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, where he was listed in critical condition this morning.
Barnes said he could not provide more specific information about what Chambers was doing at the time of the incident.
Both McGrew and Barnes said no other persons were injured.
“The incident in under investigation,” Barnes said. “Whenever there is an incident involving an employee, we perform our own investigation.”
McGrew said the sheriff’s office doesn’t typically investigate work-related injuries unless there is reason to believe there was criminal activity.
Barnes said regular operations have resumed for the railroad on the Tuscola line.