A collision between two commuter trains in Chicago occurred during the cloudy morning rush hour on October 30, 1972, and was the worst such crash in Chicago's history. Illinois Central Gulf Train 416, made up of newly purchased Highliners, overshot the 27th Street station on what is now the Metra Electric Line, and the engineer asked and received permission from the train's conductor to back the train to the platform. This move was then made without the flag protection required by the railroad's rules. The train's crew had not used a flagman before, and while it was a prescribed practice, it had fallen out of use. Instead, the conductor and the engineer worked in concert to back up the train, with the curve in the track partially blocking the view.[1]
Train 416 passed the automatic block signals, which cleared express Train 720, made up of more heavily constructed single level cars, to continue at full speed on the same track. The engineer of the express train did not see the bilevel train backing up until it was too late. When the trains collided, the front car of the express train telescoped the rear car of the bilevel train, killing 45 people and injuring 332.[2][3] The death toll could have been higher, but the accident occurred near Michael Reese Hospital (which later moved) and Mercy Hospital.[4][5]
Later investigations showed that Train 720 likely could have seen the red light for Train 416 and avoided a collision if it was traveling slower (30 mph). It is estimated that Train 720 hit Train 416 at about 44-50 mph.[6]
^Bibel, George (2012-10-07). Train Wreck: The Forensics of Rail Disasters. JHU Press. ISBN 978-1-4214-0590-2.
^"1972, October 30: Illinois Central Commuter Train Crash". Chicago Public Library. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved July 7, 2009.
^Morgan, David P. (January 1973). "7:38 A.M., October 30, 1972". Trains Magazine. 33 (3). Milwaukee, WI: Kalmbach Publishing: 3–6.
^"Survivors mark 50th anniversary of Illinois Central train crash, worst such wreck in Chicago history". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
^Times, Seth S. King Special to The New York (1972-10-31). "44 Die, 320 Hurt as Chicago Commuter Trains Crash". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
^Bibel, George (2012-10-07). Train Wreck: The Forensics of Rail Disasters. JHU Press. ISBN 978-1-4214-0590-2.
and 26 Related for: 1972 Chicago commuter rail crash information
between two commuter trains in Chicago occurred during the cloudy morning rush hour on October 30, 1972, and was the worst such crash in Chicago's history...
existing commuterrail network. The route will service five stations at two existing and three new facilities. Existing stations will be located at Chicago Union...
(reporting mark METX) is the primary commuterrail system in the Chicago metropolitan area serving the city of Chicago and its surrounding suburbs via the...
was the site of Chicago's worst rail disaster, the 1972Chicagocommuterrailcrash. CTA buses 3 King Drive 21 Cermak "CommuterRail System Station Boarding/Alighting...
Authority began to fund the IC Electric commuter service. In 1983, the RTA created Metra, Chicago'scommuterrail service, and in 1987, Metra purchased...
The West Lake Corridor is an under-construction commuterrail line in Lake County, Indiana. New South Shore Line services are planned to connect the towns...
SouthEast Service is a proposed commuterrail line to be operated by Metra, the commuter railroad service for the Chicago metropolitan area. The route of...
plus 163 injured 1972 Gilchrest Road, New York crossing accident; 5 killed plus 46 injured 1972Chicagocommuterrailcrash, Chicago, Illinois; 45 killed...
interurban commuterrail line operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) between Millennium Station in downtown Chicago and the...
The SouthWest Service (SWS) is a Metra commuterrail line, running southwest from Union Station in downtown Chicago, Illinois, to Manhattan, Illinois. Metra...
(/ˈoʊɡəlviː/), on the site of the former Chicago and North Western Terminal, is a commuterrail terminal in downtown Chicago, Illinois. For the last century,...
electrified commuterrail line owned and operated by Metra which connects Millennium Station (formerly Randolph Street Station), in downtown Chicago, with the...
The Rock Island District (RI) is a Metra commuterrail line from Chicago, Illinois, southwest to Joliet. Metra does not refer to its lines by color, but...
The Heritage Corridor (HC) is a Metra commuterrail line in Chicago, Illinois, and its southwestern suburbs, terminating in Joliet, Illinois. While Metra...
The Milwaukee District North Line (MD-N) is a Metra commuterrail line in Chicago, Illinois and its northern suburbs, running from Union Station to Fox...
Green Bay, Milwaukee & Chicago Railroad in 1863, and was acquired by the Chicago and North Western Railway in 1866. Commuterrail services along the line...
The North Central Service (NCS) is a Metra commuterrail line running from Union Station in downtown Chicago through northwestern and far northern suburbs...
is a commuterrail terminal at 414 South LaSalle Street in downtown Chicago. First used as a rail terminal in 1852, it was a major intercity rail terminal...
The BNSF Line is a Metra commuterrail line operated by the BNSF Railway in Chicago and its western suburbs, running from Chicago Union Station to Aurora...
The Milwaukee District West Line (MD-W) is a Metra commuterrail line in Chicago, Illinois, and its western suburbs. Metra does not refer to any of its...
Union Pacific West Line (UP-W) is a Metra commuterrail line operated by Union Pacific Railroad in Chicago, Illinois and its western suburbs. Metra does...
Pacific Northwest Line (UP-NW) is a commuterrail line provided by Metra and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad in Chicago, Illinois and its surrounding...
Metra is the commuterrail system serving the Chicago metropolitan area in the U.S. states of Illinois and Wisconsin, servicing Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake...
Illinois Central Gulf commuterrailcrash: The accidental tripping of a signal at 27th Street Station on the Metra Electric system in Chicago, Illinois, causes...