Nov 2, 2009 1:50 pm US/Central
North Suburban Derailment Makes For Bad Commute
2 Freight Trains Collided On Northbrook-Glenview Border
NORTHBROOK, Ill. (CBS) ―
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Two freight trains derailed on the border between Northbrook and Glenview, Ill.
CBS
The commute is getting off to a bad start for commuters in Northbrook and Glenview Monday, where train cars are overturned and in some cases, on the road from a weekend derailment.
As CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli reports,
the derailment of two Canadian Pacific freight trains happened just after 3 p.m. Sunday, near the Northbrook-Glenview border.
Eighteen cars derailed south of Willow Road and north of the Shermer Road bridge. A southbound train derailed and collided with a passing northbound train, causing it to derail as well, according to Northbrook officials.
Witnesses reported hearing a loud screeching followed by a tremendous bang.
"I went under the viaduct, and about maybe two minutes after I left the viaduct, I heard a loud bang," said witness Ellen Hofman. "I saw smoke. It was just a tremendous amount of smoke. But I first had heard a loud crash."
Then Hofman realized how lucky she was to have survived the derailment. because she'd just driven through this viaduct about a minute before a rail car plummeted into her lane.
"I just literally passed the viaduct before the crash. So I feel blessed that I'm still here," said Hofman.
The cars were carrying clay and grain which spilled from some of the overturned cars. No hazardous materials were on board and there were no injuries to report from train operators or area residents.
As bad as it was, fire investigators say it could have been much worse.
"Fortunately, it happened in an area where really there were no people," said Northbrook Fire Chief Mark Nolan.
Northbrook Deputy Fire Chief Ron Schinleber said damaged train cars were bumped off the tracks on both sides of Shermer and were resting on the viaduct over the road as well. The wreckage covered four blocks.
The southbound train had 14 cars come off the track, and the northbound train lost four, according to Northbrook Fire Department Deputy Chief Jim Richards.
Between both trains, there were three people on board and no injuries reported, Richards said.
The grain could be seen spilling from some of the overturned freight cars after the wreck.
"I'm sure the geese will love it," Northbrook Village President Sandra Frum said.
Richards said that if anything else was on the trains, it was not spotted on the scene. "There is grain everywhere," Richards said. "If it had been sand we could have had a nice beach."
The cleanup is likely to take days as rail companies work to pull massive cars from the railroad and from the embankments where they came to rest.
It will mean little rest for clean-up crews and investigators who must then figure out what caused the cars to leave the tracks.
Canadian Pacific officials say it's too early to say what caused the derailment.
As of 1:50 p.m., Shermer Road remained closed between Willow Road and West Lake Avenue. Waukegan Road is the suggested alternate.
CBS 2's Susan Carlson says while freight trains may be disrupted, Metra service in Glenview and Northbrook has been running as usual.
Canadian Pacific Spokesman Jeff Johnson says the railroad is progressing with the clean-up at this site. The cause of the derailment is under investigation.
CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli and Susan Carlson, and the Sun-Times Media Group Wire, contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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