A Chicago train operator was not at fault for crash last month, federal review finds
CHICAGO– The operator of a Chicago commuter train that collided with snow-clearing equipment last month was not responsible for the crash, which could have been prevented by a more advanced signaling system, the National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday, citing preliminary investigation data.
The federal investigation found that the operator immediately braked as soon as the equipment came into view. Investigators say they are focusing on the design of the CTA signaling system, the braking performance of the rail cars involved and whether leaf debris or other contaminants on the rails played a role.
The Nov. 16 crash derailed the Chicago Transit Authority, or CTA, Yellow Line train. Six CTA employees were present on board the rail equipment. Sixteen people were taken to a hospital, treated and released, and three were seriously injured. Nobody died.
“All the data we have received and all the testing we have conducted indicates that the operator did nothing wrong,” NTSB Chairman Jennifer Homendy said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.
According to the report, the train was traveling south at about 87 kilometers per hour when the operator received a stop command from the signaling system due to equipment located approximately 655 meters away.
The operator knew the machine would be on the line that day, but did not know exactly where the machine was located, the report said.
“The operator immediately initiated full braking to bring the train to a stop,” the report said. “The operator then saw the snow-clearing machine and applied emergency braking.”
The signal system at the crash site is designed to allow a braking distance of 543 meters or less – shorter than the distance between the train and the equipment at the moment the driver applied the brakes – but instead of stopping, it slowed down the train to about 43 km per hour, hitting the equipment.
The NTSB investigation is still ongoing.
While the exact cause of the crash remains unclear and additional testing is needed, Homendy added, “What I am saying is that when the CTA transit system and trains were configured, it was a while ago.”
Many factors affect stopping distance, including the train's weight, length, track slope, environmental conditions and debris, she said.
“Things change in the transportation system over time. And so we'll see: Was stopping distance something that CTA reevaluated over time? Have they looked at their braking algorithms? Have they looked at and tested their signal configuration over time? So that is something we will look into further.”
A more advanced signaling system, known as Positive Train Control or PTC, would have prevented the crash, Homendy said.
“If the signal saw that something was ahead, a train with PTC would never be able to pass that signal. It would stop it well in advance,” she said.
Homendy emphasized that passenger rail remains an “extremely safe” mode of transportation overall.
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Savage is a staff member of the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.