Train collision under investigation

Federal investigators were trying to determine how a Metra train from Aurora and an Amtrak train headed to Carbondale collided Friday morning at Chicago’s Union Station.

The low-speed collision occurred about 8:15 a.m. at the convergence of two tracks, resulting in 12 injuries — all nonlife-threatening, authorities said.

Tracks had been closed from about 2 to 4 p.m. while investigators from the Federal Railroad Administration inspected the tracks’ signal and switch system.

That resulted in delays of up to one hour for trains departing from the south end of Union Station, including the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Line to Aurora, according to Metra spokesman Michael Gillis.

Delays had been reduced to about 15 minutes by 5 p.m., Gillis said.

“Until they were done, we were unable to use a lot of tracks here,” Gillis said. “We started loading trains and sending them out as fast as we could.”

Officials wouldn’t speculate as to a cause for the collision, including whether there might have been a switching error.

The Metra train from Aurora was carrying 1,500 passengers and the Amtrak train had 117 passengers at the time of the crash.

Metra CEO Alex Clifford said eight passengers from its 11-car train were brought to hospitals with nonlife-threatening injuries. Two of the train’s cars were damaged — one severely, officials said.

Amtrak officials said the engineer of its train was injured and the locomotive was damaged. The train also was holding four crew members. Its passengers were taken to their destination by charter buses.

Metra Deputy Operations Director George Hardwidg said Amtrak controls the switches that regulate the tracks involved in the accident.

Authorities initially said the collision caused a derailment, but later said the trains didn’t leave the tracks.

Ÿ Daily Herald news services contributed to this report.