Mechanical failures caused Northbrook derailment
It was a terrifying moment and then a neighborhood spectacle in November when two Canadian Pacific Railroad freight trains collided near Northbrook, sending cars all over the tracks and spilling one onto the roadway.
The derailment caused about $1 million in damage, destroyed 1,280 feet of track and toppled 18 freight cars.
But the cause of the accident was a simple one - mechanical problems connected to equipment on one car that sent the two freights on a collision course Nov. 1 on the border of Northbrook and Glenview.
A Federal Railroad Administration report recently obtained by the Daily Herald concluded the crash likely happened because a pivoting mechanism, which allows the wheel assembly on the train car to turn, stuck as an eastbound CP train was switching onto Union Pacific Railroad tracks at about 3 p.m.
"The probable cause of the derailment was a binding truck bolster, which caused the train car wheels to climb over the ... rail," officials found.
That one failure started a chain of events that scattered 14 loaded cars across the tracks, spilling grain and clay all over the rails and embankment. The train then struck a standing westbound CP train and derailed four of its cars. One of the cars from the eastbound freight toppled from a viaduct onto Shermer Road.
There were no injuries but Northbrook Fire Department officials confirmed that the incident could have been much worse because hazardous materials were being transported.
The FRA report states that eight cars on the eastbound CP train contained hazardous materials.
The crash closed busy Shermer Road for more than a day as authorities investigated and cleaned up the mess.
It shook neighbors in nearby subdivisions and shop owners at a strip mall along Shermer Road.
CP officials said Friday they were still reviewing the report and assessing what steps could be taken to avoid such accidents in the future.
"Safety is our top priority," CP manager of municipal affairs Jeff Johnson said. "We have procedures in place to protect against mechanical failure - sometimes things just fail."
The accident occurred in good weather conditions. Investigators ruled out fatigue, engineer or crew performance or problems with the track as causes.
The derailment caused equipment damage of $687,295 to the CP trains and $256,952 in damage to the UP track and signal equipment.
The eastbound train was traveling at 23 mph.
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<li><a href="/story/?id=333525">Big mess to fix at Glenview-area derailment site <span class="date">[11/02/10]</span></a></li>
<li><a href="/story/?id=333352">Derailment affecting Glenview-area traffic <span class="date">[11/01/10]</span></a></li>
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