Derailment causes delays for Amtrak, Metra's Southwest and Heritage lines
Metra trains heading southwest and Amtrak lines will be significantly disrupted for the rest of the day and perhaps into Friday following a freight derailment near Chicago's Union Station.
Delays of up to an hour are expected during the evening rush on Metra's Southwest Service Line to Manhattan and the Heritage Corridor to Joliet.
The trains will leave on schedule, but passengers will be delayed while on the train for up to an hour to navigate around a Union Pacific derailment, said Metra spokeswoman Meg Reile.
The derailment of the freight locomotives near the Chicago River this morning made for a chaotic morning commute for people using trains in and out of busy Union Station. Even the North Central Service to Antioch reported up to 20-minute delays at one point in the morning commute.
The extent of damage caused by the derailment remains unclear, Reile said, so it isn't known if traffic for Friday's commute will be affected.
Meanwhile, Amtrak trains to or from St. Louis, the East Coast and Detroit have been tied up by the derailment. Amtrak spokesman Marc Maglieri said passengers are being bused to or from Union Station to the nearest point they can board or disembark the trains. For example, that would be Joliet for passengers boarding Amtrak trains to or from St. Louis.
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