FBI investigating double commuter train derailment

Federal officials investigated two rush-hour commuter train derailments that occurred within an hour and a half of each other on separate tracks near the same station, a week after rail employees found railroad spikes missing from tracks on the same line.

Metra officials confirmed that FBI and Joint Terrorism Task Force agents would examine the double derailment, which caused the agency to suspend service on the South Chicago branch of the Metra Electric District line Tuesday evening.

No injuries were reported in either of the two derailments, Metra spokeswoman Judy Pardonnet said.

"The train was coming past and then we heard a big boom," witness Richard Branch, 49, said.

The second derailed train was removed from the scene early Wednesday, and normal service was restored for the morning rush hour, according to Metra officials.

"It's rare to have two derailments at the same location," Pardonnet said.

Earlier Tuesday, before the derailments, the FBI said it would offer a reward of as much as $50,000 for information into last week's missing spikes, which are used to hold down metal plates that bind the rails to wooden ties.

"While no injuries or loss of life resulted from this incident, the removal of these spikes was certainly an intentional act and will be aggressively investigated by the FBI," Robert Grant, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Chicago office, said in a statement.

The first train derailed around 5 p.m. when its wheels left the track as the cars rounded a curve, but Pardonnet said the train itself did not turn over on its side. About 257 passengers were on the first train and they transferred to another train, Pardonnet said.

The second train, carrying about 200 passengers, derailed around 6:30 p.m. as it tried to go around the first derailed train, Pardonnet said.

The Metra commuter rail system serves Chicago's suburbs and carries trains from northern Indiana's South Shore Line.