Metra back to normal after train hits Hinsdale bridge

A double-decker freight train struck a wood beam hanging down from an overpass Saturday morning near Hinsdale Hospital in Hinsdale, causing Metra delays on the BNSF Line operating from Aurora to Chicago.

The accident disrupted freight and Metra service for several hours while officials inspected the aging Oak Street bridge to make sure it was safe. No one was injured and the train was undamaged, said Andy Williams, a spokesman for BNSF. The bridge is owned by the village, not the railroad, Williams said.

The tracks were cleared and normal train operations resumed about 1:30 p.m., Hinsdale Police Sgt. Steve Ruban said.

With two of the three tracks under the bridge closed, inbound and outbound Metra trains initially were operating 30 to 80 minutes behind schedule as they had to travel in reverse to get to locations where they could reroute to the single open track, Metra spokesman Tom Miller said. Later, delays were cut to 10 to 20 minutes.

The stalled train blocked Hinsdale grade crossings for a couple of hours, causing traffic delays as vehicles traveled to Wolf Road and Route 83 to get around the area, police said. Four freight trains also were delayed, Williams said.

Daily Herald photographer Daniel White contributed to this report.