| Howard station train crash | |
|---|---|
 The front of the crashed train and the yellow snow removal vehicle | |
| Details | |
| Date | November 16, 2023 10:39 a.m. CST |
| Location | Howard station |
| Country | United States of America |
| Line | CTA Yellow Line |
| Operator | Chicago Transit Authority |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 1 |
| Vehicles | 1 |
| Passengers | 38 |
| Injured | 23 |
On November 16, 2023, a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) passenger train collided with maintenance equipment north of Howard station, injuring 23 people.
At 10:39 a.m. local time (07:50 UTC) on November 16, 2023, a passenger train approaching its terminal at Howard station at 30 mph collided with moving snow-removal equipment on the southern track. [1] [2] The front car of the two-car train was partially crushed and derailed. [3] [4] Fifteen ambulances responded to the scene and of the 38 passengers aboard, transported 28 to hospitals with 3 in critical condition. [5]
Service on the Yellow Line was fully closed following the incident and replaced with bus service, initially announced to be for a period of five days. [6] Due to the ongoing investigation, service has yet to be restored as of December 6, 2023. [7] [8]
Footage from investigators show that the train involved in the accident was one 5000-series pair, cars 5599 and 5600, and the maintenance vehicle was a Niigata Transys-built diesel snow removal vehicle numbered S-500. [4] [9]
The following day, the National Transportation Safety Board started an investigation into the crash. [1] [10] [11] Initial news reports suspected the operator to be incapacitated or in error; [12] however, a preliminary announcement from the NTSB indicated that the CTA had underestimated its trains' braking distance, compounded by the effects of slippery rails. [13]
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