Author Topic: Trip to Chicago - a crash  (Read 12721 times)

Offline delalluvia

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Trip to Chicago - a crash
« on: June 22, 2009, 02:19:31 pm »
Hi guys,

A friend rented an apartment in downtown Chicago for a month doing some soul searching and taking a vacation.  She invited me up.  Said it'd be relatively cheap since I could stay with her for free.

I managed some days off from work, but was too late to get a good airfare, so I decided to take the train.  I left Wednesday afternoon, the train to arrive in Chicago on Thursday around 1:45 pm.

You guys know how terrified I am about possibly being in a plane crash...never occurred to me that deaths could result in a train crash I was in as well:

2 Killed in Amtrak Train Accident

June 19, 2009

A husband and his wife are dead after an Amtrak train bound for Chicago struck their car in southwest suburban Romeoville.

The Amtrak Texas Eagle train just stopped in Joliet and was bound for downtown Chicago when it slammed into the car crossing the tracks at about 1:10 p.m. Thursday.

Harry Hoffman, 76 , and Doreen Hoffman, 64, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Witnesses say that the car tried to cross the tracks but the grade crossing arm came down onto the windshield of the victims’ car. The couple tried to put the car in reverse but it was too late.

Passengers remained on the train after the crash. The train was allowed to continue on its route at 3:55 p.m.


http://www.legalinfo360.com/2009/06/2-killed-in-amtrak-train-accident/

 :( :-\ :'(

This is the train I was on.  We were 30 miles outside of Chicago.  I barely saw the car out of the corner of my eye as we were passing, but the girl sitting in front of me did.  She saw bodies flying and started freaking out.  I was sitting on the side of the train that it happened and the train is such a powerful thing that it bashing a car and sending it flying and killing people didn't even send a ripple across my soda.  :o

We stopped on the track as the story says for about 2 hours, but what the story doesn't say is that we were allowed to continue but came to a stop 30 feet down the track because debris was under the train.  A mechanic had to come out from Chicago to inspect the engine and make sure it was OK to continue.  We sat on the tracks another 2 hours and finally got going at 6:15 pm and crept into Chicago about 7 pm. 

Not the most auspicious start to my trip.   :-\

When i disembarked, I saw my fellow passengers taking pictures of the front of the train where the wreck happened.  I don't know parts of trains, but what looks like a front bumper was bent down.  I didn't take a picture because - frighteningly - the train didn't look much affected by the wreck at all.  :P
« Last Edit: June 22, 2009, 11:08:06 pm by delalluvia »

Offline CellarDweller

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Re: Trip to Chicago - a crash
« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2009, 02:33:14 pm »
Oh man!

What a horrible thing to have happen!


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Offline Kelda

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Re: Trip to Chicago - a crash
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2009, 05:46:48 pm »
Del, OMG, thats horrible.

I'm so glad you're okay!
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Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: Trip to Chicago - a crash
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2009, 06:48:25 pm »
OMG, that's awful! Jesus H.!  :(

Quote
I don't know parts of trains, but what looks like a front bumper was bent down.

Railroaders call it the locomotive pilot. In the old days of steam locomotives, it was the cowcatcher, although I think even then it was "formally" know as the pilot.

And I just heard on the NBC network news that there's been a terrible commuter rail crash just outside Washington, D.C. NBC had film showing one train on top of the other.  :o  There were fatalities.

Of course, all these train disasters would happen the summer I'm planning a lengthy train trip. ...  >:(
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Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Trip to Chicago - a crash
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2009, 07:15:05 pm »
Della, you must be quite shaken up, even tho your soda didn't have a ripple. You have quite a way with words.

Well, Jeff, all these crashes mean there is less chance of a crash on YOUR trip. Don't they??
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Offline delalluvia

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Re: Trip to Chicago - a crash
« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2009, 07:24:47 pm »
Thanks guys.

It shook me up, that's for sure. 

Made me more cautious - paranoid - of crashes and possible derailments.

Yes just heard about the commuter crashes.   :(  Now, I'd be paranoid of other trains running into me.

Poor Jeff.   :-\




Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: Trip to Chicago - a crash
« Reply #6 on: June 22, 2009, 10:19:24 pm »
Made me more cautious - paranoid - of crashes and possible derailments.

Yes just heard about the commuter crashes.   :(  Now, I'd be paranoid of other trains running into me.

Poor Jeff.   :-\

Thanks, Del. Plus, I think I remember hearing that a freight train carrying chemicals blew up somewhere in the Midwest not too long ago, too.  :-\
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline delalluvia

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Re: Trip to Chicago - a crash
« Reply #7 on: June 23, 2009, 12:29:22 am »

Offline Penthesilea

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Re: Trip to Chicago - a crash
« Reply #8 on: June 23, 2009, 01:37:42 am »
 :o
What a horrible thing to witness, Del. I'm sorry you had to go through this shocking experience.

Offline David In Indy

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Re: Trip to Chicago - a crash
« Reply #9 on: June 23, 2009, 02:15:50 am »
OMG Del! That is terrible! I am so glad you are okay! :-*

I heard about that train wreck. It happened the same night we had those storms come through. Thank God you are alright!
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