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The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) had one of its trains derail during the early hours of Jan. 23, 2021. The Blue Line train derailed around 1:50 a.m. CST near the 4600 Block of West Montrose Avenue — right in the middle of the Kennedy.
First responders were able to help escort the passengers off of the train. According to police officers, there were 25 people aboard the train. The Chicago Fire Department stated that four of the passengers were treated for minor injuries.
Emergency vehicles had some of the lanes on the Kennedy closed until 5 a.m. Chicago Transit Authority utilized shuttle buses to transport Blue Line passengers between Harlem and Belmont until the train was back in service.
The derailment was a result of a rail switching error.
The CTA operates the United States’ second-largest public transportation system. Around 1.6 million people ride on the CTA during an average weekday. This regional transit system serves 35 suburbs in addition to the City of Chicago.
According to the CTA’s website, they provide around 81 percent of the public transportation in the metropolitan area.
Written by Sheena Robertson
Sources:
Chicago Sun-Times: 4 people suffer minor injuries after CTA Blue Line train derailed
CBS Chicago: CTA Blue Line Train Derails At Montrose; 4 Suffer Minor Injuries
Chicago Transit Authority: Facts at a glance
Featured Image Courtesy of Mariano Mantel’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License