Railroad Accident Report - Rear End Collision of Two Chicago Transit Authority Trains near the Montrose Avenue Station, Chicago, Illinois, August 17, 1984

摘要

About 5 p.m., on August 17, 1984, after southbound Chicago Transit Authority eight-car 'A' train No. 135 left the Montrose Avenue Station and as it slowly ascended a 3.1-percent grade, the motorman saw 'yellow dynamic' brake lights illuminated on the second and seventh cars. The train rolled to a stop, and the motorman secured the cab and went back to cut out the brakes on the second car. While the motorman was out of the cab, train No. 135 began to roll backward down the grade. The motorman ran back to the cab and attempted to stop the train; however, he did not stop it. Train No. 135, moving at about 20 mph, struck Chicago Transit Authority eight-car 'B' train No. 143, which was standing just south of the Montrose Avenue Station. One passenger was killed, and 46 passengers and 3 crewmembers were injured. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the failure of the motorman of train No. 135 to apply the track brakes while the train was rolling downhill. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the Chicago Transit Authority to assure that the motorman was skilled in emergency procedures.