Metra Electric service back on track after derailment

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Metra Electric service returned to normal after a train derailed near 11th Street overnight.

A Metra spokesperson said two cars on inbound Metra Electric Train No. 150 from University Park jumped the tracks just south of Van Buren near the 11th Street station around 1 a.m. Wednesday. The cars remained upright.

The train blocked two of three available lines in a rail yard between Balbo and Roosevelt. Metra Electric and South Shore trains passing through would have had to share a single line.

Metra warned early morning commuters their trains could be delayed upwards of 90 minutes. But crews worked quickly. They cleared a second track by around 5:45 a.m. and removed the train before 7 a.m.

Delays reached 15 minutes at most during the Wednesday morning rush.

"Yeah, they did announce it was going to be fifteen minutes. But I don't think it was even fifteen minutes. Maybe about ten minutes. But I'm good," said Sandra Taylor, a Metra Electric commuter.

"This is my regular train and she's only pulling in about three minutes later than usual," said Joan Dreesen, a South Shore commuter.

Rail repair is expected to finish before the end of the work day.

"We likely will be able to get this track repaired by the evening rush hour. Even if we can't, we can probably do it on two tracks like we did this morning," said Michael Gillis, Metra spokesman.

Metra officials said the derailed train was traveling at slow speeds and no one was hurt. There were approximately six people on board. They were taken to their final stops after the derailment.

Although the reason for the derailment is still unclear, Metra said it appears the engineer did not make any mistakes.