NTSB report on 2023 CTA Yellow Line crash blames 'aggressive' braking, slippery tracks
At least 38 injured after train collided with snowplow equipment near Howard Station on North Side
CHICAGO (WLS) -- The National Transportation Safety Board has wrapped up its report on the 2023 CTA Yellow Line train crash that injured dozens of people.
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On November 16, 2023, a CTA Yellow Line train collided with snowplow equipment training on the tracks near the Howard Station on the North Side during a clear morning.
As the ABC7 I-Team first reported back in November, the main causes of the crash were determined to be the train not braking earlier and a leaf residue that made the tracks slippery. Those conditions caused the trains wheels to slide, even as the brakes were applied.
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Investigators previously noted the CTA driver had alcohol in his system, but said that was not a factor in the crash.
READ MORE | Yellow Line train crash victims' attorney reacts to report that CTA operator had alcohol in system
Chicago Fire Department officials said 38 people were hurt in the crash in Rogers Park, including children and CTA workers. No one was killed, but six people were seriously hurt.
CTA released the following statement Wednesday:
"As a result of the proactive and precautionary measures implemented by the Chicago Transit Authority since the Yellow Line collision in November 2023, Chicago's rail system is safer than ever. Throughout the course of the NTSB investigation, which is now complete, the CTA was fully cooperative and assisted federal investigators, while also conducting its own testing of equipment and procedures. While the investigation was ongoing, CTA pre-emptively implemented several new measures for added safety along the Yellow Line which have already addressed the contributing factors outlined in the final NTSB brief released this afternoon."
