Woman killed when Metra train strikes vehicle near Gladstone Park

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A woman was killed when a Metra train struck a vehicle near Gladstone Park on Chicago's Northwest Side Wednesday evening.

UP-NW train 650, scheduled to arrive at Ogilvie Station at 4:59 p.m., struck a vehicle about 4:50 p.m. near Nagle and Northwest Highway, according to an alert on Metra's website.

The 25-year-old woman driving the silver Nissan was killed, according to Fire Media Affairs. No one else was in the car, and no one on the train was injured.

"Oh, I knew a car was hit immediately. I didn't even have to come outside. I knew what it was," said Charles Wood, Norwood Park resident.

It's unclear how the car ended up on the tracks, but nearby residents said traffic backups are a problem at this crossing, which sits at the confluence of three busy streets: Nagle, Avondale and Northwest Highway.

"Believe me, it's busy. When I live by my house, if something happens on the street like construction or anything, it's backed up all the way to my house," said Anthony Segreti, Norwood Park resident.

In fact, this was the second fatal incident at that crossing in less than a year. In January, during a morning rush, another driver was killed when his car was hit by a Metra train.

"The lights are flashing and the gates are already down, and people get stuck on the tracks," Wood said.

All inbound and outbound train movement was halted on the line for two hours near the Gladstone Park Station at Austin and Northwest Highway.

As of 7 p.m., inbound and outbound trains were on the move and operating with extensive delays.

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.