CTA Yellow Line to resume Friday with some changes after November crash
SKOKIE, Ill. (WLS) -- After a crash that injured dozens in November, the CTA Yellow Line will reopen Friday, the transit authority said in a press release Thursday evening.
Service will resume about 4:45 a.m., the CTA said.
"Comprehensive analysis and testing" was done in cooperation with the National Transportation Safety Board prior to the line reopening, the transit authority said.
"We extend our gratitude to our riders impacted by this incident and for their patience," CTA President Dorval R. Carter Jr. said in a statement. "My No. 1 priority for our customers and employees is safety. I wanted to make sure we looked at every aspect of this incident, as thoroughly as we could, to ensure the highest levels of safety when we reopened. I will never compromise safety for expediency."
The line will now travel at reduced speeds, decreasing to 35 mph from 55 mph.
Crews also have power-washed the Yellow Line, clearing debris and residue from the rail, the CTA said.
The CTA is also requiring railcars and non-transport equipment to move only after receiving a verbal command from CTA's Control Center.
Supervisors will also accompany operators on the first few Yellow Line runs.
"The NTSB did not require CTA to implement these safety enhancements; these mitigation measures are being made out of an abundance of caution to further protect our employees and riders," said Nancy-Ellen Zusman, CTA chief safety and security officer.
The NTSB has not issued any safety directives to CTA.
The NTSB continues its investigation into the incident, including the factors that contributed to the crash. A final report is expected to be issued later this year.
The train, carrying 30 passengers and an operator, collided with a snow removal machine near the Howard Station on Nov. 16.
Sixteen people were hospitalized, three with critical injuries.
Chicago fire officials said 38 people were injured in the incident.
