CHICAGO – Metra commuters faced a Monday morning crisis as the Rock Island train service came to an abrupt halt due to a train derailment.
Metra officials confirmed the suspension of service in both directions following the incident after the Metra Rock Island train No. 704, with a full load of 600 passengers, experienced a derailment near the intersection of Clark Street and 15th Street. The locomotive remained upright, but the front car of the train was off the tracks.
The train was destined for the LaSalle Street station in downtown Chicago, was scheduled to arrive at 8:30 a.m. Metra informed commuters that service would not extend beyond 35th Street, leaving many passengers stranded.
Metra has announced that Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) will honor Metra tickets for inbound commuters at 35th Street. Outbound commuters are advised to make their way to LaSalle Street to access the CTA train.
Metra commuters turned to social media for updates, with the official Metra Rock Island Twitter account stating, “Rock Island inbound and outbound train traffic remains halted near LaSalle Street due to train #704’s derailment. Delay times are unknown. We will provide updates as information becomes available.”
