Freight Train Plows Into Car In Elmwood Park
UPDATED 06/14/11 7:08 a.m.
ELMWOOD PARK, Ill. (CBS) -- A car was struck by a freight train Tuesday morning in west suburban Elmwood Park, forcing police to shut down multiple roads.
As CBS 2's Kris Habermehl reports, the Norfolk Southern freight train was heading northwest out of Chicago, and was passing through a diagonal crossing alongside Grand Avenue just west of Harlem Avenue when it clipped the car.
The train pushed the car down the tracks and off the rail line, leaving it partially crumpled alongside the halted train.
But even with the rear of the car virtually totaled, the motorist behind the wheel was still able to drive it. No one was injured.
Police blocked off Harlem Avenue, 73rd Avenue and 75th Avenue south of Grand Avenue. To cross the tracks, Oak Park Avenue is suggested.
The accident also slowed trains on the Metra Milwaukee District North Line, which shares the right-of-way with the freight line. This comes just a day after six trains on another Metra Line, the Union Pacific-West, were canceled during the morning rush due to a lack of available engineers.
The freight train will remain at the scene until the car wreckage is cleared, and engineers ensure that the track was not damaged.
