Still No Answers On Why A CTA Green Line Train Derailed
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Green Line trains are moving again after a train jumped the tracks in Bronzeville Thursday morning.
A number of passengers were injured by the jolt but nothing severe.
CBS 2's Megan Hickey has the story from the scene near 46th and Prairie.
The CTA is acknowledging that work was being done here on the tracks at the time of the derailment but said it is too soon to tell if that's what caused it.
The transit agency is also looking into whether there was a problem with the train itself.
Shortly after 11:00 Thursday morning, the front car of a southbound CTA Green Line train approaching 47th Street slid off the rails, leaving 30 passengers stranded more than 20 feet above the ground on the elevated track.
The front car was tilted precariously to one side. CBS 2 was first on the scene, as terrified passengers were extracted from the stalled train and lowered safely to the ground.
"The train was not in any danger of leaving the tracks," insisted John Giordano, District Chief for the Chicago Fire Department.
Passenger Drake Hills noticed something interesting.
"It's actually important to note that there were actually workers that were basically witnesses as happened, where they were on the tracks working," said Hills.
CBS 2 asked CTA and the agency said...
"There was some work going on but we're trying to investigate exactly what type of work was going on at the time," said Donald Bonds, Chief Transit Officer with the CTA.
But as for whether they were working on the track or how fast the train was going, the CTA said it still doesn't know.
"We won't know until we get the train into the shop and do an inspection and find out if there's any damage or if it was something that was wrong with the train itself. But right now that is very preliminary right now, what actually happened," said Bonds.
It took five hours to get the train back on the track.
The train's operator was not injured. CTA could not say how many years he'd been on the job.
RELATED: Passenger On Derailed Train 'I Hope This Car Doesn't Tilt And Fall Over'
CBS 2 has the history of CTA derailments including a deadly one in 1977 on CBSChicago.com.
