Accident Report Detail

About 5:27 p.m., c.s.t., on February 4, 1977, Chicago Transit Authority Lake-Dan Ryan train No. 930 struck the rear of Ravenswood train No. 415, which was standing on the elevated rail structure at the intersection of Wabash Avenue and Lake Street. The four lead cars of the eight-car Lake-Dan Ryan train overturned and fell from the elevated structure to the street. One end of each of the two rear cars of the Ravenswood train derailed. Eleven persons were killed and 266 persons were injured. Property damage was estimated to be $1.2 million.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the failure of the motorman to exercise due care in meeting his responsibilities and the unauthorized operation of the Lake-Dan Ryan train into a signal block occupied by the standing Ravenswood train, at a speed that was too fast to stop after the operator sighted the standing train.