On April 23, 2020, at 10:02 a.m. local time, Union Pacific Railroad (UP) train YPR6423, consisting of two locomotives and four rail cars, collided with a truck tractor in combination with a semi-trailer (combination vehicle) as the train entered a public highway-rail grade crossing outside of the Proviso Yard in Northlake, Illinois. The train was traveling at a speed of 10 mph while shoving rail cars into an industry track.1 The remote-control locomotive (RCL) operator was controlling the movement of the train from the end rail car and died as a result of the collision as the train entered the grade crossing at Railroad Avenue.
We determined that the probable cause of this accident was Union Pacific Railroad’s allowance of train movement through a grade crossing without first stopping the train to provide warning. Also contributing to the accident was the combination vehicle driver’s failure to yield to the train as he approached the public highway-rail grade crossing.
