On Monday, September 30, 2013, at 7:42 a.m. central daylight time, a set of unoccupied
Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) passenger cars collided with CTA passenger train 110 at the
Harlem-Congress passenger station in Forest Park, Illinois. The unoccupied cars
were moving about 24 miles per hour when they struck the stopped train. Thirty-three passengers
and the train operator were taken to local hospitals and later released. CTA estimated the
property damage to be $6.4 million.
During the investigation we issued urgent recommendations to the CTA to:
- Review operating and maintenance procedures for stored unoccupied cars to ensure the propulsion and brake systems are left in a condition that would not facilitate unintended movement. (R-13-034)
- Immediately implement redundant means of preventing unintended rail car movements, such as wheel chocks or a derail device. (R-13-035)
An urgent recommendation was also issued to the Federal Transit Administration:
- Issue a safety advisory to all rail transit properties asking them to review their operating and maintenance procedures for stored, unoccupied cars to ensure: (1) the propulsion and brake systems are left in a condition that would not facilitate unintended movement and (2) redundant means of stopping unintended rail car movements, such as wheel chocks and/or derails, are used. (R-13-036
)
As a result of this investigation we issued recommendations to the Federal Railroad Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the Fatality Analysis of Maintenance-of-Way Employees and Signalmen Committee.
We d determined that the probable cause of the accident was water in the control cables of two cars, which caused errant control signals to be sent to the cars’ power systems. Contributing to the accident was the Chicago Transit Authority’s practice of not securing unattended equipment.
