Canadian Pacific freight train cars derail in Franklin Park
Two freight train cars derailed in west suburban Franklin Park on Sunday afternoon, according to Canadian Pacific. No one was injured. The derailment caused delays to one Metra train, and officials say the track was reopened within hours.
Miriam DiNunzio/Sun-Times
Two Canadian Pacific Railway freight train cars derailed in Franklin Park on Sunday afternoon. No one was injured, the company said, and the tracks were cleared within hours.
About 12:45 p.m., two cars, one carrying wheat and the other empty, came off the tracks. A spokesperson for the company said there were no injuries or risks to public safety.
Canadian Pacific Railway says one of the derailed cars was carrying wheat and the other was empty. No injuries were reported.
Miriam DiNunzio/Sun-Times
“CP personnel moved the rest of the train and cleared all crossings,” CP said in an email Sunday afternoon.
The train derailed on the Milwaukee District West Line, which caused a 15 minute delay for a Metra train.
“Teams are on site assessing in coordination with Metra,” CP said.
The cause of the derailment is under investigation.
Following a series of freight train incidents this year, including a derailment of a train carrying toxic chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio, state and federal lawmakers have called for stronger rail safety measures.
When the federal government approved the railroad acquisition of Kansas City Southern by Canadian Pacific this month, several elected officials were critical of the decision and said it will slow commuter rail service, impede first responders and risk people’s lives.
According to Frank DeSimone, village president of Bensenville, the railroad merger would increase the number of daily freight trains from three to 11, raising freight traffic in the community by 400%.
“They ignored our concerns for safety, they ignored our concerns for quality of life and they ignored our concerns about the negative consequences for economic development,” DeSimone said at a news conference at the time.