A crash involving a Metra train is at least the 11th incident involving some kind of incursion on the Metra UP-NW line since September 2022.
McHenry County Sheriff’s deputies, and firefighters and paramedics from Woodstock Fire Rescue District responded at 2:05 a.m. Saturday, December 24, 2022 to a report that a vehicle crashed with a Metra train on the Union Pacific Northwest Line at Lily Pond Road near Woodstock
The first crew on arrival reported a single vehicle with heavy damage at the scene. A request for LifeNet was initiated by 2:15 a.m.
One male patient was discovered responsive at the scene, and was treated and prepared for transport.
The male patient was transported by Woodstock Fire/Rescue paramedics to the Northwestern Medicine Woodstock Hospital land pad for helicopter transfer to Level 1 Trauma Center Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.
The injured male was believed to be the only occupant of the vehicle. Initially no injuries were reported on the Metra passenger train.
The investigation of the crash is being conducted by Metra Police, who were also assigned to the crash scene. If the on-board train video was operating, it may show whether the car was already stuck on the tracks in snow. Initial assessment indicates that the man was outside his vehicle when the train hit the vehicle.
Metra Train #601 was involved in the crash. Metra Train #601 is considered a Weekday train, and is the last train that departs from the Chicago Ogilvie Transportation Center with a 12:35 a.m. departure. Metra Train #601 was due to arrive at Woodstock at 2:06 a.m., and at Harvard at 2:25 a.m. The crash scene was located about 3.8 miles east of the Metra train station in downtown Woodstock.
Metra Train #601 was moving again by 5:14 a.m. — after the on-scene crash investigation was completed.
Metra Alert UP-NW – Train #601, scheduled to arrive Harvard at 2:20 AM – stopped, struck a vehicle
— Metra UP-NW (@metraUPNW) December 24, 2022
Metra Alert UP-NW – Train #601, scheduled to arrive Harvard at 2:20 AM, is on the move, extensive delay due to striking a vehicle
— Metra UP-NW (@metraUPNW) December 24, 2022
The railroad crossing includes crossing gates, but has blind spots caused by road curves and trees on each side of the single railroad track crossing. The railroad track is also located in a ravine that drops about 12 feet from a ridge in the road to the north, and drops about 16 feet from a ridge in the road to the south of the railroad track crossing.
The crash also occurred in snow conditions at the end of a snow storm associated with a Winter Storm Warning from the National Weather Service Chicago. As part of the Winter Storm Warning, drivers were warned that “falling or blowing snow” would “result in white out conditions with zero visibility at times, making travel extremely difficult” and that roads would “likely quickly become ice covered” as temperatures fell. Observations at the National Weather Service reporting station at O’Hare International Airport reported at 1:51 a.m. an air temperature of 0°F, a Wind Chill of -9°F, Winds 21 MPH and gusting to 30 MPH, and blowing snow. The most recent above-freezing temperature reading before the crash was 33°F on Thursday, December 22, 2022 at 10:51 a.m.
The most recent incident involving incursion on the Metra UP-NW line was a crash in Crystal Lake about 10:26 p.m. Thursday, December 22, 2022 at Pingree Road and the UP-NW line. Two people were hurt when a vehicle rolled over onto the tracks. See nine more Metra incursion incidents closer to Arlington Heights listed below the ads …
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