Amtrak Collides with Freight Train in Chicago

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Amtrak and Freight Trains Collide in Chicago

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Developing- 200 passengers coming from Grand Rapids on an Amtrak double decker collides with freight train. 5 serious and 100 walking wounded. Conductor was pinned but now is out of front engine car.

[q
url="http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news&id=5803161"]- An
Amtrak train collided with a freight train on the city's South Side
near 48th and Shields.

"The engine of the Amtrak train is on top
of the freight train," said Larry Langford, Chicago Fire Department.
"The cars are upright."

Emergency crews are at the scene. About 150 people were on the
Amtrak train headed to Grand Rapids, Michigan. As many as five people
were injured, according to officials. Their conditions range from
serious to critical. The other injuries are minor.

"So far nobody is being taken on stretcher. That's a good sign,"
said Langdon, who said most passengers, while shaken, appeared
uninjured and were walking off themselves.

Fifteen ambulances and a fire-suppression unit were sent to the scene to help treat passengers.

"We will be treating people with triage. The passenger car trains
have not left the rail, but they had a very hard stop," said Langford.

Most of the damage was concentrated on the front of the passenger train's engine. It had three double-decker passenger cars.

Firefighters carried several children from the accident.

"The passenger cars look to be in great shape, great shape," Langford said.[/q]

[q
url="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-amtrak_webnov30,0,1164839.story?coll=chi_breaking_500"]An
Amtrak train was involved in an accident with a freight train this
morning on Chicago's South Side, officials said.

Footage from the accident site showed an Amtrak train propped up
above a freight train near the 5200 block of South Shields Avenue. A
Fire Department spokesman said emergency officials are trying to gain
access to the crash site. Several passengers could be seen walking from
the train.

The spokesman said that a heightened emergency response was sent for
the crash but that it was not clear if there were any injuries.[/q]