Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

CTA Blue Line Delays Continue Day After Forest Park Crash

By Emily Morris | October 1, 2013 10:10am | Updated on October 1, 2013 5:26pm
 Commuters wait at the Division Blue Line station Tuesday morning.
Commuters wait at the Division Blue Line station Tuesday morning.
View Full Caption
Twitter/@degrassihigh

CHICAGO — Commuters were still facing "significant" delays on the Blue Line during rush hour Tuesday evening, a day after a Blue Line CTA "L" train crashed into another train in Forest Park and led to the closure of the Harlem stop.

The CTA warned commuters that Blue Line trains wouldn't stop at Harlem on Tuesday due to the crash, which sent scores of people to area hospitals the morning before.

"It does create a ripple effect," CTA spokeswoman Catherine Hosinski said of the residual delays, which she said would continue to affect the entire line, especially during rush hours.

Shuttle buses were offered between Harlem and Oak Park stations.

To alleviate overcrowding, some trains were running between O'Hare and UIC-Halsted only, or O'Hare and Oak Park only. On-board announcements were being made on these trains.

On Monday morning, a CTA train that wasn't carrying commuters was heading east when it slammed into an immobile train full of westbound commuters, according to preliminary information from the transit authority. It was unclear why the trains were on the same tracks, and an investigation into the crash was underway Monday.

Commuters also faced '"significant" delays on the Blue Line during rush hour Tuesday morning.

Plenty of people took to social media to share news of their slow morning commutes Tuesday, which included long waits and packed trains.

"Learning that it only takes 1 #blueline crash to clog up all of Chicago public transportation for over 24 hours. #CTAmath," tweeted @Annamatopoeia1.

"...something was nutso with the Blue Line today, too. Never seen platforms that full," according to @tobytobitobe

@shellster129 tweeted, "Damen Blue Line worker bluntly, 'If you're headed downtown, I wouldn't go up there.' #cta"

But not all were unlucky riders of the Blue Line Tuesday morning.

"Seeing all the blue line #cta tweets this morning makes me feel grateful for my seat on a pee-scented red line train," tweeted @Stacy_Corbett.