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Metra stages National Railroad Safety Week train-auto collision

Metra stages National Railroad Safety Week train-auto collision

By Bob Johnston | October 1, 2018

RELATED TOPICS: SAFETY | METRA | COMMUTER | CHICAGO | GENERAL NEWS

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CHICAGO – Chicago commuter carrier Metra crashed one of its aging F40PHN locomotives into a junkyard-bound sport utility vehicle on Sunday to illustrate the dangers in store for motorists who ignore grade crossing warning signals. The demonstration was staged near the end of the railroad's former Wabash SouthWest Service line at Smith Road, just north of Manhattan.

Battle-scarred F40 is going in for a facelift after the demonstration, so it was chosen to do the honors. The sacrificial SUV and Metra train are positioned at the crossing prior to the event.

Metra engineer David Martinez recounts for the media the trauma and aftermath of witnessing collisions and trespasser deaths. “Having sat in the seat, every time you hear about an incident, it takes you back to those awful moments,” Martinez says. “I hope what we’re doing here today will make people think twice about carelessness and the impact on the people they love.”