# Metra Electric urban myth



## mercedeslove (Feb 19, 2009)

Growing up as a child and living in Homewood, IL. I rode the metra electric many many times a years.

as you get closer to the city, near 27th street the track titled/dip to the side. I was told that this was because of the horrible accident which happened there many moons ago. Is this true or just a myth?

Those who have ridden the ME, should know what I am talking about.


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## amtrakwolverine (Feb 19, 2009)

mercedeslove said:


> Growing up as a child and living in Homewood, IL. I rode the metra electric many many times a years.
> as you get closer to the city, near 27th street the track titled/dip to the side. I was told that this was because of the horrible accident which happened there many moons ago. Is this true or just a myth?
> 
> Those who have ridden the ME, should know what I am talking about.


the only accident that happened in that area was this one from wikipeida so i say the myth is false.



> The worst rail accident in Chicago, the Illinois Central Gulf commuter rail crash, occurred on October 30, 1972. A new lightweight bi-level commuter train inbound to Chicago during the morning rush hour overshot the 27th Street platform and backed up into the station. The bi-level train had already tripped the signals to green for the next train, an older, heavy steel single-level train. As the bi-level train was backing up at 11 miles per hour, it was struck by the single-level express train at full speed. The single-level train telescoped the lightweight bi-level train killing 45 passengers and injuring hundreds, primarily in the bi-level train. A major contributing factor was that the Illinois Central Railroad used a dark gray color scheme, including the ends of rail cars, that was very difficult to see on the cloudy morning of the accident. After the accident the ends of all commuter rail cars and locomotives in the Chicago area were painted with orange and white stripes for better visibility.


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## PetalumaLoco (Feb 19, 2009)

Its mentioned in this NTSB report on page 3.


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## mercedeslove (Feb 20, 2009)

KISS_ALIVE said:


> mercedeslove said:
> 
> 
> > Growing up as a child and living in Homewood, IL. I rode the metra electric many many times a years.
> ...


The accident is real, my grandfathers friend died in it, so it's real. Wiki isn't always false.


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## amtrakwolverine (Feb 21, 2009)

mercedeslove said:


> KISS_ALIVE said:
> 
> 
> > mercedeslove said:
> ...


i didn't say the crash was false. the track modification as a result of the crash is false. the tracks did not play a role in the wreak.


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