User:CA&E460/Granville train collision

Granville train collision
A North Shore Line 700-series coach, similar to that involved in the Granville collision.
Details
Date	November 24, 1936 6:15pm
Location	Chicago, Illinois
Country	United States
Line	North Side Main Line
Operator	Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad Chicago Rapid Transit Company
Incident type	Rear-end collision
Cause	Operator error, lack of automatic block signalling
Statistics
Trains	2
Deaths	10
Injured	36+

The Granville train collision occurred on November 24, 1936, when a North Shore Line train collided with a Chicago Rapid Transit train at the Granville "L" station. The steel heavyweight car leading the interurban train telescoped the wooden trailer car on the rear of the "L" train, resulting in 10 deaths and over 36 injuries. The collision remains the second-deadliest accident in the history of the Chicago "L" after the 1977 Loop derailment.

Background

Between Howard and Lawrence, the North Side Main Line of the "L" consisted of four tracks, permitting the separation of express and local service in both directions. North of Granville were two crossovers where trains could switch between the outer express tracks and the inner local tracks. These crossovers were controlled manually from an interlocking tower immediately north of the Granville platform. Despite the frequent trains and short headway between them, no form of block signaling was in place.

From 1919 to 1963, the Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad maintained trackage rights over the North Side Main Line from Howard to the Loop. On the quadruple-track mainline between Howard and Lawrence, North Shore trains made limited stops and operated exclusively on the outer two express tracks. At the time of the collision, one evening operation called for a northbound local "L" train to hold on the inner track at Granville while "L" train R-5, a northbound "Loyola Express", switched over from the outer track ahead. Following closely behind train R-5 on the outer track was northbound North Shore train 725, a suburban express en route to Howard.

Collision

On the evening of November 24, 1936, train R-5 proceeded north of Lawrence, followed closely by train 725. The "L" train consisted of two steel coaches, three steel-underframed coaches and three wooden coaches, including unpowered trailer car 1164 at the rear, while the North Shore train consisted of three steel 700-series coaches, led by car 721. On this particular occasion, contrary to standard procedure, the tower operator held train R-5 at Granville, and permitted the local train to continue north first. Train 725 meanwhile proceeded as usual, with the North Shore motorman unaware that train R-5 was still occupying the express track. By the time it became apparent that the "L" train was stopped ahead, the North Shore train was unable to brake in time, and the motorman frantically sounded his train whistle to try and alert the "L" passengers of the imminent collision.

As the two trains collided, North Shore car 721 telescoped approximately 35 feet (11 m) into "L" car 1126, demolishing the wooden trailer and ejecting passengers, some of whom fell to the streets Edgewater below. Neighborhood residents, many of whom had heard or seen the collision, began providing aid to the injured and dying in the minutes before emergency services arrived at the scene. Over 500 police officers, two companies of firefighters and twenty-three ambulances were ultimately involved in the response. At least 36 injured victims were transported to a number of hospitals throughout Evanston and the North Side of Chicago. Nine victims died at the scene, while a tenth later succumbed to their injuries. All of the dead and most of the injured had been aboard the "L" train R-5, with the motorman as the only reported injury aboard North Shore train 725.

Aftermath

Subsequent investigation found the North Shore motorman responsible for the collision, having followed the "L" train too closely and failing to stop in time. The investigators recommended that the Chicago Rapid Transit Company install automatic block signalling across the "L" system, and stop operating steel and wooden cars together, while retiring the latter as soon as possible. Automatic block signaling was never ultimately installed on the North Side Main Line, and another deadly collision between "L" and North Shore trains occurred at Wilson in 1956. Automatic train control was finally installed across the "L" system in the 1970s.

Chicago Rapid Transit car 1164 was completely destroyed in the collision, while North Shore car 721 was repaired and remained in service until 1963. Chicago Rapid Transit car 4272, which had been directly in front of car 1126 in the consist of train R-5, remains in service as part of the "historic fleet" of the Chicago Transit Authority.

References

Dunn, John H.; Taft, W. J.; Phillips, E. J., eds. (January 1938). "Railway Signaling and Communications". Railway Signaling and Communications. Vol. 30. H.A. Morrison. p. 87.
Campbell, George V. (1980). North Shore Line Memories. Northbrook, Illinois: Quality Books, Incorporated. ISBN 0-89196-074-0.