Post by eb204 on Apr 27, 2008 23:10:00 GMT -5
Boy, 14, struck and killed by train in Hoffman Estates
Stretch of track is part of controversial Canadian National Railway bid
By Tina Shah | Tribune reporter
9:52 PM CDT, April 27, 2008
www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-train-death-both-28-apr28,0,3452911.story
A teenager was struck and killed by a train Sunday afternoon in Hoffman Estates, apparently as he crossed the railroad tracks, police said.
The 14-year-old boy was walking when he was hit at about 12:50 p.m. by a Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Co. train about 500 feet north of Columbine Boulevard near Pratum Avenue.
Police believe he was walking alone, and it does not appear as though he was pushed onto the tracks, said Hoffman Estates Police Lt. Rich Russo.
The train conductor saw the boy after he was hit and called police. Fire and police officials responded, and the boy, who was found between the tracks, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Cook County medical examiner's office was notified Sunday afternoon but would not release the name of the boy, pending family notification.
"Certainly it's a tragedy and my heart goes out to the family," said Hoffman Estates Mayor William McLeod. "We really need to know what happened here before making any judgments."
EJ&E made recent headlines with the Canadian National Railway seeking federal approval of its $300 million purchase of the company's 198-mile arc of tracks around Chicago. The controversial purchase would mean possibly quadrupling the number of trains running on the tracks.
Last week suburbs, including Aurora, Naperville and Plainfield, joined a coalition called The Regional Answer to Canadian National and chipped in $10,000 to $20,000 to fight the purchase.
The proposed increase in train frequency has also brought safety at railroad crossings in the spotlight.
The train tracks at the crossing near Columbine and Pratum do not have a gate or any other protection measure, McLeod said.
But without knowing the details of the teenager's death, it's difficult to say whether having a gate at the intersection would have prevented the incident, he added.
"We have always had a grave concern for any trains going on any tracks," McLeod said. "We are more concerned with crossings."
Stretch of track is part of controversial Canadian National Railway bid
By Tina Shah | Tribune reporter
9:52 PM CDT, April 27, 2008
www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-train-death-both-28-apr28,0,3452911.story
A teenager was struck and killed by a train Sunday afternoon in Hoffman Estates, apparently as he crossed the railroad tracks, police said.
The 14-year-old boy was walking when he was hit at about 12:50 p.m. by a Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Co. train about 500 feet north of Columbine Boulevard near Pratum Avenue.
Police believe he was walking alone, and it does not appear as though he was pushed onto the tracks, said Hoffman Estates Police Lt. Rich Russo.
The train conductor saw the boy after he was hit and called police. Fire and police officials responded, and the boy, who was found between the tracks, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Cook County medical examiner's office was notified Sunday afternoon but would not release the name of the boy, pending family notification.
"Certainly it's a tragedy and my heart goes out to the family," said Hoffman Estates Mayor William McLeod. "We really need to know what happened here before making any judgments."
EJ&E made recent headlines with the Canadian National Railway seeking federal approval of its $300 million purchase of the company's 198-mile arc of tracks around Chicago. The controversial purchase would mean possibly quadrupling the number of trains running on the tracks.
Last week suburbs, including Aurora, Naperville and Plainfield, joined a coalition called The Regional Answer to Canadian National and chipped in $10,000 to $20,000 to fight the purchase.
The proposed increase in train frequency has also brought safety at railroad crossings in the spotlight.
The train tracks at the crossing near Columbine and Pratum do not have a gate or any other protection measure, McLeod said.
But without knowing the details of the teenager's death, it's difficult to say whether having a gate at the intersection would have prevented the incident, he added.
"We have always had a grave concern for any trains going on any tracks," McLeod said. "We are more concerned with crossings."
