CTA Tattler

Reader's first-person account of El accident

Last week I provided a link to the National Transportation Safety Board report on 2001 accident where a Brown Line train ran into the rear of a standing Purple Line train. Taht prompted a reader to write his firsthand accoutn of being on the Purple Line that was struck. Thanks for sharing, Russ!

I have been a fan of your site since I saw it mentioned in the Trib’s RedEye, and I want to thank you for the link you provided to the NTSB with respect to the 8/3/01 El collision on the Brown and Purple Line. I was on the Purple Line train #505 hit that day, I think the fourth car back, and was among the uninjured. I have always wondered the speed at which we were hit, but never followed up on exploring it. I remember in the news, the NTSB rebuking the CTA’s initial public statement that the collision was at less than 5 MPH, and the CTA’s subsequent revision of their statement to 5-15 MPH accordingly.

Final verdict: 11 MPH. The NTSB’s assessment that in spite of the 300+ foot visibility from the train that hit us, and of the 31 feet they calculated it would have taken to bring that train to a stop, and of the brakes not being applied until 1.5 seconds before the collision were surprising revelations. And the operator tested negative for drugs and alcohol. I wonder if he also tested negative for having at least the intellect of a tumbleweed.

I would like to provide a detailed firsthand account of that experience. Our train had started to move slowly after having come to a stop midway between Sedgwick and Chicago, right over the taxicab corral on the right. I remember this because after the collision, I was ridiculing in my mind some genius next to me who was speculating with someone whether we hit something or were hit from behind: “Wait, but wouldn’t you go forward?” (DUH, DUH, DUH) I was standing in the aisle, facing the doors, my left hand holding the rear pole of the left forward vestibule. I had a firm grip on the pole, even though the train was barely moving. I’ve seen too many tourists, drunk fellow Cub fans, and yes, just sober native idiots stumble or fall when the train lunges abruptly.

Loud bang, I was thrown rearward to full extension of my arm, but reflexively tightened my grip and did not fall. I was the only aisle passenger in my car still standing. Everyone else standing who did not have a place to fall, i.e., in the vestibule or against the rear door, was on top of another. I know of a guy at work who was on that train whose foot was fractured because someone fell on it.

I went to the forward door between cars, to make a cellphone call to my supervisor to explain in a little more quiet privacy what had happened, and asking that she explain to people who were expecting me at an important meeting that I would be late and had no idea when they’d get us off this thing. Couldn’t do it. The impact buckled the threshold of that door, so that it didn’t open. Then I saw the spiderweb pattern in the window of the rear door of the next-front car, right about head-level of someone of my six-foot height. So I made the call in the car, describing these details. It is interesting after these years seeing what I told my boss corroborated in the NTSB report.

The NTSB report stated that there was one “serious” injury: a pregnant woman who was taken to the hospital, examined, and released, but who was soon after admitted with “complications,” and was thus defined by NTSB a “serious” injury. Unless there was more than one pregnant woman on the train, I think I can tell you about her. A VERY pregnant woman was sitting in the frontmost wall-facing seat, just forward of my left front vestibule. She was quietly but visibly distressed, with her hands around her tummy. The windowside, rear-facing passenger closest to her hit her right forehead into the pregnant woman’s left shoulder at collision, which created a visible red lump on her forehead.

Worst injury I saw in my car was a roughly 70-year-old Mexican man seated aisleside, rear-facing, two rows back, forward of the front right vestibule. He caught the bar on the seat in front of him in the upper teeth/lip, and was bleeding pretty well. Women were digging through their purses for tissue and we passed it down to a late-teen Mexican immediately across the aisle, who seemed to know him and was attending him.

I have to say I was impressed -- very impressed -- with the CFD’s swift and expert response and taking of control. Once they came, they opened the doors for us for ventilation. The cars were pretty packed, the train was powered down, and it was about 80 degrees outside. Fresh air was needed. They delivered personnel from the basket trucks onto the El, and swiftly went car-to-car triaging, removing those seemingly in need of most immediate attention.

The train powered back up and we moved to the Chicago Ave. stop. There, a CFD guy boarded and instructed something to the effect of, “OK. Everyone, I appreciate your frustration, but I don’t care how hot or sweaty or late for work you are, you do not leave this train until you are instructed to do so.” They soon directed those of us who did not feel we were in need of medical attention to step off, and go down the stairs.

I have a lingering snapshot in my mind from being in that line, by the way: one guy who remained on the train, early 20’s, dark hair, with a sort of Mona Lisa smile as he watched all of us passing by, doing our best to move on and get where we needed to be to fulfill our duties for our employers. As if he were thinking, “Day off and maybe a lawsuit – WOOO- HOOO!!” At the bottom of the stairs was someone taking each of our names, addresses, and phone numbers.

A couple of days later, The CTA gave all riders on the Brown and Purple lines during the affected hours a free one-trip pass for the inconvenience, along with an apology note. I thought that showed real class. We have to make fun of many of the more “interesting” people with whom we have the privilege of sharing our commute -- no shortage of them. And to make fun of the CTA in many respects. But true props to CTA for that responsible gesture.

And if you post this message, please add:

To the beautiful brunette in the yellow shirt who stood across the right front vestibule that day on the Purple Line when the news crews started arriving, know you’re admired. I give CTA Tattler permission to pass on my email address.

And to the clearly uninjured schmuck waiting for an ambulance-chaser at Chicago Ave. that day: you didn’t have the balls for an honest living. I hope the Chicago Fire Department set a more positive example for you than your father ever had set.