On October 25, 1995, at 7:10 a.m., the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation (d/b/a Metropolitan Rail) express commuter train 624 struck the rear left side of a stopped Transportation Joint Agreement School District 47/155 school bus at a railroad/highway grade crossing in Fox River Grove, Illinois. The accident occurred after the school bus had crossed the railroad tracks and stopped for a red traffic signal, with its rear extended about 3 feet into the path of the train. Of the 35 school bus passengers, 7, 24, and 4 passengers sustained fatal, serious to minor, and no injuries, respectively; the busdriver received minor injuries. The 120 passengers and 3 crewmembers aboard the commuter train were uninjured.
We determined that the probable cause of the collision was that the busdriver had positioned the school bus so it encroached upon the railroad tracks because of the failure of: 1) the Illinois Department of Transportation to recognize the short queuing area on northbound Algonquin Road and to take corrective action; 2) the Illinois Department of Transportation to recognize the insufficient time of the green signal indication for vehicles on northbound Algonquin Road before the arrival of a train at the crossing; and 3) the Transportation Joint Agreement School District 47/155 to identify route hazards and to provide its drivers with alternative instructions for such situations. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the Illinois Department of Transportation and its many contractors, the Illinois Commerce Commission, and the railroads to have a communication system that ensures understanding of the integration and working relationship of the railroad and highway signal systems.
We made recommendations to:
- the U.S. Secretary of Transportation,
- the Federal Highway Administration,
- the Federal Railroad Administration,
- the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,
- the State of Illinois,
- the Transportation Joint Agreement School District 47/155,
- the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services,
- the Illinois Department of Transportation,
- the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials,
- the National Association of County Engineers,
- the American Public Works Association,
- the Institute of Transportation Engineers,
- the Association of American Railroads,
- the American Short Line Railroad Association,
- the American Public Transit Association, and
- Operation Lifesaver, Inc.
We also issued urgent action recommendations following this accident to:
- the Federal Highway Administration,
- the Federal Railroad Administration, and
- the State Directors of Transportation.
