Two elementary school students were killed and a driver was seriously injured on Wednesday morning, November 11, when an Amtrak train struck their car at the Wolf Road grade crossing beside the Western Springs Metra station, about 15 miles west of downtown Chicago. The collision between the westbound train and the southbound vehicle occurred at about 8:10 a.m. Central time, according to a press release from the Village of Western Springs reported by Trains News Wire. Both children died at the scene, and the driver was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood with severe injuries.
Source: Trains News Wire
Pleasantdale School District 107 in Burr Ridge confirmed that the two children who died were its elementary school students. The district did not release their names or any further details about them, and the Cook County medical examiner had not released the identities of the two people killed as of midday Wednesday, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. ABC7 Chicago reported that the injured driver is a woman; Western Springs officials said the vehicle's driver was hospitalized with serious injuries.
Source: ABC7 Chicago via InterNewsCast
"We extend our deepest condolences to the family. Our thoughts, prayers, and support are with them," Pleasantdale School District 107 said in a statement. "It is our intention to create the safest emotional space for your child to process this loss. Our crisis response team met with students and staff today and will be available to communicate with students over the coming days and weeks." District Superintendent Dave Palzet told NBC Chicago the district is providing support to students and staff. A witness, Mike Struglinski, told ABC7 he was inside a nearby bank when he heard the collision.
What Amtrak and the village say
Amtrak said Train No. 381, the Carl Sandburg, was traveling from Chicago to Quincy at approximately 8:10 a.m. when "a vehicle came on the tracks and made contact with the train just west of La Grange." There were no reported injuries to the 35 passengers or crew on board, and Amtrak said it is working with local authorities to investigate the incident. Passengers were reaccommodated on a bus making all regular stops between La Grange and Quincy, and Wednesday evening's eastbound Carl Sandburg from Quincy to Chicago was canceled, with Amtrak attempting to arrange alternate bus transportation.
Source: Amtrak statement via ABC7 Chicago
Village officials said the railroad crossing gates at Wolf Road were functioning and engaged at the time of the crash, NBC Chicago reported. Police have not said why the vehicle was on the tracks, and the cause of the collision remains under investigation. Witnesses told NBC Chicago the vehicle caught fire after the impact; ABC7's Chopper 7 was over the scene at about 8:36 a.m.
Metra's busiest line shut for much of the day
The crash halted all BNSF Railway service for most of the morning on the line between La Grange and Hinsdale. Around 1 p.m., Metra urged BNSF riders to make alternate arrangements for the evening commute. By 2:20 p.m., all grade crossings near the accident scene had reopened and Metra had resumed service on two of the three BNSF tracks, but the commuter operator warned of significant delays and cancellations into the evening and cancelled trains Nos. 1231, 1233, 1239, 1305, 1245, 1253, 1255, 1261, 1279, 1301 and 1262, with outbound cancellations extending as late as 6:10 p.m. The Wolf Road and Grand Avenue crossings were closed through the afternoon while the nearby Lawn Avenue crossing remained open. The BNSF Line is the highest-ridership line in the Metra system, with 95 trains scheduled on weekdays.
Source: Trains News Wire / Metra
Social workers will be available at Western Springs Village Hall on Thursday, November 12, from 1 to 5 p.m. to support people who witnessed the accident, the village said. Pleasantdale School District 107's crisis response team met students and staff on Wednesday and will remain available over the coming days and weeks.
Crossing crashes in Illinois, by the numbers
In a statement after the crash, Amtrak noted that collisions at highway-rail crossings are the second leading cause of rail-related deaths in the United States, after trespassing on tracks. Preliminary Federal Railroad Administration data shows 119 collisions at public crossings in Illinois in 2025, with 34 deaths, according to the Illinois Commerce Commission. The Western Springs station, at 914 Burlington Avenue, sits on BNSF's Chicago Subdivision 15.4 miles from Chicago Union Station and is one of the busier stations on the line, with about 1,134 weekday boardings in Metra's 2018 count.
What happens next
The investigation into why the vehicle was on the tracks continues, with Amtrak working alongside local authorities; no official cause has been announced. The Cook County medical examiner is expected to release the identities of the two children through official channels, and the school district has said it will keep counsellors available to students and staff in the days and weeks ahead. Rail service on the BNSF Line was expected to normalise after Wednesday evening's cancellations, and riders were directed to Metra's website for the latest schedule information.