Train service in Lake Forest has resumed after a collision involving a southbound Amtrak train and construction equipment, which occurred around noon on Sunday. According to WGN-TV, the accident took place near Everett and Waukegan Roads, halting the train and delaying the Milwaukee District North Line for several hours.
A construction worker, operating an Amtrak front-end loader as part of a crew replacing tiles, was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries following the incident and Amtrak has not yet responded to requests for comment. The exact cause of the collision is still being investigated, and it remains unclear how many passengers were on board at the time. "To the side of us, you could see a construction worker and his vehicle, and they were saying he got hit," Erin Gross told WGN-TV, "The window was smashed, he had some blood on his face, but he was OK when the paramedics got there."
Authorities reported that all passengers and crew members aboard the train were uninjured. Service interruption extended for over three hours as crews worked to clear the scene, with investigators from multiple agencies, including Lake Forest, Amtrak, Metra, and Canadian Pacific, Kansas City Southern Railroad, responding in the aftermath.
Meanwhile, commuters faced ongoing delays even after the collision had been cleaned up; details remain scarce as the events leading up to the crash continue to be scrutinized by officials, and "It was just a really rocky stop, so I thought something might be wrong," one passenger recounted in an interview with NBC Chicago, the situation on the ground remains fluid with crews still present, their efforts still unfolding under the weight of midday sun and the curious gaze of stranded travelers.
Further updates are expected once the ongoing investigation yields more information. In the interim, regular train operations have resumed, providing much-needed relief for those dependent on this vital transportation link.
