A CTA train derailed near the Howard terminal at 7519 N Paulina Street late Thursday, abruptly halting service and sending transit crews scrambling while firefighters walked every rider off the damaged train and onto the platform. Officials on scene said there were no reported injuries, but the incident snarled the evening rush for North Side commuters.
CTA officials temporarily shut down Red, Yellow, and Purple Line service and rolled out shuttle buses while crews checked the tracks and equipment, according to CBS Chicago. Service was suspended between Howard and Thorndale as workers assessed the derailment site, and riders were told to expect significant delays and build in extra travel time.
Service Suspended Across Multiple Lines
The CTA alerts page showed Yellow and Purple Line trains fully suspended and a Red Line disruption between Howard and Thorndale while personnel inspected the tracks, according to the Chicago Transit Authority. Shuttle buses were sent in for Yellow and Purple Line riders to cover the out-of-service stretch, and the agency's status page listed crews on site working to restore normal operations.
Passengers Evacuated, No Injuries Reported
Chicago Fire Media reported that a "Still & Box alarm and EMS Plan 1" was called for the derailment at 7519 N Paulina and that "all passengers removed to platform, no injuries reported," with fire crews remaining on scene, Chicago Fire Media noted. As of Thursday night, the CTA had issued service alerts but not a full incident summary, and officials had not yet released any information about what caused the train to leave the tracks.
Howard's History of Disruptions
Howard is no stranger to high-impact problems. The terminal has seen similar headaches in recent years, including a Yellow Line derailment there in August 2025 that triggered multi-line suspensions and evacuations. Because Howard is a junction where several lines converge, any major issue at the terminal tends to ripple across service on the North Side.
Riders are being urged to monitor the CTA alerts page and official agency accounts for the latest updates. The CTA and Chicago Fire are expected to release more details once inspections wrap up, according to current status updates. We will update this story when a formal incident report is available.
