CHICAGO TRAIN CRASH DEATH TOLL INCREASES

By FRANK L. SPENCER

CHICAGO (UPI) – J. A. WATTS was at the controls of the four-car modern bi-level commuter train when it apparently overshot the 27th street flag stop on the South Side.

He stopped the train and began backing up, triggering the railroad's “red” warning light. But it was too late to halt the oncoming old-style, six-car Illinois Central commuter train – causing the nation's worst train accident in 14 years.
At least 44 persons were killed in the wreck Monday and more than 320 others injured, some critically.

“People were flying all over the place,” said MRS. LAURIECE BROWNING, 33, a passenger on one train. “I screamed and screamed, and somehow I was able to find my way off that thing.”

HAROLD MELCHER, 21, who was in the first car of the approaching rear train, said he heard the conductor shout: “We're going to crash. Everybody get down.” He said he dropped to the floor and escaped without injury.

The impact thrust the older rear train car telescoping into the last double decker car. Most of the dead and seriously injured were riding in the last double-decker. It took rescue workers six hours to remove bodies and survivors from the wreckage.
President NIXON expressed his deepest sympathy and concern. He cancelled a ticker tape campaign parade scheduled for today in Chicago. Democratic presidential candidate GEORGE S. McGOVERN also cancelled a torchlight parade scheduled here Wednesday.

Mayor RICHARD J. DALEY called the crash “tragic.” He ordered flags flown at half staff in the city until Saturday in memory of the dead.

The President dispatched JOHN VOLPE, secretary of transportation, to Chicago to inspect the wreckage. VOLPE spent 40 minutes at the wreckage site, before touring some of the six hospitals that treated the 321 persons.

VOLPE and HENRY WAKELAND, director of the department's Bureau of Transportation Safety, said the accident raised questions about the strength of the new aluminum and steel commuter cars.

National Transportation Safety Board Chairman JOHN H. REED, of Washington, scheduled a news conference today to discuss the crash.

Investigations were begun by a number of agencies including the railroad, the federal and state government transportation departments, the Illinois Commerce Commission and the Cook County coroner's office.

JACK HUMBERT, the railroad's vice president in charge of operations, said the overshooting of the platform apparently led to the accident.

HUMBERT said the railroad uses block signals, with a green “go” light permitting speed up to 65 miles per hour, a yellow “caution light” permitting speed up to 30 m. p. h., and a red light which calls for the approaching train to stop.

HUMBERT said by the time the train backed up, and the signal colors changed, the second train apparently had traveled too far and was traveling too fast to stop in time.

H. G. MULLINS, the IC's superintendent of passenger service, said WATTS told him he overshot the platform by about 250 feet. MULLINS said he didn't know why the engineer passed the platform, but speculated: “Maybe he was going faster than he should have.”

The accident happened about three miles south of the Loop, and less than 100 yards from the Michael Reese Hospital complex. Dozens of doctors and nurses rushed from the hospital to give first aid to the injured.

Hundreds of motorists also stopped to lend assistance, jamming the nearby expressway.

The platform of the 27th street station was turned into an “outdoor hospital” where the injured were treated until they could be removed to hospitals.

DR. EDWARD GOLDBERG, staff surgeon at Michael Reese Hospital, was the first doctor at the scene. “Human limbs were hanging out the windows,” he said. “There was one 22-year-old fellow whose heart stopped, but he was revived. About the only thing doctors and nurses could do at the scene was apply tourniquets and splints, and give sedatives.”

The Coshocton Tribune Ohio 1972-10-31