Sunday, July 22, 2012
The railroad industry has experienced at least four derailments in the last few weeks, according to an FRA release. The July 4 derailment on the Northbrook-Glenview border killed a Glenview couple.
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
- Glenn Wall
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Sunday, July 22, 2012
In the weeks since the July 4 train derailment and bridge collapse that killed a Glenview couple, many locals have wondered what the process is for ensuring the safety of a new bridge and investigating the cause of the derailment. This is of particular concern given that the same bridge also collapsed as a result of a derailment in the 1970s. Patch talked to the agencies involved to chart out the process. Union Pacific has authority to replace bridge Since the July 4 bridge collapse, Union Pacific has made clear its intention to replace the viaduct and says there was nothing structurally wrong with the bridge prior to the derailment. Under existing laws, the FRA does not have the authority to deny the rebuilding of a rail bridge. …
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Federal law forbids rail employees from using electronic devices while on duty.
On July 4, a Union Pacific signal maintainer noticed something unusual in the rails that runs freight through Glenview and Northbrook. The rail worker reported his sighting to a track inspector, who arrived at the scene about the same time as the train derailment that killed two Glenview residents was happening. According to Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis, despite the result of that day’s derailment, the signal maintainer acted appropriately and did just about everything he was trained to. As part of their training, UP employees are instructed to report potential threats to rail safety officers, whether or not the observed threat falls within the employee’s area of expertise, Davis explained. Read Patch's complete coverage of the train…
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Union Pacific officials addressed public concerns during Monday night's meeting with Glenview and Northbrook residents.
A signal maintainer at the scene of the July 4 train derailment witnessed a rail abnormality before the accident and called for a Union Pacific inspector, who arrived "about simultaneously" as the bridge collapsed, said David Connell, vice president of engineering for Union Pacific. The decision to cease freight traffic along the bridge could have been minutes away. However that was too late. The train derailed and the bridge collapsed, killing two people in a car below. Read Patch's full coverage of the train derailment and bridge collapse here. Ten Union Pacific officials, along with representatives from the Federal Railroad Administration, the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Illinois Commerce Commission spoke to a crowd of…
Friday, July 13, 2012
Foot traffic has decreased in the area since the fatal crash, which killed a Glenview couple last week.
Wil-Sher Shopping Plaza business owners say they've seen less customers since the July 4 train wreck that caused a bridge to collapse near the Northbrook-Glenview border, the Sun-Times reports. “My customers from Glenview are not coming here," Young Shin, a Glenview resident and owner of Willow Cleaners told the newspaper. "Making our lease payment will not be easy." Union Pacific Railroad spokesman Mark Davis said a new bridge will be ready in two months, retailers doubt a quick re-opening of Shermer Road. "This is going to be crazy," Angel Hernandez, a cook at Mario's Pizza told Patch. "When they fixed the bridge it was a nightmare, we had no business, last year." The same bridge had been closed last year "for 3 ½ months while Union …
Thursday, July 12, 2012
According to Northbrook Village President, "Northbrook can and will recover" from the recent tragedies.
There were no outbursts, no shocking revelations about the recent tragedies in Glenview and Northbrook. On Wednesday night, hundreds of people filled Glenbrook North's Sheely Center to quietly reflect on the past and hear expert advice on grief management, the statistical realities of suicides in Illinois and how to communicate with loved ones during periods of emotional hardship. They gathered in the wake of a string of recent tragedies, including two suicides of young men in Northbrook, the death in a car accident of a Glenbrook North student, the train derailment and bridge collapse that killed a Glenview couple, the drowing death of a 4-year-old Glenview boy, and the sudden death from an illness of a GBN special education teacher. The …
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Fisher and LaMonica will remain co-counsel in the wrongful death suit against Union Pacific after a train derailment and subsequent bridge collapse in Northbrook-Glenview.
Chicago's Clifford Law Offices announced today the Lindner family has retained them as lead counsel in the wrongful death suit after last week's bridge collapse. “We’re very experienced trial lawyers in transportation accidents,” Clifford spokeswoman Pamela Menaker said. “We’re highly experienced in terrible tragedies.” The family's initial legal representation, Fisher and LaMonica, will remain on the case as co-counsel. “The railroad has a team of attorneys," Michael LaMonica said. “It’s going to be a very involved case so we decided to get more people involved.” The Sun-Times reported today that Union Pacific has video shot onboard the derailed train, which Union Pacific and the Federal Train Administration are now reviewing. “That …
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Union Pacific officials estimate it will take several month to design, procure and install a new permanent viaduct following July 4th's train derailment and subsequent bridge collapse.
Above, find a detour map from Village officials for motorists while Shermer Road is blocked. Union Pacific officials estimate it will take several month to design, procure and install a new permanent viaduct following July 4th's train derailment and subsequent bridge collapse, the villages of Glenview and Northbrook announced Monday. In the meantime, a temporary rail bed embankment constructed by Union Pacific is facilitating freight train traffic, At the request of Glenview and Northbrook officials, a Federal Railroad Administration inspector last Friday examined the structure and confirmed the rail was safe to operate. To stay up to date as this story unfolds, "like" Northbrook Patch or Glenview Patch on Facebook.
Monday, July 9, 2012
The neighboring villages will host a community forum with advice from trauma professionals.
In the aftermath of last week's train derailment and the string of young people who passed away last month, Glenbrook North will hold a presentation and discussion to help community members deal with grief. The event, called Tools for Coping, is scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. in GBN's Sheely Center. It will feature expert presentations, and cover topics such as: Following the presentation, participants will have the opportunity to break-out in smaller discussion groups or meet with counseling professionals. The event was originally scheduled in response to the recent sudden deaths of several high school students and the 4-year-old Glenview boy at Roosevelt Pool, but now welcomes those who are grieving after Wednesday’s train derailment…
Victims of the collapsed Union Pacific bridge in Northbrook memorialized during Sunday funeral.
Burton and Zorine Lindner, married for 46 years, were fondly remembered during their funeral at Congregation B'nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim in Deerfield on Sunday, the Chicago Tribune reports. According to the newspaper, more than 700 people filled the temple to memoralize the Glenview couple who died during Wednesday's train derailment. "There was no better way to go than together," the Lindner's son Matthew said. "They were each other's world. He was her rock, and he couldn't endure life without her." According to the Northbrook Star, Burton's nephew, Bob Cichowicz, visited the scene at Shermer and Willow on Saturday and cried beside his motorcycle. Burton taught Cichowicz how to ride his first bike. The family's lawyers conducted a three…
Friday, July 6, 2012
Village officials met Friday with Union Pacific Railroad, the Federal Railroad Administration and IDOT to discuss public safety and disruption of Shermer Road business. A meeting to address resident questions and concerns is scheduled for July 16.
Update on July 6 at 6:40 p.m. The Villages of Glenview and Northbrook have released a second joint statement regarding the temporary bridge built by Union Pacific at the train derailment site. To stay up to date as this story unfolds, "like" either Glenview Patch or Northbrook Patch on Facebook. July 6, 2012 – This afternoon, a representative of the Federal Railroad Administration evaluated the integrity of the temporary bridge erected by Union Pacific Railroad, following the July 4 train derailment and collapse of the viaduct over Shermer Road between Holste and Willow roads on the GlenviewNorthbrook border. The FRA representative confirmed the temporary bridge is structurally sound. The independent inspection by the FRA was one of the …
Jim Gerard
3:51 pm on Thursday, December 13, 2012
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