Service on the Illini and City of New Orleans routes experiencing significant delays following the fatal incident in Illinois.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Ill. — A person was struck and killed by an Amtrak train early Friday morning near University Park, Illinois, according to local authorities.
The incident occurred at approximately 9:15 a.m. CT just south of the University Park station. Officials report the individual was trespassing on the tracks when they were struck by the southbound Illini (Train 391), which operates between Chicago and Carbondale.
No injuries were reported among the 110 passengers or crew aboard Train 391.
Service Impacts and Delays
Service on the busy Canadian National (CN) tracks, shared by Amtrak and the Metra Electric District line, was halted in both directions immediately following the incident.
As of 12:00 p.m. CT, Train 391 remains stopped at the scene pending a full investigation by Metra police and the Will County coroner’s office. Passengers on the affected train are reporting multi-hour delays.
“Amtrak is working closely with local law enforcement to investigate this incident,” said Amtrak spokesperson Christina Leeds. “We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss of life and are working to safely accommodate our passengers with minimal further delay.”
Background: A Critical Rail Corridor
This section of track is a critical artery for Amtrak’s Illinois Service and long-distance routes originating from Chicago.
The stoppage is expected to cause cascading delays for other services:
- Amtrak City of New Orleans (Train 59): This long-distance train utilizes the same tracks and is currently holding north of the incident.
- Northbound Illini (Train 392): This train’s departure from Carbondale will likely be delayed or operate on a modified schedule.
- Metra Electric: Service to University Park is also experiencing significant disruptions.
What’s Next for Travelers
Amtrak has not yet announced alternate transportation, such as a “bus bridge,” for affected passengers. The rail line will only reopen after authorities have completed their investigation at the scene.
Passengers with travel planned on these routes today are urged to check Amtrak.com or the Amtrak app for real-time schedule updates and train status alerts before heading to the station.
The identity of the individual has not been released pending notification of next of kin.