Body Beside Tracks Halts Metra Trains In Evanston

EVANSTON, IL — All Metra trains in both directions on the Union Pacific North were stopped Thursday morning due to a report of a body found near the train. Inbound and outbound traffic were halted since 8:30 a.m. near Davis Street, according to a Metra spokesperson.

Around 8:06 a.m., Metra notified Evanston police a conductor noticed the body lying near the outbound tracks crossing Dempster Street but wasn't sure if the person was dead or sleeping, according to Evanston Police Cmdr. Ryan Glew.

When cops got to the scene they found what appeared to be a dead man. Glew said it appeared the man had been hit by a train but it was not clear if the man had taken his own life. The Cook County Medical Examiner is heading to the scene, and the man was not immediately identified.

The CTA said it will honor Metra tickets for riders on the halted trains, and Purple Line service continues from the Davis Street station.

To the south of the scene of the death investigation, extra trains have been added from Main Street to Chicago, Metra announced.

Inbound trains began leaving Davis Street station shortly after 9 a.m. Trains were expected to be operating between 20 and 50 minutes behind schedule, Metra announced.

Passengers were asked to stay tuned to Metra's website for alerts.

Two inbound UP-N Metra trains have departed from Davis, with another announcement saying the next one is arriving in approximately five minutes #Breaking #Evanston pic.twitter.com/mO3XDgHU7b
— Colin B Photography (@colinbphoto) February 15, 2018

Evanston Fire and Police departments seen working on the overpass at Dempster Street, where the alleged body lies on the outbound Metra Up-N tracks pic.twitter.com/X2AtnvI2zR
— Colin B Photography (@colinbphoto) February 15, 2018

Around 10:30 a.m. trains were held up again before the scene was cleared:

Metra Alert UP-N - Inbound and outbound train movement halted near Davis Street due to police activity
— Metra UP-N (@metraUPN) February 15, 2018

This is a developing story, check back for updates