A Way To Prevent Train Crashes In Western Springs?

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL — BNSF Railway is seeking to prevent train-car crashes by clearing trees and bushes, officials said this week. This could help towns such as Western Springs, Hinsdale and La Grange.

The company is clearing the vegetation within 17 feet of either side of the tracks for the railroad that goes from Chicago to Aurora, officials said at Monday's Western Springs Village Board meeting. They referred to a train-car crash in Western Springs in November.

Trustee Al Fink, who heads the village's Public Works and Water Committee, spoke about BNSF's thoughts on train-car accidents, including the one in Western Springs.

"There was that accident and four other ones that they thought some of the tree branches might be hitting the switches," Fink said. "By getting 17 feet on either side cleared, that won't happen anymore."

The other four accidents were not believed to be in Western Springs, but officials said they received "vague" information about the times and places of those crashes.

Casey Biernacki, the village's assistant director of municipal services, said BNSF has finished the work of clearing trees in most of the western suburbs, but not yet in Western Springs, Hinsdale and La Grange.

Biernacki noted the pine trees on the berm along the railroad near Gilbert and Hillgrove avenues have been removed.

Trustee Heidi Rudolph said the removal of those trees was "really noticeable" and "quite stark."

"It's unfortunate that they had to come down, but I appreciate the safety reason," Rudolph said.

Officials said the village is looking at what railroad-approved vegetation could be planted as a replacement.

In an email to Patch, BNSF spokesman Ben Wilemon said the vegetation clearing was routine maintenance performed on right-of-ways throughout the network.

"Last summer, our Engineering team scheduled the current vegetation maintenance for the end of 2020 and beginning of 2021 due to the availability of the equipment needed for the work," he said.

The local accident happened in the early afternoon of Nov. 15. A car was struck by a train at Wolf Road, police said.

According to a police news release, a 37-year-old woman and a 38-year-old man exited the car on their own and were reported as not suffering any injuries.

In a response to a Patch inquiry on Wednesday, Deputy Police Chief Dan Albrecht said the railroad gates were malfunctioning before the crash. BNSF came out the same day and fixed it, he said.

He also said the Federal Railroad Administration was contacted and has been involved in the investigation.