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CTA Investigates Derailment Of Rail Buffs' Train

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The CTA is investigating the derailment of a train chartered by a group of railroad enthusiasts Sunday.

As WBBM Newsradio's Steve Miller reports, one car of a four-car CTA train derailed just south of the Roosevelt stop around 11:15 a.m. Sunday. No one was injured.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's Steve Miller reports

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First came the bump-bump-bump, says Harold Krewer, who was on the car that jumped the track just south of Roosevelt Road.

And after the bumps, the car started going sideways.

"I knew we were off the rail at that point. I was seated. Not to worry," Krewer said. "We came to a stop. That was it."

Krewer and others were on the chartered train excursion as a fundraiser for the Illinois Railway Museum.

"Some of the guys that are on the trip are professional railroads, and one of the guys... said, 'I'm glad I'm not going to have to do the investigation on this,'" Krewer said. "So we were all taking it in stride. Nobody was upset. Nobody was worried. A little diversion in our day."

Most of the passengers on the train walked along the 'L' to the Roosevelt station after power was shut off to the tracks.

Another train buff, Daniel Boylan, and a friend who has a bad leg were taken off the tracks using a Fire Department bucket.

The derailment led to suspended service on parts of both the Orange Line and Green Line for several hours, but service on both lines returned to normal by Sunday afternoon.

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