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Description
On the morning of October 25, 1995, Metra train number 624 departed from Crystal Lake station in McHenry County, Illinois, bound for Chicago in Cook County. The train consisted of six bi-level cars, with the cab power car numbered METX 8751, and the locomotive was an F40PH marked as METX 148, named "Village of Fox Lake." The Union Pacific Railroad was responsible for running and operating this train, which traveled at a speed of 70 miles per hour on the Union Pacific Northwest Line.

At the same time, a school bus, identified as unit number 103, was owned and operated by Crystal Lake School Districts 47 and 155 in McHenry County. Unfortunately, the assigned driver did not show up for work, prompting a search for a substitute driver. Patricia Catencamp was eventually found and arrived to take charge of the bus at 6:35 AM. Due to the delay in finding a driver, the bus ended up departing 20 minutes late, causing it to pick up students from Cary-Grove High School until 7:10 AM.

The traffic came to a standstill at 7:05 AM, and among the students on the bus, Freshman John Afinsen occupied the 3rd row, near the left corner and next to a girl. Sitting just behind them was Sophomore Joe Calti, who was friends with John and preferred to sit at the back of the bus. Freshmen sat towards the front, while other students occupied the back.

The bus made stops, including one at a railroad crossing on Algonquin Road near US 14. The bus stopped at a red light shortly after that, and the crossing arms descended. Suddenly, the children on the bus began screaming, and a truck driven by Jim Hummeluh was behind the bus. He urgently approached the bus and shouted for it to move.

Patricia Catencamp, the bus driver, was confused, and within five seconds, the train engineer applied the brakes. Tragically, at 7:10 AM, disaster struck as the bus was struck and torn apart by the train, which was traveling at 40 miles per hour. The Fox River Grove police chief witnessed the scene and summoned several police officers, including those from Cary and the county sheriff's office.

Emergency medical services (EMS) were dispatched and arrived at the scene at 7:18 AM. A nurse from a nearby café rushed to the scene to assist injured students. Unfortunately, Jeff Clark succumbed to his injuries while attempting to breathe and clear blood from his lungs. Tiffany Shnider, a friend of Jeff's, also lost her life. She had been excited to receive her first paycheck on her new job, but she never had the chance to collect it. Sophomore Joe Calti, who had concerns about his driving that night, had advised Freshman John to sit at the front of the bus, potentially saving John's life. In total, seven students lost their lives, five were injured, and two escaped without injuries.

There was no immediate response from city, county, state, or federal government officials until further research was conducted. The transportation safety board initiated an investigation into the incident. The primary cause was determined to be the poorly designed crossing, which posed a significant risk. The links connecting the railroad signals to the road were too lengthy and dangerous, causing the bus to become stuck on the crossing.

The pedestrian crossing was also at risk due to the placement of signals on the sidewalk, potentially endangering pedestrians, as the volume of the signals was too low. The time frame for clearing the crossing was inadequate, as the red light continued to flash for 18 seconds after the crossing was activated. This left only 2 to 6 seconds for vehicles to clear the crossing.

Responsibility for the road's design lay with the Illinois Department of Transportation, while the railroad fell under the purview of the Union Pacific Railroad. Unfortunately, these entities did not communicate effectively. The thumbwheel device was adjusted to a 25-second window, but the railroad claimed that this adjustment remained within the Federal Railroad Administration's limits.

Patricia Catencamp failed to maintain proper distance between the bus and the sidewalk, as she was distracted and overlooked the green light six seconds before the disaster, possibly due to her confusion. Unit number 103, the school bus involved, was retired, while the locomotive METX 148 continued in service as a rebuilt F40PH-3.

Patricia Catencamp never drove a school bus again, continuing to work for the transport division until her retirement in 1999, after which she moved away from McHenry County. A friend publicly shared her devastation, and the Metra train engineer, Ford Dotson Jr., testified during the 1996 hearing.

In memory of the seven students who perished in the tragedy, a memorial was erected in the Fox River Grove area. Following the incident, several lawsuits were filed against the school district, Metra, Union Pacific Railroad, and the Illinois Department of Transportation for criminal negligence. The most recent settlement, in January 2004, saw victims receive $27.3 million, with the school system paying $16.26 million. Metra and Union Pacific Railroad paid $7 million, while the Illinois Department of Transportation and engineering contractors reached settlements of $3.2 million and $750,000, respectively.

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Description
On the morning of October 25, 1995, Metra train number 624 departed from Crystal Lake station in McHenry County, Illinois, bound for Chicago in Cook County. The train consisted of six bi-level cars, with the cab power car numbered METX 8751, and the locomotive was an F40PH marked as METX 148, named "Village of Fox Lake." The Union Pacific Railroad was responsible for running and operating this train, which traveled at a speed of 70 miles per hour on the Union Pacific Northwest Line.

At the same time, a school bus, identified as unit number 103, was owned and operated by Crystal Lake School Districts 47 and 155 in McHenry County. Unfortunately, the assigned driver did not show up for work, prompting a search for a substitute driver. Patricia Catencamp was eventually found and arrived to take charge of the bus at 6:35 AM. Due to the delay in finding a driver, the bus ended up departing 20 minutes late, causing it to pick up students from Cary-Grove High School until 7:10 AM.

The traffic came to a standstill at 7:05 AM, and among the students on the bus, Freshman John Afinsen occupied the 3rd row, near the left corner and next to a girl. Sitting just behind them was Sophomore Joe Calti, who was friends with John and preferred to sit at the back of the bus. Freshmen sat towards the front, while other students occupied the back.

The bus made stops, including one at a railroad crossing on Algonquin Road near US 14. The bus stopped at a red light shortly after that, and the crossing arms descended. Suddenly, the children on the bus began screaming, and a truck driven by Jim Hummeluh was behind the bus. He urgently approached the bus and shouted for it to move.

Patricia Catencamp, the bus driver, was confused, and within five seconds, the train engineer applied the brakes. Tragically, at 7:10 AM, disaster struck as the bus was struck and torn apart by the train, which was traveling at 40 miles per hour. The Fox River Grove police chief witnessed the scene and summoned several police officers, including those from Cary and the county sheriff's office.

Emergency medical services (EMS) were dispatched and arrived at the scene at 7:18 AM. A nurse from a nearby café rushed to the scene to assist injured students. Unfortunately, Jeff Clark succumbed to his injuries while attempting to breathe and clear blood from his lungs. Tiffany Shnider, a friend of Jeff's, also lost her life. She had been excited to receive her first paycheck on her new job, but she never had the chance to collect it. Sophomore Joe Calti, who had concerns about his driving that night, had advised Freshman John to sit at the front of the bus, potentially saving John's life. In total, seven students lost their lives, five were injured, and two escaped without injuries.

There was no immediate response from city, county, state, or federal government officials until further research was conducted. The transportation safety board initiated an investigation into the incident. The primary cause was determined to be the poorly designed crossing, which posed a significant risk. The links connecting the railroad signals to the road were too lengthy and dangerous, causing the bus to become stuck on the crossing.

The pedestrian crossing was also at risk due to the placement of signals on the sidewalk, potentially endangering pedestrians, as the volume of the signals was too low. The time frame for clearing the crossing was inadequate, as the red light continued to flash for 18 seconds after the crossing was activated. This left only 2 to 6 seconds for vehicles to clear the crossing.

Responsibility for the road's design lay with the Illinois Department of Transportation, while the railroad fell under the purview of the Union Pacific Railroad. Unfortunately, these entities did not communicate effectively. The thumbwheel device was adjusted to a 25-second window, but the railroad claimed that this adjustment remained within the Federal Railroad Administration's limits.

Patricia Catencamp failed to maintain proper distance between the bus and the sidewalk, as she was distracted and overlooked the green light six seconds before the disaster, possibly due to her confusion. Unit number 103, the school bus involved, was retired, while the locomotive METX 148 continued in service as a rebuilt F40PH-3.

Patricia Catencamp never drove a school bus again, continuing to work for the transport division until her retirement in 1999, after which she moved away from McHenry County. A friend publicly shared her devastation, and the Metra train engineer, Ford Dotson Jr., testified during the 1996 hearing.

In memory of the seven students who perished in the tragedy, a memorial was erected in the Fox River Grove area. Following the incident, several lawsuits were filed against the school district, Metra, Union Pacific Railroad, and the Illinois Department of Transportation for criminal negligence. The most recent settlement, in January 2004, saw victims receive $27.3 million, with the school system paying $16.26 million. Metra and Union Pacific Railroad paid $7 million, while the Illinois Department of Transportation and engineering contractors reached settlements of $3.2 million and $750,000, respectively.

NEW VIDEO SHOW THIS ART IS COMING SOON IN 2025.