Crowded South Shore trains expected Wednesday after derailment

CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) - Crowded South Shore Line commuter trains are expected Wednesday after a train derailed near Millennium Station in the Loop on Tuesday afternoon, brining the service to a halt.

Regular service was restored on the line by 8 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, which operates the South Shore line.

Regular morning rush hour service was expected for Wednesday, but with a reduced number of cars on each train, the transit agency said. Riders were told to plan for crowded cars on most trains, and to check for alerts before heading out.

Crews were expected to work through the night to clear the derailment, with 18 cars still “trapped” at Millennium Station late Tuesday, the transit agency said.

Service on the line was suspended following the “low-speed derailment” of a westbound train at about 2:14 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

“The rear two cars of Train 18 derailed as the train was entering Millennium Station,” NICTD Transit Police Chief Robert Byrd said.

Two passengers suffered minor injuries.

Metra, which shares some tracks with the South Shore Line, tweeted that Electric Line trains were also delayed entering Millennium Station Tuesday night due to the derailment. Metra honored South Shore tickets on its Electric Line for the night.