DG Resident's Account of Wednesday's Train Fatality

resident Ernest Anderson was a witness at the tragic pedestrian accident last night at the and emailed me today to share his account. We spoke today, and with his permission, his letter is published below.

The Village of Downers Grove website has a webpage with railroad safety tips courtesy of Operation Lifesaver. You can find that webpage here.

Mr. Anderson's letter reads:

Last night, my sons and I witnessed something very tragic that a family may have yet to know.  At about 7:00 PM, as we drove up to the railroad gates at Forest Ave, we heard the sounds of the BNSF freight train blaring its horn and then the emergency brakes screeching the train to a halt. My gut told me the train hit someone and that’s what I told my kids. As we drove up Warren Ave to turn around in the parking lot that’s across from Starbucks and next to the tracks, my headlights caught the image of a green jacket with a furry collar. I stopped and looked and didn’t see anything else. As I continued and turned, my oldest son, says “oh my god, there’s something or someone under the wheel of the train.  I saw the red top the person was wearing.  The body lay next to the train wheel. I picked up my phone to call DGPD to let them know we found the body.  

We both got out of the car as the headlights shined on the train car, wheels, and the body. There was no one there. I just kept thinking, “Where are the police? Where’s the ambulance?” And then it dawned on me. No one knows this person is here. We’re the only ones that know.  My oldest son went to go to the officer that drove up to the scene at Main St. and the RR crossing. I whistled to the officer and as he pointed his flashlight at me, I pointed back to him in the direction of where the body lay. At the time we thought this was a kid by the clothing and size of the body.

The officer acknowledged me and he walked up to the tracks and where the body lay. I told my kids, it’s time to go because I didn’t want them to see any more of this.

After we drove away and West on Warren Ave, no one said anything for about 5 minutes, and then my kids were saying how sad this is and why did they walk around the locomotive that was sitting at the station? I only told them, “This is why I constantly tell you guys, you never walk around RR crossings with flashing lights and gates down. You never know what’s coming”.

The rest of the evening and into this morning, I just kept praying and thinking, a life has been lost and I pray to god that it is never my kids, my wife, family, friends, or anyone else.  As of this morning, I still don’t know who the person is. I want to find out and attend the funeral.

Regards,

Ernest Anderson