A freight train blocked several streets on Elgin’s west side Monday morning, causing some auto traffic backups and driver confusion.
According to a Facebook post on the Elgin Police Department page, a Union Pacific train blew an engine, leading to the train being stalled between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m.
Elgin police also posted on Facebook at 10:43 a.m. that barricades were being removed and the train was no longer stalled.
For a good part of the morning, the train blocked tracks crossing Lawrence Avenue west of State Street (Route 31) to where the tracks cross National Street east of State, police said, with State Street at Locust Street completely blocked.
Union Pacific Railroad was bringing another engine from Belvidere to move the train, police said.
“The stalled train in Elgin experienced a mechanical issue early this morning, and we are in the process of bringing in a new locomotive to move the train,” Calli Hite, Director Corporate Communications for the railroad said shortly after 9 a.m. “We expect it to begin moving around 10 a.m.”
Hite said the train, pulled by a single locomotive, was hauling 80 automotive racks and rail cars.
“We apologize to the community for this inconvenience,” Hite said.
