Mark Cordes in his backyard near the Union Pacific Railroad tracks that run through Crystal Lake on Tuesday, May 21, 2023. Gregory Shaver — gshaver@shawmedia.com

Illinois repeatedly ranks No. 3 for most train derailment or crash incidents dating back 2014, according to federal data

By James T. Norman 
Mark Cordes’ home stands just a few dozen feet from a rail line, but he never thought much about the trains going by his house.

Outside of freight train noise and it sometimes rattling his house, it hasn’t been a concern, the Crystal Lake man said.

But he’s noticed more freight moving through the area and given the February train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, he wonders now what is on the trains and what kind of safety protocols are in place if a crash were to happen.

“It doesn’t feel like [a train disaster] can happen here,” he said.