August 26, 1991. It started as a typical Monday morning in Downers Grove, Illinois. But by mid-afternoon, the Fairview Avenue station became the site of a tragedy that would be analyzed, debated, and—unfortunately—exploited for decades to come.
You’ve likely seen the footage. Or maybe you’ve heard the name Mary Teresa (often cited as Mary Theresa Wojtyla) mentioned in hushed tones on railfan forums. It’s one of those moments caught on tape that feels completely avoidable yet utterly inevitable the second the shutter starts clicking.
Basically, it’s a masterclass in how a single moment of distraction or impatience can end everything.
The Afternoon at Fairview Avenue
Mary Theresa Wojtyla, a 41-year-old woman from Chicago, was standing at the station around 2:15 PM. She wasn't alone. A railfan was also there, camera in hand, hoping to catch a glimpse of the EMD E9 locomotives—those classic, sleek engines that were nearing the end of their service life on the Metra lines.
He got his shot. But he also caught a nightmare.
A westbound local train was stopped at the station. This is where things get tricky. When a train is sitting at a station, it creates a massive blind spot. Mary began to cross the tracks, walking around the front of the stationary local train.
She shouldn't have been there.
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The gates were down. The bells were clanging. The lights were flashing red. Honestly, every single safety mechanism designed by engineers over the last century was screaming at her to stay back.
But she didn't.
The Physics of an Express Train
What Mary didn't see—and couldn't have seen from her vantage point—was the westbound express train. It was headed by leased Burlington Northern locomotive no. 9912. It wasn't scheduled to stop.
It was moving fast. Very fast.
Estimates put the speed of the express at roughly 60 miles per hour. When you're standing next to a track, a train moving that fast is essentially a silent predator until it’s right on top of you. By the time Mary stepped onto the center track, the engine was only feet away.
She was struck and killed instantly.
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Why the Mary Theresa Wojtyla Footage Still Circulates
The video of the accident is chilling. It doesn't just show a tragedy; it shows the terrifying speed of rail travel. Because a railfan was filming the locomotive, the entire sequence was captured with haunting clarity.
For years, an edited version of this footage has been a cornerstone of rail safety programs. Operation Lifesaver, a non-profit dedicated to rail safety education, often uses the lead-up to the impact to demonstrate a "near miss" or the dangers of track trespassing.
They cut the tape before the actual collision.
However, the internet is rarely so respectful. The unedited footage has bounced around "shock" sites and YouTube for years, often mislabeled or stripped of its context. This has led to a sort of morbid urban legend surrounding the "Mary Teresa train accident."
Misconceptions and Rumors
People often wonder why she didn't hear the train. "How do you miss a giant locomotive?" they ask.
It's a phenomenon called "looming." When a train is coming straight at you, your brain struggles to calculate its speed accurately. Couple that with the noise of the other train idling at the station, and you have a recipe for sensory overload.
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Some people also mistakenly link this to "ghost" stories. St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery in Chicago, where she is buried, has occasionally been the subject of paranormal investigators looking for a connection. Honestly, it's a bit much. The real story is tragic enough without adding ghost hunting into the mix.
The Legacy of a Split-Second Decision
The impact on Downers Grove was immediate. It led to renewed calls for better pedestrian safety and more aggressive enforcement of crossing laws.
Even today, rail safety experts point to this specific incident when discussing "gate running." It’s a reminder that the gates aren't a suggestion. They are a physical barrier between life and a very violent end.
If you’re ever at a station and feeling impatient:
- Wait for the gates. Even if the train you see is stopped, another one could be coming from the opposite direction or on a middle track.
- Check your ears. Headphones are a death sentence near tracks. You need your situational awareness.
- Trust the bells. If the bells are ringing, stay behind the yellow line. Period.
Mary Theresa Wojtyla wasn't a "daredevil." She was a person who made a mistake that thousands of people make every day. She just happened to be in the wrong place at the exact moment the physics of a 100-ton locomotive intersected with her path.
Next Steps for Staying Safe:
If you want to contribute to rail safety or learn more about how these accidents are prevented, you should check out the resources at Operation Lifesaver. They provide data-driven insights into why these incidents happen and how community education can stop them before they start. You can also look into local Metra safety initiatives if you commute in the Chicagoland area to see how station designs have changed since 1991 to prevent similar tragedies.