Two cars of a Lake Street train lie in the street and another two dangle from the 'L' tracks after it rammed the rear of a Ravenswood train (right) at Lake Street and Wabash Avenue.

On February 4, 1977 the worst accident in "L" history occurred at the sharp curve on the Loop elevated at Wabash Avenue and Lake Street. The motorman of an Oak Park-bound Lake-Dan Ryan train had just made the normal stop at Randolph/Wabash and failed to trust that, as the result of a delay, there was a Ravenswood train stopped just ahead at State/Lake, despite the what his automatic cab signal system told him. He proceeded under 15 mph (thus overriding the automatic braking that would normally occur when disobeying a cab signal), ramming the Ravenswood train. Worse yet, he reapplied power against the immovable train while on a 100 ft. radius curve, causing the cars the buckle, lift up and three of them to fall off the tracks while a fourth hung off the structure, still coupled to the rear four cars. Eleven people died (the headline's number was later revised) and over 180 were injured. Below are four articles from the Chicago Tribune's front page coverage the next day:

• 180 are injured as 4 cars plunge to crowded street
• Loop tragedy was second major crash in 13 months
• Horror and relief for those whose train never came
• Wreck changes businesses into bloody hospitals