On April 25, 1946, the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad’s high-speed passenger train, the Exposition Flyer, rammed into the Advance Flyer in Naperville, Illinois. Forty-five people died, and 125 people were injured in the collision. Naperville residents, like the employees of Kroehler Furniture Factory and students from North Central College, volunteered to help the injured, while emergency workers traveled from neighboring communities to assist in recovery efforts.
According to an investigation, the Exposition Flyer’s engineer failed to follow signals indicating that the Advance Flyer’s crew made an unscheduled stop in Naperville to fix a mechanical problem. The Exposition Flyer was traveling west at more than 45 miles per hour when it collided with the Advance Flyer. New speed limits for passenger trains were enacted because of the tragedy, affecting rail travel throughout the state and nation.