US train chief's suicide

CHICAGO: Authorities say the executive director of the Chicago area's Metra commuter rail service has died of an apparent suicide after he stepped into the path of one of his agency's trains.

Phil Pagano was under investigation into allegations that he received an unapproved US$56,000 ($78,000) bonus.

McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren says a train engineer put on the emergency brakes when he saw Pagano on the tracks about 80km northwest of Chicago but was unable to stop. He says Pagano died instantly.