Narrative:

We were cleared into position and hold on runway 9L. We completed our line-up checklist and as we were lining up with the runway centerline we were cleared for takeoff by ord tower. After making my required takeoff calls (attcs check; check thrust; thrust set); I looked up and to the right and noticed a second aircraft on the roll on runway 4L. I called for the abort and the first officer and I both applied maximum braking (no thrust reversers on aircraft). The second aircraft also began an abort. We slid through the intersection and air carrier Y stopped short. After being given instructions to clear the runway by tower and when off of the active runway; we ran the aborted takeoff check and the after landing check on taxiway B. After allowing the brakes to return to the green indication; the crew decided it was safe to continue the flight. We asked the tower controller for the supervisor's phone number. Upon completion of the flight; we phoned the tower supervisor and found out exactly what had happened. Evidently; there was training going on in the ord tower. Air carrier Y had been cleared for takeoff and 35 seconds later; we were cleared for takeoff. The trainee in the tower did not realize that the air carrier had not begun their takeoff roll yet. Unfortunately; it seems the incident was caused by a combination of a slow response by air carrier Y and a lack of situational awareness by the ord tower controller. Supplemental information from acn 691332: the PNF realized there was an aircraft which was also on the takeoff roll from runway 4L. These 2 runways intersect. He commanded the abort and I initiated. We got the airplane to stop to the best of our abilities due to the fact it was an 'ep' with no thrust reversers. Had we had the reversers there would not be a question as if we would have stopped before the intersection. I feel the reversers were much needed in this instance. The PNF was on his 'a' game as he always is when I fly with him. He spotted the aircraft a good 5-10 seconds before the tower commanded us to stop.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E145 DEP FROM ORD RWY 9L INITIATED ABORT AFTER OBSERVING THE OTHER ACR BEGINNING TKOF FROM RWY 4L. ATC OPERROR RECORDED.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 9L. WE COMPLETED OUR LINE-UP CHKLIST AND AS WE WERE LINING UP WITH THE RWY CTRLINE WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF BY ORD TWR. AFTER MAKING MY REQUIRED TKOF CALLS (ATTCS CHK; CHK THRUST; THRUST SET); I LOOKED UP AND TO THE R AND NOTICED A SECOND ACFT ON THE ROLL ON RWY 4L. I CALLED FOR THE ABORT AND THE FO AND I BOTH APPLIED MAX BRAKING (NO THRUST REVERSERS ON ACFT). THE SECOND ACFT ALSO BEGAN AN ABORT. WE SLID THROUGH THE INTXN AND ACR Y STOPPED SHORT. AFTER BEING GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS TO CLR THE RWY BY TWR AND WHEN OFF OF THE ACTIVE RWY; WE RAN THE ABORTED TKOF CHK AND THE AFTER LNDG CHK ON TXWY B. AFTER ALLOWING THE BRAKES TO RETURN TO THE GREEN INDICATION; THE CREW DECIDED IT WAS SAFE TO CONTINUE THE FLT. WE ASKED THE TWR CTLR FOR THE SUPVR'S PHONE NUMBER. UPON COMPLETION OF THE FLT; WE PHONED THE TWR SUPVR AND FOUND OUT EXACTLY WHAT HAD HAPPENED. EVIDENTLY; THERE WAS TRAINING GOING ON IN THE ORD TWR. ACR Y HAD BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF AND 35 SECONDS LATER; WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. THE TRAINEE IN THE TWR DID NOT REALIZE THAT THE ACR HAD NOT BEGUN THEIR TKOF ROLL YET. UNFORTUNATELY; IT SEEMS THE INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY A COMBINATION OF A SLOW RESPONSE BY ACR Y AND A LACK OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS BY THE ORD TWR CTLR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 691332: THE PNF REALIZED THERE WAS AN ACFT WHICH WAS ALSO ON THE TKOF ROLL FROM RWY 4L. THESE 2 RWYS INTERSECT. HE COMMANDED THE ABORT AND I INITIATED. WE GOT THE AIRPLANE TO STOP TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITIES DUE TO THE FACT IT WAS AN 'EP' WITH NO THRUST REVERSERS. HAD WE HAD THE REVERSERS THERE WOULD NOT BE A QUESTION AS IF WE WOULD HAVE STOPPED BEFORE THE INTXN. I FEEL THE REVERSERS WERE MUCH NEEDED IN THIS INSTANCE. THE PNF WAS ON HIS 'A' GAME AS HE ALWAYS IS WHEN I FLY WITH HIM. HE SPOTTED THE ACFT A GOOD 5-10 SECONDS BEFORE THE TWR COMMANDED US TO STOP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.