Amtrak train kills person on tracks in Mansfield

So I am on the train right now, and I found out about this from this article before they told us. A random guy walked by the window with a sign saying "person struck." This is the only reason I know. Thanks amtrak!

How many people have to die b/c of these high speed trains insist on rolling through heavy residential areas. (Boston thru Prov) It is not like these trains are doing 120 mph in some cornfeild in Nebraska in the middle of nowhere. I used to take the commuter rail out of Canton and there is no barrier or fence between you and tons of metal flying by you at 100+ mph an hour. It is absolutely ridiculous and dangerous. How many people have died so far, I can think of at least 3 off the top of me head.

Hey....watch out for that train!!!!!!! Ouch...........

We're northbound on the acela - just passing investigation. One track is moving slow. And amtrak hasn't announced anything on the train

could be worse you could be the person in front of the train instead of inside it.lol lifes to short.enjoy it .

ahhh the true sign of a good human... someone is DEAD and you're upset that you were not notified why the train is not moving? It's NOT all about you. Yes, some notice would help... but I'd guess that they just MIGHT have something more important to be doing.

Conductor on the 435 providence line said that there was a fatality in mansfield, and updated us quite effectively. Updates started as soon as we boarded in S. Station.

One moron screws up thousands of commuters, on a friday no less. Use a rope next time.

Would you prefer they drag he mangled body out for all aboard to see it instead?

Julia, you sound as if you expected to be told before you bought your ticket. What difference does it make if Amtrack told you or not? There was a tresspasser on the tracks that was struck by a train. If it were a different train would you be just as shocked that nobody made sure to tell you? Get a life.

da da da darwin

The trains are still stuck. Currently on train 175 southbound and we haven't moved in 1 1/2 hours. They say we will move backwards, pick up passengers and then head down on the one track that is open.
Already delayed by 2 hours and counting ....

why is it never the individuals fault? I feel horrible at this loss of life but you don't stand on or cross the tracks. Even if the train drops you off on groumd level vs. a platform (which could be the case here) you get off the tracks as fast as possible or you risk getting removed from the gene pool. No need to be an maverick here -- follow the crowd -- there's safety in numbers.

again

actually when it first happened the conductor said there was a "fatality"... but after the first announcement they didn't repeat or elaborate. I also saw this strange man with a hand written sign walking by the tracks "person struck" in red. very weird

Amtrak/MBCR have to do a better job of communicating these things. I did not receive an e-mail like I am supposed to from the MBTA/MBCR. And getting out of Providence, the train did not arrive until 5:30 pm, to leave at 6 pm or after. There is no really no plan for an emergency. I am back in Downtown Providence waiting to be picked up. THANKS A LOT GUYS!!!

Yeah well mbta wasn't any better signs kept changing from all services have been canceled and the mbta web site said 30 to 45 min delay. That was over 2 hours ago. I could go on but I'm too tired. Thanks mbta for the accomodations have the buses show up to take people back to boston when we were going towards providence!!!!!!

Hey julia - i was on the train too. They announced it at 4pm. it happened at 3:40. Being told doesnt change the fact that someone lost their life and you are showing contempt for amtrak. You are as bad as the countless other people I heard complaining today. Even though they knew someone died, they were screaming about how it was the train company trying to screw them. Grow up people, seriously.

wtf...i waited a long friggin time for my next train...directions were not clear as to how i was supposed to get to providence....thanks amtrak!

My nephew is on the train...they keep on delaying the time the alternate train will arrive to move the passengers.

Gotta love the MBTA. Sitting on the 5:40 Providence train now. There were no announcements in South Station before we left (I was in the station 15 minutes). All of a sudden we start crawling. It's 10 minutes later before any announcement is made as to what's going on.

Having spent two weeks in the UK, where schedules and times are always available, and apologies are made for delays immediately, I've become even more disgusted by the MBTA. It's NOT that hard to inform your customers about what's going on - particularly if the issue happened two hours prior.

Your customers WILL understand. Just communicate with them.

I am on the Regional train behind it. I first learned the details by reading this article. Crew on board the train specified "police activity," said they had no idea what was happening in PA announcements and in conversations with passengers.

I learned from mbta.com that there was a medical emergency. When passing LED message boards in stations during the re-routing, the boards specified a fatality along the line. This article provided the full picture.

Paging Dr. Darwin....

Wow, so there being a set of train tracks known to be active, is not enough of a hint that a train might be on them and to stay off? There needs to be signs saying "There may be a train coming at any moment, perhaps you should move."?

Am I really back water in thinking that walking on a set of active tracks is a bad idea?

so you would prefer with all the chaos going on at the scene they should start more by telling a bunch of people on the train they just ran somone over? smart move julia.

I'm also on the train and I have to disagree with the above commenter. The announcer on the train immediately said that there had been a possible fatality. Beyond that, how does it help us to know the details? Does it make the wait any less inconvenient? No. The crew has been extremely polite and helpful and accomodating. It's a tragedy that certainly wasn't the fault of Amtrak. I also have to wonder about the quote in the above article about there not being adequate signage for locals about crossing the tracks. Seriously? How much signage should really be necessary to warn people about NOT crossing train tracks? Maybe we should also have signs on all major roadways to warn people that it's not a good idea to take a nap in the middle of the road. Because, you know, that might not be clear to people.

Without conspicuous and warning signage, without a loud PA system, and without a fence type barrier, I personally found the Mansfield station was "waiting for an accident." The Acela flies by at 80 to 90 mph. In danger are the young, the old, pets, and anyone without senses or handicapped.

There has been a lot more than three Rocky and there will be a lot more. Why? Because people TRESPASS on the tracks. There are signs everywhere that say no trespassing. And it should be common sense to stay off rail road tracks. This is not Amtrak's fault or the MBTA's fault as this person was technically speaking committing a crime.

Okay folks, been there done that. I used to take the commuter rail before retiring. The bottom line is you don't take short cuts. One with common sense knows you don't try to cross tracks to get to your car in a shorter amount of time to beat the traffic. There are plenty of signs etc warning about high speed etc. I am thiking had the person taken the prescibed exit they would still be alive.

"How many people have to die b/c of these high speed trains insist on rolling through heavy residential areas."

Yes, we need more public transportation where there are no people. That's the problem with these passenger trains- they go to places where the passengers are. And the ones that do go where the people live- are too fast and efficient.

This person is a genius. Enough is enough I say. More passenger train service to the middle of nowhere. Slower trains that go nowhere- that's the ticket!

Its a pretty simple concept...dont walk on the tracks. The train isnt going to stray from its course. Stay of the tracks and live.

If you're walking on train tracks and you get hit it's your own stupidity!!!

It's not like the trains are careening through town every which way---they're only on the tracks! Consider how much safer we'd all be if we built an infrastructure that did not require us to risk our lives while driving everywhere. We'd actually be much safer as a whole. So yes, safe, fast, reliable trains & good, walkable, neighborhoods are actually an excellent answer to our public safety needs. There simply need to be adequate safeguards to keep people off the tracks. Let's stop this crazy risk of having an infrastructure that forces us to drive everywhere. More trains! (BTW---two sets of trains run right through my neighborhood. The access is great!)

I happen to work for a company that unfortunatly goes out and cleans up these bodies once they have been exploded by these trains......this happens way to often and is not a pretty site.......I mean do we really need to do a 140 mph...if I needed to go that fast I would probably take another wonderful invention..some call it a plane.....

Wow, you can think of THREE people that died from getting hit by a train?

Automobiles accounted for 41,000 deaths last year. 5,500 of those people killed were pedestrians and cyclists. We'd all be a lot safer (and healthier) if more people took the train or rode their bike to work.

Besides, how does someone get accidentally hit by a train?
Trying to win a Darwin Award?

I am on the Amtrak Acela 2171 and was one of 264 people who waited almost 3.5 hrs for the train to be cleared to continue south. During the process,we were told that we (passengers) would have to be transferred to another Amtrak train. The process would entail another train moving along side and through a single door we would move from one train to the other. As we waited for the other train to arrive, I found it interesting that most on the train were patient and understanding that all 264 of us were in the same perdicament. We were all going to be late getting home and that the train we were transferring to would be crowded. Unfortunately not all felt the need to be patient a few passengers felt that maybe their need to transfer before the group was more critical than the rest of us. A few of my fellow passengers (seat mates) wondered how they found money that was greener than ours. THere was a time that adversity brought people together. This incident showed that there are those who feel that their individual needs surpass those of the group as a whole. A sad state of affairs. In the end the mediacal examiner allowed our train to proceed...no transfer required...the selfish few returned to their seats...bags in hand!

I was on the 3:45 train to Providence (MBTA). We stopped in Sharon. They told us to get off the train and wait for buses, and then they told us to get back on the train. Then they told us to get off an wait for buses or a train. I was the last person let on the bus to South Attleboro - we were all packed in like sardines. The bus driver was cool. I am glad to be home - got in at 6:15 not too bad.

People walking on the train tracks are bound to get hit by something sooner or later. Who in their right mind would walk down train tracks wearing headphones ? If it wasn't a train it would have been a car or a bus. It's the lack of common sense that people are getting hit by trains. It's not the speed of the train or where its going. Pay attention people.

Hey Rocky,

Did it ever occur to you that these people are taking their own lives? It has nothing to do with the speed of the trains. If you're not out walking on the train tracks, you wouldn't get hit.

John-

Train going 150mph...there is no more body

Obama was driving the train

Directional signage is awful, lighting is poor, this is the 2nd incident to take place right at the station in 12 months.

Having been on the 3:45 Providence-bound train from South Station, my heart definitely goes out to the victim's friends and family. Suicide or accident, someone's life was still lost.

Unfortunately, there were two tragedies this afternoon- the one mentioned in this article and the MBTA's emergency responsiveness to the situation. Being a passenger on the 3:45 Providence-bound train from South Station, there was nothing but confusion as to what passengers were to do once we were removed from the train. It is surprised that after the other incidents that have occurred on this line that not one MBTA employee was required or willing to stay at Sharon to keep passengers informed of the situation. Having been stuck in Sharon for over an hour, it would have been nice at least to have the station opened up for use of restrooms and a place to sit while we waiting for buses, then a supposed train, and then the buses again.

its obviously a pain for commutuers and a diffiult thing for amtrak to deal with. it shakes me up though (i am currently on the train.. were just near pvd).. my prayers go out to the individual, his family and those close to him.

Isn't 'gaggle' a term reserved for geese?

what part of "walkng on a train track" is so difficult to comprehend?!

What kind of idiot gets hit by a train? Are they that difficult to see and hear coming? If he's trying to end his life there's ways that don't include screwing with thousands of people's travel plans.

That train goes through here at 150mph. It is terrifying when it goes by.

Just be glad you weren't at the Mansfield Station at the time apparently it was a it was a very gruesome scene....

I was on the train too. They did update us with information as best they could. My experience wasn't super bad, just sucks that I missed some meetings in NYC, but hey, life is more important than meetings. Overall, the crew was really helpful and I think we should all be thinking a bit more about that person's life. who knows how/why it happened. all you can do is pray for their family because it's gonna be painful for them no matter what.

About 2 (maybe 3 years ago) another person was strucked & killed by an Acela right at Mansfield station. That person got off one train and got hit by another one coming the other way. I believe he tried to cross the track and then jump on an elevated platform but did not make it.
Maybe Amtrak could put up a couple more big bright signs? Woldn't cost that much and could help somewhat.

Also, I live in Foxboro and our house backs up to that same exact Acela line. It is easily accessible and kids ride their dirtbikes up there all the time. MBTA vehicles go up and down too. I've been at the Manfield station when Acela goes by & for me it is kind of frightening.

Must say though - common sense rules - stay OFF the tracks and look long & hard before you cross.

God bless this person's family.

I was one of the folks on the 3:45pm PVD train. I too was asked to get off the train and wait at Sharon and I did. When our train finally arrived it was a pleasant site and I was happy to be heading home. We stopped at Mansfield to let those folks off and I when the train finally stopped right outside my window on the platform was the medical examiner standing over the body. It was covered but you could see pools of blood on the ground, it was sobering and at that instint any frustration I was feeling for being delayed was gone. It is terrible that a woman lost her life, it even more terrible for those she has left behind.

My sympathies to the family of the victim. I was on the 5 pm out of South Station and we were an hour late and given little information. Typical of the MBTA/MBCR. No emergency plan, no communication. As for the Amtraks, they don't go through at 150 mph in Mansfield, though they likely do 75-85 mph there. Not to seem unsympathetic, but I don't understand someone doing something like trying to cut across train tracks.

I was on the 4:40PM (from Back Bay) train. I heard that some people had received e-mail notifications from MBTA. I want to say that our conductor was very nice about keeping us up-to-date on our [albeit] slow progress. I was home 80 minutes later than usual. The Mansfield station still had yellow tape, fire trucks and police cars when we pulled in. We were directed where to walk by the police.

Do you think you could have referred to the victim as a "person" as opposed to "someone"...also a "gaggle" of neighbors????

In Mansfield the yellow line that passengers are warned to stay back is only about 2 feet from the tracks. Being a regular I know to stay back further when .the Acela is coming . If you are a visitor or teenager and stand at the so called warning line when an Acela comes by its pretty scary!! Not everyone takes the train everyday and doesn't know what to expect.... This is something that the MBTA needs to looked into.

Marcomarco.....i agree..

Rocky....it's a freaking train...stay off the tracks....

rocky, 12 or 120 mph, walking on train tracks is darwinism. If you need to be TOLD to stay off of train tracks you deserve your fate. By the way, other spots to avoid would be the third rail of subway tracks, runways at airports, and walking across a freeway.

I'm sorry but train tracks = trains and whether they are moving 40 mph or 150 mph a human being is no match for a train....STAY OFF THE TRACKS!!!! How do you not hear or see a train?

I was also on the 3:45 PVD-bound train and we were told promptly about the accident and let off soon after in Sharon. Although the evening was confusing, situations such as this cannot possibly be anticipated and-in the scheme of things- it did not take the MBTA too long to get us headed towards our destinations. The more concerning thing to me was the train that hurtled by several hundred passengers-spread out across Sharon station- only a few short hours after the accident. This train was not an Acela but going at least as fast as I have ever seen one go, and it blew through without much warning. I don't care if the MBTA wanted to get back on schedule-it was careless.

I was on 2171 and although the incident was shocking and strange part of me feels terrible for the person and his family and the other half is pissed at the selfishess of him walking on the tracks where it is known that a train goes by at 150 mph. speed of trains has nothing to do with it, a regional amtrak going half the speed would have done the same. people need to exercise some common sense. you wouldn't cross or walk your dog near a run way would you?

The bottom line here is you don't steer a train like a car. It runs on tracks. If you don't walk on the tracks, you will NEVER get hit by a train. It is ALWAYS the victims fault, and never the train. Railroads are very dangerous places to trespass on. Take some personal responsibility, stop trespassing on railroad property, and these accidents will NEVER happen.

Wow, I am shocked that people are so concerned about how long it took them to get home!!! We were at the station when the women jumped in front of the train. Yes, there were body parts and unfortunatley, there were a lot of young kids (high school-college) at the scene who witnessed this horrifying event. Life is short, don't be so quick to complain. Those of us who were at the train station saw something we should never see.

Sounds like one more suicide-by-train. Third or forth one this year. Despite all the whining and honking going back and forth over this, it seems to be as simple as this person didn't want to be here anymore. And if his/her actions upset some who weere there to see it, you can be assurred that it was not a primary concern in the mind of the deceased whether you'd like it or approve.
Amen.

My sympathies are with the deceased persons family and also with the people who witnessed this tragic event. I will also state that the Mansfield platform on the inbound side where the first two cars stop is an accident waiting to happen. There is so little room on this end that passengers will routinely walk on the yellow line while there is an approaching train announcemnet just so they can line up at the first car. The train approaching announcement does not state the high speed train is approaching and this can and does make a difference to those waiting on this end of the platform.

It is very easy to comprehend. The train comes thru there everyday at high speeds. There is probably another way to get to the parking lot. Take that way. NO MATTER HOW FAST IT GOES IT WILL STILL DO THE SAME THING. 2 mph or 250. Have you guys noticed that the Europeans have little or no signage, it is because they are smart enough to stay off the track. This person should have had the brains to take the alternative route. Then this whole incident would never have happened. We all know the family will sue Amtrak. It would be a very easy case to defend Amtrak, because the cause of it was the person stupidly.
In my area the only people who get hit ether try to beat the train or are homeless bums walking along the track. It should never happen. I was on a train that someone committed suicide on. It delayed my trip to Florida 5 hours. These people need to use Common Sense. If she used it would have never occurred. To prevent a future incident they just need to put up a cheap chain link fence. it wouldn't cost much and it would have the job done. Don't complain about the crews because usually they don't know much and do what they are told.
So you got delayed on your way home, BIG WHOP. People are easily angered by the stupid things. You guys need to get over the delays. So just get over it. There is nothing you can do, so I will quote a Beatles song, "Let it Be."
Plus the person was trespassing they were in the wrong not Amtrak or MBTA.

I work at a business near where the train came to a stop. They were investigating out there for quite some time.

Ultimately - people from the place I worked went out to see if they needed anything out there and were talking to the people working the area. They were told that the woman STEPPED out in front of the train and while it isn't in the papers yet....it is being considered a suicide.

Another woman who came in said that a man came in the place she worked and said that he watched the woman walk out onto the tracks as the train approached.

horribly tragic no matter how you look at it.

What kind of person? What idiot? Screw up my day?
Stay off the tracks? How selfish?.....

Do you people actually hear yourselves?

She was a mother, a sister, a daughter, a grandmother, an aunt, a neighbor she was a PERSON! Regardless of why she was on the tracks.

You were delayed, unconvinced etc. for what 3.5 hours? 3.5 hours out of any average lifespan of over 700,000 hours! HOWEVER, you all are still here. Still here to hug your loved ones, see a sunset, feel warm sunshine on your faces and obviously complain and be narcissistic.

As for Amtrak. You were informed; you were informed a PERSON lost their life. Perhaps Amtrak mistakenly thought that knowledge alone would ignite the Human Compassion and Understanding that MOST people are born with and have to forethought to see that none of YOU were their PRIORITY at that particular time.

My suggestion to most of you, let your delay or interrupted plans go......HUG your loved ones, enjoy tonight’s sunset and be thankful that you did not SEE this horrible tragedy and this person was NOT someone you KNEW.

What is wrong with you people! Sorry you were stuck in a train! Someone died! It could be a friend or relative of yours It doesn`t matter if it was an accident or on purpose. What matters is that a young life again was taken! I dont know about you but I am praying for the victim and family. Be grateful that you didnt see it happen.

The whole story is awful, it gives me goosebumps. I was on the 600 train from providence. At firs the scene at the prov train station was chaotic, every train delayed with no explanation. Eventually as hours passed we started to gain more details of the tragedy. The crew was very nice and apologetic. They did the best they could to accomodate. It's such a chilling story though, when we stopped in mansfield, men were in hazmat suits cleaning off cars. Awful. I feel sorry for the persons family and all those passengers that had to witness it.

And this comes just after a "no whistle, quiet zone" was established because nearby residents complained of the noise. The automated warning system built into the station obviously wasn't enough. In this case the redundancy of the train horn could have saved a life, however this warning did not come because selfish residents thought more of their comfort than others safety.

We can feel sorry for them all we want but it was their fault for walking into the track in the first place. I don't care how young, how much life it took away, how many hours it took to get home, and how much this person could have done in life. IF YOU WALK ON THE TRACK IT IS BOUND TO HAPPEN. It is common sense. Come on you guys, it was her fault. It was not Amtrak's, MBTA's fault it was her fault for attempting walking over the track not the trains. She made the radical choice to cross the track and she payed for it. Case closed

I was on the 345 train to PVD. We of course stopped in Sharon. I was shocked at the amount of people on my car that were ticked and loudly swearing that this has just ruined their day. When you take the trian you accept the risk that you may not get home on time. You do not have control. So to the people who were screaming profanity across the parking lot while a group of school kids on a field trip were right next to you. Congratulations, your outburst rewarded you with waiting for the train just like the rest of us did. Idiots.

Ok. I was on the 4:30 to Providence (total travel time THREE hours) but our conductor was very informative. Here's the thing - if you get hit by a train, you're an idiot.
This was a suicide. THAT is selfish, find some other way that doesn't inconvenience thousands of people. It wasn't an accident - it's a set of train tracks. TRAINS DON'T STOP. Watch out for the giant thundering machine that you can see, hear, AND feel waaay before it gets near you, despite the speed.

Better her than me. People need to stop acting like everyone who dies is some special tragedy. Lots of people die every day. Be glad it's not you.

Well did she cross the track or commit suicide? I wish there would be a follow up to the story. My train was delayed as a result of this mess.

I was on the 3:45 departure from Boston.

I'm looking at transactions 4, 26, and 65 in this thread. The simple fact is, there IS chain link fencing between the tracks at every low-platform station on the Providence corridor and there ARE automated announcements when trains pass through. The announcement occurs 5 times, good and loud, with time to spare to step away from danger. It has been that way for a long time. The warning signs are plentiful. For a while in Mansfield, Amtrak was painting the chain link fence with axle grease to deter people from climbing it (if you won't spare your own life, at least spare your clothing) but even that didn't do much to stop trespassers. Yes, Canton Junction used to be a disaster waiting to happen, that's why they built that elaborate system of pedestrian overpasses (which simultaneously made the trains accessible to the physically diabled). Amtrak is not failing to provide deterrents and warnings, that was an emormous task undertaken at great expense in the late 1990s. What more can they do? The deterrents just don't stop people.

I'm so sick and tired of bleeding hearts. How many train fatalities does there have to be for people to stay off the tracks? I take the commuter train everyday out of Canton Junction and when the acela train comes through, I know not to go anywhere near it. Plus, the warning comes long before, that there is a train approaching and to stay behind the yellow line. Of course it's extremely sad what happened but people need to stop. It's not selfish to want to get home after a long week of work.

As an EMT, I am going to tell some people to wise-up. Death is not something anyone gets used to; some people get conditioned to death and can see through the mirage of despair, it is time people start seeing through this vail of sadness.

For those of you who "feel sorry" and are "praying for the victim's family's", grow up. The people you should feel sorry for are for Old Mr. Johnsons who were having heart attacks that day in Mansfield and could not get Emergency Medical Services because they were all busy standing around looking at some obliterated body of some selfish A-Hole. The whole point to committing suicide is to inconvenience everyone else in the world because at least then others will know. By feeling sorry for them you are doing exactly what they want.

Had it been an accident, that's another story; had a car gotten stuck on the tracks and had a mother and two children been killed, then it would be a tragedy. This was one person who felt the only way out was to kill themselves, so they did, and succeeded; and you have to give them that, because most people do not succeed.

For those of you who were pissed about being late, good, you damn well should have been pissed. That person wasted your time, that could have been used to enjoy yourself; wasted police time, that could been used doing something worthwhile; wasted firefighter time, that could have been used helping people; and wasted EMT/EMS time, that could have been used to help some elderly person or child get to the hospital. Instead, everyone just sat around and did nothing.

So, for those of you who feel sorry for the victim, maybe one day you will need help that gets delayed or never comes because some inconsiderate prick will decide to jump in front of a train and stops the help you need because you are having a heart attack. Grow up, you are not a Saint and caring for some suicidal moron does not make you a better person. Consider yourself lucky they did not decide to shoot-up some shopping mall and then kill themselves.

Actually, the lady that got hit by the train was one of my good friend's grandmother who committed suicide.

EMT, that was the best summary of my thoughts that I've ever read. I could not put together a more articulate paragraph than yours.