Two pedestrians walking on tracks dead after being struck by MARC train in Western Md.
(This story has been updated with new information and to correct the destination of Train 875.)
A Maryland Transit Administration official confirmed late May 6 that two people walking on train tracks in southern Washington County were struck by a MARC train and died.
"We are saddened by this tragic incident and remind the public that it is never safe to walk on or alongside railroad tracks," Maryland Transit spokesperson Veronica Battisti said in an email to The Herald-Mail. "We express our condolences to the victims and their families."
About 100 passengers on MARC Train 875 were transferred to another train to complete their trip, Battisti said.
Train 875 was heading west from Washington, D.C., to Martinsburg, West Virginia, around 6:15 p.m. on Tuesday, May 6, when the train struck the two people walking on the tracks, Battisti said.
The incident occurred on train tracks in the Sandy Hook area, east of the Harpers Ferry station, she said.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Earlier in the evening, CSX spokesperson Bryan Tucker, via email, confirmed an incident involving a MARC train on CSX tracks in southern Washington County. He referred further questions about the incident to the Maryland Department of Transportation.
Tucker said a CSX special agent responded, as well as Washington County first responders.
Transit posted messages on X, formerly known as Twitter, about police activity delaying a MARC train on the Brunswick line east of the Harpers Ferry station.
CSX has tracks along Sandy Hook Road in southern Washington County that cross the Potomac River to Harpers Ferry.
The Transit Authority posted after 6 p.m. on May 6 about the MARC Brunswick Train 875 being stopped east of Harpers Ferry station due to police activity and the train later being terminated with passengers to take Train 879.
Train 875, according to the online MARC schedule, departs Union Station in Washington, D.C., shortly before 4:30 p.m., to head to Martinsburg.
Battisti said May 7 that MARC Train Brunswick Line service was operating on a regular schedule that morning.
Track 2 reopened around 9 p.m. May 6 with speed restrictions and all tracks were open at 10 p.m. May 6, Battisti said.
CSX spokesperson Austin Staton said the route is used for freight and Amtrak as well as for MARC.
Staton stressed that "this incident must serve as a reminder of the very real dangers of trespassing on railroad property and why it is important for the public to stay away from active railroad tracks and rail yards."
More information about railroad safety can be found at Operation Lifesaver, a nationally recognized leader of rail safety education, according to Staton.
A spokesperson for the Washington County Sheriff's Office referred questions about the incident to CSX on the evening of May 6.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: CSX investigating MARC train fatalities in southern Washington County
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