A 49-year-old man walking on the railroad tracks at Torrey Pines State beach apparently ignored warning bells and whistles from an approaching Coaster train and was hit and killed Sunday.
San Diego Sheriff‘s deputies were dispatched at 11:26 a.m. to the railroad tracks at mile post marker 245.7, south of the intersection of Carmel Valley Road and North Torrey Pines Road, Deputy Dawn Morabe said.
San Diego Fire-Rescue crews dispatched at 11:34 a.m. found the man’s body and declared him dead, Morabe said.
The North County Transit District‘s Coaster train was traveling north between the Sorrento Valley and Solana Beach Coaster stations when it hit the man.
“According to witnesses, as the train was approaching the location, the victim was observed walking northbound in the middle of the railroad tracks along the bluffs,” Morabe said. “The train operator activated its horn and emergency braking system, but was unable to stop before striking the victim.”
The train’s conductor told investigators the victim was walking with two other people, who moved out of the way when the train began using its bells and whistles to alert them, Channel 8 in San Diego reported. Meanwhile, the victim continued walking on the tracks.
Crossing train tracks is a misdemeanor but people commonly cross the railroad tracks near the accident site because it gives them easy access to the beach.
Coaster service on the railroad line was delayed about two hours, the transit district said. The agency sent buses to transport passengers stranded on trains. The train carried 109 passengers, according to authorities.
—City News Service
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