Person struck, killed by train east of Stevenson

An eastbound train struck and killed a man who reportedly was standing on BNSF Railway tracks 6 miles east of Stevenson late Friday morning, according to rail line spokesman Gus Melonas.

Melonas said investigators have been interviewing train crew members, and they said they saw a man standing on the side of the tracks, on the outside of the ties. The crew sounded the horn, but the train still struck the man. The three-locomotive, 82-car train was traveling at around 45 to 50 mph.

Melonas said the crew told investigators the man appeared to be taking a photograph of something in the distance. He added investigators currently think the man was not a local resident.

Four trains had to be put on hold while BNSF staff and Skamania County Sheriff’s officials investigated the site, Melonas said, but the track reopened in the afternoon.

Melonas said the death was the 20th on BNSF rail lines this year in Washington, and that number is already higher than the average over the past decade.

He said the public needs to be aware that trains can be moving on any track at any time, and in any direction. Melonas added that the man was trespassing on the tracks.

That stretch of track handles about 35 trains daily, Melonas said.