Alabama train engineer killed when freight car hits him at Norfolk Southern facility
Published 1:20 pm Friday, February 2, 2024
A railroad worker at an Alabama facility was killed Wednesday when he was struck by a freight car, investigators said.
The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed it was investigating the death of a Norfolk Southern train engineer who was reportedly struck by freight cars and died later at a hospital.
The incident happened at approximately 5:15 p.m. Wednesday in Decatur, Alabama.
Exactly what happened in the incident has not been disclosed.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, a labor union representing train workers, identified the person killed as Chris M. Wilson, 55, who was a 30-year employee of Norfolk Southern.
“This tragic loss underscores the safety risks present in railroading, even in the controlled environment of a rail yard,” BLET National President Eddie Hall said. “This week marks one year since Norfolk Southern’s derailment and chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio. I hope as we reflect on that disaster and on the need to continually improve rail safety that we also pause to remember Brother Wilson and the family he leaves behind.”