Pedestrian killed by train in Hempfield identified as Penn Borough man

A Penn Borough man was hit and killed by an eastbound freight train Tuesday night in Hempfield, according to the Westmoreland County coroner.

Thomas R. Brown, 57, was found dead on Norfolk Southern Corp. railroad tracks at about 9:30 p.m. according to the coroner. He was found near the Wegley crossing in Hempfield.

Authorities said witnesses reported seeing Brown sitting on the rail of tracks. He did not move when the conductor and engineer sounded the train’s horn and hit the brakes, investigators said.

Brown died from multiple blunt force injuries. The coroner has not made a ruling on his manner of death.

State police are investigating.

The intermodal train was en route from Chicago to Baltimore, when the incident occurred, Norfolk Southern said in a statement. There were no reported injuries to the NS train crew.

Norfolk Southern personnel assisted local law enforcement in investigating the incident.

“Norfolk Southern reminds the public that it is extremely dangerous, and also trespassing, to walk on or within the right-of-way of railroad tracks,” the railroad company said. People should cross tracks only at designated crossings and use extreme caution at all times, Norfolk Southern added.

The Wegley crossing was the scene of a fatal accident in May 2002, when two passengers in a car driven by Brandy Mowry, then 19, of West Newton, was hit by an eastbound train as it attempted to cross the tracks. The train dragged the car more than 100 feet.

Two passengers in the car, Drew Myers, 18, and Franklin Kalish, 16, both of Manor, were killed. The driver and another passenger were injured in the crash.

The railroad crossing was closed after the fatal accident and PennDOT, Hempfield and Norfolk Southern agreed in 2010 that the closure would be permanent.

Joe Napsha is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joe at 724-836-5252, jnapsha@tribweb.com or via Twitter @jnapsha.Natasha Lindstrom is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Natasha at 412-380-8514, nlindstrom@tribweb.com or via Twitter @NewsNatasha.