Editors Note: Reports from police place this crash in the area of Schaefers Lane and CSX Railway. Amtrak corrected initial reports stating the crash occurred on Amtrak-owned and operated tracks south of Aberdeen, between Gunpow MP79.3 and River Interlocking MP 89.3, on the No. 3 track at MP 87.0. Despite this location difference people we talked to on Monday, who lived near the tracks still had concerns.
Two people were killed Sunday night when they attempted to ride a four-wheeler over train tracks in Baltimore County. An Amtrak train traveling from New York City to Roanoke, Va. struck the two unidentified males around 8 p.m.
A passenger on that train last night tells us, the conductor had previously warned the people on board that there was congestion. So when the train came to a stop, he assumed it was due to a traffic buildup.
He and other passengers around him audibly gasped when the conductor told them the train had hit not just one, but two people on the tracks.
RELATED: Two men killed after a four-wheeler was struck by Amtrak train in Essex
Michele Ruth lives near where the accident happened. A resident of almost 50 years, she's seen and heard her fair share of train crashes.
"Whether it's the trucks going over the tracks, or it's people. Sad to say we've had homeless people live back there, and quite a few of them have gotten killed. Really bad. It's just sad. It's sad to hear someone lost their life."
She told WMAR-2 News on Monday that she heard police helicopters over the area the night before, but didn't know what happened.
"Last night I didn't hear a thing, and I'm very surprised. But now that you're telling me this, we usually have these three-wheelers and two-wheelers, dirt bikes, constantly going up and down the street, all hours of night, dark dark night. We even put out a larger lamppost so people could see."
In Baltimore County, it's illegal to operate off-road vehicles on private property - like the train tracks - without written permission from the property owner. ATVs aren't street legal at all. Dirt bikes can be driven on roads or public property if they're registered and tagged as a motorcycle. All off-road vehicles are prohibited within 300 feet of a home, or between the hours of 8 p.m. and 7 a.m.
"It has been reported to our community, and our meetings and things like that. They die down a little bit, and then it's back all over again," Ruth said. "I'm really sorry that someone lost their life, but it could've been prevented."
The two victims have not been identified yet.
Baltimore County police referred WMAR-2 News to the Amtrak Police department as the primary agency handling the investigation.
In a statement, Amtrak said:
"On Sunday, Sept. 15, Amtrak Train 149 was traveling from New York City to Roanoke, Va., when at approx. 8 p.m. ET the train came into contact with an all-terrain vehicle obstructing the tracks between our Aberdeen and Baltimore stations. There were no reported injuries to the 519 passengers or crew members onboard. This train and six others were delayed for approx. one to two hours (exact time of delay varied by train) by the emergency medical response to the incident site. Amtrak Police worked with local law enforcement, including Baltimore County Fire, Police and EMS to investigate the incident.
According to the Federal Railroad Administration, railroad trespassing incidents are the second leading cause of rail-related deaths in America. These incidents can affect everyone involved—those who are injured or die and their families, our train crews, and our passengers. They also serve as critical reminders about the importance of obeying the law and of exercising extreme caution around railroad tracks and crossings. Amtrak continues to work closely with Operation Lifesaver (OLI) to #STOPTrackTragedies by emphasizing the obvious dangers of being on railroad property or disregarding warnings at rail crossings.
For more railroad safety information, please visit StayOffTheTracks.org."
