Pedestrian Struck and Killed by Train Near Smith Street

A pedestrian was struck and killed by a freight train near Smith Street in Union City Sunday morning.

The collision was reported at about 11:30 a.m. on the Union Pacific Railroad tracks about 75 yards away from Smith Street, Union Pacific Railroad spokesman Aaron Hunt said.

The victim was walking in the middle of the train tracks away from the northbound train, Hunt said. The person, who was wearing a dark hoodie, made no effort to move from the tracks when the train crew sounded the horn and tried to stop, he said.

The train struck the pedestrian, who was declared dead at the scene.

The incident remains under investigation.

According to Hunt, trains usually travel between 20 and 50 mph through the area. He said a train traveling at 40 mph would take about three-quarters to a mile to come to a complete stop and that train crews sounded the horn for "quite some time."

Members of the train crew are receiving peer counseling, Hunt said.

"It has definitely impacted our train crew," Hunt said. "What the family and friends must be going through must be terrible."

The Sunday morning accident caused delays along some of Union City's main thoroughfares.

As of 2 p.m., roads were still blocked off on Dyer Street between Alvarado-Niles Road and Alvarado Boulevard and at Alvarado Boulevard near Lowry Road on the Union City-Fremont border.

— Bay City News Service contributed to this report.