UPDATED: Man Struck While Walking On Train Tracks In Fairfield

11:35 a.m.:

The Solano County coroner's office has identified a man who was struck and killed by an Amtrak train in Fairfield on Tuesday afternoon as 21-year-old Vacaville resident Robert Bates.

Police said Bates was walking along the tracks near the 2200 block of Huntington Drive around 1:35 p.m. Tuesday when the passenger train hit him.

Fairfield police Officer Cleo Mayoral said all evidence indicates the death was an accident but that officers are still investigating the case.

Mayoral said Bates had an iPod and headphones with him, but police have not confirmed he was wearing the headphones at the time he was struck.

Amtrak employees on the train saw Bates walking with his back to the train and told police that although they activated brakes and sounded horns, Bates did not move out of the way and they were unable to stop in time.

Police are reminding the public that walking on train tracks is not only dangerous but is a criminal offense.

-- Bay City News Service

Original story:

A 21-year-old Solano County man was walking on the train tracks in Fairfield when he was struck and killed by a passenger train at 1:35 p.m. Tuesday, police said.

The man was walking in an industrial area near the 2200 block of Huntington Drive when the train struck him, Fairfield police Officer Cleo Mayoral said.

Train employees observed the man walking with his back to the train, but despite sounding horns and activating breaks, they were unable to alert the pedestrian or stop the train in time, Mayoral said.

The employees aboard the eastbound Amtrak commuter train were only able to slow the train from approximately 79 mph to 50 mph, Mayoral said.

Mayoral explained that the weight and speed of the passenger trains require a great distance to stop.

Headphones were found at the point of impact, but police were not able to confirm if the man was wearing them at the time, Mayoral said.

Police are reminding residents that it is a criminal offense to walk on the train tracks and urge residents to stay off them.

Police also urge individuals who disregard the law and walk on the tracks to be aware of the directions trains are traveling, never compromise hearing by listening to music on headphones and to walk next to the tracks, not directly on them.

--- Bay City News Service