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Comments
No good reason for anyone to be on the tracks there
The only official grade crossing is a couple blocks west at Park Street, and there aren't even any unofficial and unauthorized informal pedestrian crossings near Dane Street. Not only is the right-of-way fenced off, but also much of it is blocked in by adjacent buildings on both sides.
The person might well have
The person might well have been crossing at Park. Not sure where Adam is getting his location info from, but the person might have been struck at Park and dragged down the tracks to near Dane. Can easily take that far for a train to stop.
EDIT: Per Adam's newly added TPDNews link, I'm not sure if it was someone crossing at Park or a trespasser walking down the tracks.
Park Street has gates, lights, and bells
which I have seen in operation many times. Unless they malfunctioned (which is unlikely), there's no excuse for any pedestrian, bicycle, or car being in the crossing when a train comes through.
No, and yet somehow people
No, and yet somehow people get hit there with disturbing regularity. Usually because they foolishly walk, ride, or drive around the gates.
I agree, and yet
I've noticed a few people walking that ROW recently, and Somerville first responders are parked in front of my house with depressing frequency. It's barely six months since Jean Leonard was hit at this crossing.
Where are they going? Are
Where are they going? Are there places where official pedestrian grade crossings would shorten a lot of people's walks?
I've spent at least 15 years
I've spent at least 15 years photographing the graffiti in that corridor. Yes, I know it's trespassing - I even got yelled at by a cop when I was in high school. Normally there's plenty of room to walk without being on the tracks, probably less when this happened because of the snow. There are also homeless people who occasionally sleep near/under the bridge.
Fatality
Fatality, per the MBTA alert emails I'm getting.