Amtrak conductor dies after falling from train in Westerly, R.I.

WESTERLY, R.I. — A conductor on an Amtrak train traveling from Boston to Washington, D.C. was killed Saturday afternoon after falling from the train at a station in Westerly, police said.

The conductor is believed to have fallen off the train as it was leaving the station, WJAR-TV reported. The train was stopped to search for the conductor after staff realized she was not answering her radio.

The woman’s body was found on the tracks north of the Westerly station, police said.

A spokeswoman for Amtrak expressed sympathy to the employee’s family and said an investigation is underway.

“We are deeply saddened to report the death of an Amtrak employee in Westerly, R.I. today,” spokeswoman Beth Toll wrote in an e-mail Saturday night.

“We are respecting the family’s privacy by not naming the employee at this time,” Toll said. “No other injuries were reported, and a full investigation is underway.”

The state medical examiner was called to the scene. Westerly police said.

Amtrak Train 163 was scheduled to depart South Station in Boston at 11:40 a.m., but was delayed about an hour. It was due to make several stops along the company’s Northeast Corridor before arriving in Washington, D.C. at 7:40 p.m., according to the Amtrak schedule.

A Twitter account for the company’s Northeast Corridor said around 3 p.m. that a train was stopped in Westerly “due to emergency personnel activity.”

Train 163 is stopped at Westerly (WLY) due to emergency personnel activity. Updates to follow.

— Amtrak Northeast (@AmtrakNECAlerts) January 15, 2022

The 183 passengers on the train were transferred to another train, Toll said. There were delays, according to tweets from the Amtrak Northeast Twitter account.

UPDATE: Train 163 passengers have been provided alternate transportation on Train 135.

— Amtrak Northeast (@AmtrakNECAlerts) January 15, 2022

UPDATE: Train 135 is currently operating approximately 1hr 30mins late into New London (NLC).

— Amtrak Northeast (@AmtrakNECAlerts) January 15, 2022

Two other trains also accommodated passengers going from New York to Washington, D.C., as well as those going from New York to Philadelphia, Toll said.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.