MOBILE, Ala. — Three homeless men were struck and killed by a freight train early Tuesday, Jan. 7, as it rumbled through a densely populated area of Mobile, police said. Their bodies were discovered hours later, bringing a grim end to a quiet night on the tracks.
The men, aged 46 and 63, were found close together along the single-track line, while the third man, yet to be identified, was located nearly a mile away. Authorities believe they may have been sleeping on the tracks when the train approached, its horn sounding in the darkness.
The train’s engineer, unaware of the collision, continued on after passing through the area. It wasn’t until a second crew rolled through the line six hours later that the bodies were found, prompting a call to police.
“There’s no indication this was anything but a tragic accident,” Mobile police said in a statement Monday.
Residents living near the tracks said the men were a familiar sight, often seen resting in the brush near the railway. The stretch of track, lined with overgrown vegetation and abandoned structures, has long been a place where the city’s homeless population seeks shelter.
Officials have yet to release the names of the victims, pending notification of their families.
The tracks remain quiet for now, but residents say the tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those living on the margins. For many, the mournful whistle of the trains that pass through this neighborhood will carry a weight it didn’t before.