Man Walking on Tracks Killed by Freight Train

A freight train struck and killed a man walking along the railroad tracks near the Santa Barbara Zoo Tuesday evening.

Emergency crews were called to the scene just before 6:30 p.m. The man died on impact with the train, and appeared to be walking northbound directly toward the southbound train.

Investigators told reporters on the scene the man made eye contact with the train engineer. Because trains need a long distance to stop, the engineer sounded the horn repeatedly in a failed effort to get the man to step off the tracks.

The incident happened near the parking lot for the zoo.

The coroner’s office was called to determine the exact cause of the man’s death. He was not identified but was described as “local.”

Passengers on Amtrak are encouraged to check on the status of their trains due to the ongoing investigation.