MORGANTOWN — The 35-year-old man who was hit by a train near the Westover Bridge on April 4 has been identified by the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department.
Kristopher Ryan Barlow, of Rupert in Greenbrier County, remains in critical condition at Ruby Memorial Hospital, according to a sheriff’s department press release.
Chief Deputy Al Kisner said Barlow was in Monongalia County because his girlfriend was getting a medical procedure, but he did not know why Barlow was on the tracks. The accident happened on railroad property, and railroad police will handle the investigation going forward, Kisner said.
Barlow was hit by a fully loaded Norfolk Southern coal train Wednesday morning. He experienced “serious injuries” and was taken to Ruby Memorial Hospital.
The crew of the train tried to warn the man by blowing the horn, said Jonathan Glass, Norfolk Southern spokesperson. Glass said he understands the man was walking north between the rails of the track with his back toward the train.
“You can’t swerve a train like you can a car,” Glass said, explaining that depending on their weight and speed, trains can take as far as a mile to stop. The train involved consisted of two locomotive engines and 131 loaded coal cars.
The train resumed its route to Shire Oaks, Pa., at 12:15 p.m., Glass said. There are roughly eight trains a day that pass through Morgantown between Norfolk Southern and CSX, which has track usage rights, he said.
Glass did not provide any additional details on an internal investigation Thursday.
