Elderly Woman Struck, Killed by Train

– Allison Goldsberry

Story Updated 3:23PM Wednesday, February 6, 2008

An elderly woman was struck and killed by a commuter rail train late this morning in West Medford Square.

The accident happened at 11:15AM when Lillian Silva, 83, of Methuen, was struck while trying to cross the tracks at the north end of the platform.

According to MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo, the engineer told MBTA Transit Police that as soon as he saw the woman crossing the tracks, he began sounding the horn and braking the train. The engineer said he failed to get the woman’s attention and was not able to stop the train in time, as the train normally passes through West Medford station without making a stop.

The train was Amtrak Downeaster train #683 and was on its way to Portland, Maine from North Station at the time of the crash. The next stop for the train was Anderson Station in Woburn and it was not scheduled to stop in West Medford.

Pesaturo said MBTA Transit Police are investigating the accident.

The Downeaster travels between Boston and Portland and is a service of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA).