Rail conductor who was struck by a train and killed is identified as a Montana man

Key Points

• A BNSF Railway conductor, Daniel Peterson, aged 52, was fatally struck by a train in Columbus, Montana, resulting in his death due to blunt force trauma.
• Peterson was located between two trains on separate tracks when he was struck by a moving train, and the incident is currently under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
• Columbus, Montana, where the accident occurred, has a population of approximately 2,000 people, and Peterson lived nearby in Billings.
• A report by the Federal Railroad Administration indicated that BNSF had been working to improve safety, but front-line workers often hesitated to report safety concerns due to fear of repercussions.

COLUMBUS, Mont. (AP) — Authorities on Wednesday identified a BNSF Railway conductor who was fatally struck by a passing train as a 52-year-old Montana man.

Daniel Peterson died at the scene of the Sunday morning accident in Columbus, Montana. The cause was blunt force trauma, said Stillwater County Undersheriff Randy Smith.

At the time of the accident Peterson was between two trains on separate tracks. One of the trains was moving and struck him, according to emergency officials.

Further details on the accident have not been released. It's being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board.

The Texas-based BNSF operates one of the largest freight railway networks in the U.S. A spokesperson for BNSF referred questions to the NTSB. The federal agency answered emails asking for comment with an automatic email reply saying they won’t be able to respond due to the shutdown.

Columbus is a town of about 2,000 people 40 miles (64 kilometers) southwest of Billings, Montana, where Peterson lived, according to Smith.

A report by the Federal Railroad Administration last year found BNSF was generally striving to improve safety on a consistent basis, but that message didn't always reach front-line workers who often didn't feel comfortable reporting safety concerns for fear of being disciplined.

The agency prepared the report as part of an effort to review all major railroads to address safety concerns after a 2023 Norfolk Southern train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio.