Available 
Oakland, CA (August 19, 2026) – A man died on Tuesday morning, August 18, after being struck by an Amtrak train while pushing his stalled vehicle across the tracks near 37th Avenue and East 9th Street in Oakland’s Fruitvale District, according to police. The crash happened around 6:25 a.m., just north of I-880.
The man was pushing the vehicle across the tracks when the train struck both him and the car. He was pronounced dead at the scene. How fast the train was traveling at the time has not been confirmed.
The cause remains under investigation. Our condolences go out to his family and loved ones.
Why Are Stalled Vehicles on Railroad Tracks So Dangerous?
A train’s stopping distance is far longer than a car’s, taking a mile or more to come to a complete stop, even at moderate speeds. This means an engineer who spots an obstruction on the tracks frequently has no way to stop in time, regardless of how quickly they react.
Pushing a stalled vehicle off the tracks can take longer than a driver expects, especially without help, leaving less of a safety margin than it might seem. Every second spent trying to move a car adds risk if a train is already approaching, even if it isn’t yet visible.
Safety officials generally recommend that a driver whose vehicle stalls on tracks get themselves clear immediately, rather than attempting to move the vehicle, and only try to move it once they’re safely off the tracks with time to spare. This guidance prioritizes getting a person to safety first, since a vehicle can be replaced in a way a life cannot.
