Police: Man Stepped on Tracks With Back to VRE Train

A man who was struck and killed by a passing commuter train Wednesday apparently stepped onto the tracks with his back turned after the conductor sounded the horn, Fairfax County Police reports show.

The identity of the man hasn't yet been released by the Virginia Medical Examiner's Office, police said. 

It happened just after 2 p.m. when VRE Train 325 was traveling south on the Manassas Line just passed the Burke station. 

The train conductor spotted a man standing along the tracks near the intersection of Fairfax Station Road and the Fairfax County Parkway and sounded the train horn, police said.

Police said the man then stepped into the path of the train with his back turned away. The conductor used his emergency equipment to stop the train, but the man was struck, police said. 

Police stopped the train for almost three hours during the death investigation, but allowed it to move on to the next stop, Manassas Park, after 4 p.m. 

VRE trains 327, 331, 333, 336 and 338 were all canceled as a result of the incident.

VRE trains 321 and 335 were delayed 25 minutes because of the incident.

It is the second time in less than a month that VRE afternoon service on the Manassas Line has been affected by a police investigation on the tracks in the area.

On Sept. 19 remains,

Manassas Park Police haven't yet said what exactly was found on the tracks.