An unidentified man was struck and killed by a train Saturday afternoon while walking on a railroad bridge over the Harpeth River near the McCrory Lane and Highway 70 crossing in west Nashville, according to Metro Nashville police. Detectives were called to the crossing at about 1:40 p.m., and the Nashville Fire Department recovered the man's body from the river below.
Metro police told WSMV that the train conductor sounded the horn after spotting the man on the tracks. Investigators said the man ran toward the opposite side of the bridge, dropped something, stopped to pick it up, and was "clipped" by the train about halfway across the span. MNPD described the victim as a Black man in his 20s to 30s and said they are working to notify his family.
Where It Happened
The Harpeth River State Park's Hidden Lake entrance, listed at 7851 McCrory Lane, sits just north of the Highway 70 canoe access and the railroad span, a stretch frequently used by hikers and paddlers. Tennessee State Parks notes multiple access points around McCrory Lane, and Metro planning documents show recent development proposals and right-of-way work in the Highway 70 and McCrory corridor.
A Pattern Of Train-Related Deaths
Pedestrian deaths involving trains are not new in the Nashville area, and authorities regularly warn residents to stay off railroad tracks. A Metro police media release and local coverage previously documented a fatality on Hickory Hollow Parkway in August 2025, underscoring ongoing safety and trespassing concerns near rail lines; see companion flees scene for one account of that incident.
Investigation
MNPD detectives remained at the Harpeth River bridge on Saturday as they investigated the circumstances of the man's death, and the department has not released his identity. Police asked anyone with information or video from the McCrory Lane and Highway 70 area on Saturday afternoon to contact investigators, according to WSMV.
