Spartanburg Man, 58, Dies After Train Crash Downtown, Details Still Scarce

A 58-year-old man is dead after being struck by a train in the city of Spartanburg on Monday afternoon, according to the Spartanburg County Coroner's Office. Kenneth Wayne Clowney was taken to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 1:20 p.m.

Few Details Released So Far

The coroner's office told FOX Carolina News that details of the crash are limited at this time. The collision occurred near Franklin Street and Fairgrounds Road, though it is not yet known which railroad company operated the train involved as the investigation continues.

A forensic exam has been scheduled for Tuesday, per the coroner's office, which may shed more light on the circumstances of Clowney's death. The station's report does not indicate whether Clowney was crossing at a designated intersection or elsewhere along the tracks when he was struck.

A Familiar and Troubling Pattern

This is not the first fatal train-pedestrian collision in Spartanburg County this year. On March 13, another person was struck and killed by a train, according to a report from WSPA 7News. A separate incident involving a woman who was killed after crossing in front of a train on Union Street was also reported by Ground News.

The recurrence is not surprising given the city's deep rail history. Spartanburg earned its nickname “Hub City” in the late 19th century because seven distinct railroad lines once intersected near the city center like spokes on a wheel, according to the Hub City Railroad Museum. That legacy lives on in the city's historic 1904 Southern Railway Depot, which now houses the museum adjacent to still-active rail corridors.

Heavy Freight Traffic Through the City

Rail corridors through Spartanburg include Norfolk Southern and CSX trains, and both are major freight companies in South Carolina. Local railfanning footage shows Norfolk Southern trains in Spartanburg.

Spartanburg County has a long, documented history as a rail danger hotspot. Multi-year data compiled by the Federal Railroad Administration and reported by Claims Journal found the county previously led all counties in South Carolina in both pedestrian rail trespass casualties and vehicle crashes at rail crossings. South Carolina itself ranks 11th nationally for railway collisions and fatalities, according to state safety representatives from South Carolina Operation Lifesaver, as reported by South Carolina Public Radio.

A Leading Cause of Rail Deaths Nationwide

Pedestrian trespassing on rail property is the leading cause of rail-related deaths across the country. Federal Railroad Administration statistics tallied by Operation Lifesaver recorded 1,317 pedestrian rail trespass casualties nationwide in 2025, made up of 792 fatalities and 525 injuries, outpacing deaths from vehicle crossing collisions.

Railroad-track trespassing is illegal and can be charged as a misdemeanor. Railroad property is private, and access outside designated crossings is illegal.

Operation Lifesaver conducts rail-safety education and public-awareness efforts, often timed to national observances such as See Tracks? Think Train! Week.

For now, the circumstances surrounding Clowney's death remain under investigation, with the coroner's office indicating that Tuesday's forensic exam may help clarify what happened. No further details about the exact crash location or the railroad operator involved had been released as of Monday evening.