A person using a motorized wheelchair was struck by a train Friday evening at the Bridge Street crossing in Allenport, a small Monongahela River borough in Washington County. The incident happened around 5:13 p.m., according to Washington County dispatchers, and prompted a response from the county coroner.
The strike is still being investigated as a developing story, according to WPXI, which reported that dispatchers confirmed a person was hit by a train in Washington County and that the coroner had been summoned to the scene. Details on the victim's identity, and whether the strike occurred at a designated crossing or along open track, have not yet been released.
A Narrow Corridor Where Highway, Rail, and River Collide
Allenport's geography leaves little room for error. Main Street, also known as Route 88, runs in a tight strip alongside Norfolk Southern's Mon Line tracks and a steep embankment down to the Monongahela River, according to prior Hoodline reporting on a car that flew off the roadway and landed on the Allenport Marina docks earlier this month. PennDOT's Washington County maintenance update lists Route 88 among the state routes running through Allenport.
The tracks running through the 1800 block belong to Norfolk Southern. The railroad traces back to the Pennsylvania Railroad system in 1872, per background compiled from Wikipedia. It still carries heavy freight, coal, and container traffic through Mon Valley riverfront communities today.
Coroner Responds to the Scene
The Washington County Coroner was called to the scene.
Railroad tracks should be treated as off-limits to pedestrians.
What official records show about the corridor
The Allenport incident differs from a separate February 2022 crash in nearby Monongahela. The Observer-Reporter reported that a Norfolk Southern coal train struck a car near Railroad and Fourth streets, killing at least one person; that was a vehicle collision rather than a person being struck at a crossing. PennDOT lists Route 88 among the state routes running through Allenport and reports that Pennsylvania had 70 crashes at rail crossings in 2025, including 22 involving a train, according to its railroad-safety data. The information available for this report confirms that the Bridge Street warning gates and signals were functioning, but does not establish the crossing's ownership or provide a crossing-specific recent safety history.
Statewide, rail-crossing and trespass incidents remain a significant safety concern. According to Operation Lifesaver, citing current Federal Railroad Administration data, highway-rail grade-crossing collisions and pedestrian trespass together account for more than 95% of railroad fatalities nationwide.
Hoodline will continue to follow this developing story as Washington County officials release additional details about Friday's incident on Main Street.
