Elgin bicyclist killed by freight train after fall

A person who fell off a bicycle about 12:35 a.m. today in Elgin was hit and killed by a freight train, Elgin police said.

Elgin Police and Fire Departments responded to the National Street Train Station for a report that a pedestrian had been struck, police said in a news release.

The preliminary investigation revealed that the person hit was riding a bicycle across the railroad tracks and fell, then was struck by the freight train. The identity of the dead person is being withheld pending notification to relatives, officials said.

The Elgin Police Department Traffic Unit and the Canadian Pacific Police Service responded to the scene to complete an investigation.

National Street between State Street and Grove Avenue as well as the Highland Avenue and Chicago Street train crossings remained closed during the night while the Elgin Police Department Traffic Unit continued to investigate the incident.

No further information is available at this time, police said.