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Police say Mt. Prospect woman walked around gates before being struck by train

A 54-year-old Mount Prospect woman walked around train crossing gates in an apparent attempt to get to the other side of the tracks before she was struck and killed by an express train Tuesday night, police said Wednesday.

Police said the pedestrian, identified as Doris Zell, was walking from the north side to the south side of the tracks at Emerson Street in Mount Prospect about 6:30 p.m. when she was struck by an outbound Metra train.

"Right now, it appears her attempt was to cross the tracks, basically trying to beat the train," said Mount Prospect Police Officer Greg Sill.

Metra spokeswoman Meg Reile said the railroad gates were in the down position, activated with bells and lights.

Authorities say Zell was by herself at the time of the crash. She was on the train platform when police arrived, and was pronounced dead at the scene.

No other people were involved in the crash, and no other injuries were reported, Sill said.

The train involved in the crash wasn't supposed to stop at the Mount Prospect station, but was scheduled to make its next stop in Arlington Heights.

Trains were stopped in both directions for two hours as police investigated the crash and interviewed witnesses. The tracks reopened at 8:30 p.m. after a safety inspection of the train was conducted and a replacement crew arrived, police said.

Pedestrian killed by train in Mount Prospect

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