GALESBURG, Mich, (July 1, 2014)– It’s a tragedy that’s just starting to be felt in the Galesburg-Augusta Community: 16-year-old Tyler Beischl hit and killed by an Amtrak train Monday.
It happened just before 7 p.m. near the intersection of Battle Creek Street and Burgess Drive.
It’s a reality still hard to grasp for friends and family of Beischl. Tuesday his older brother Markus Eberhart went to the scene to place flags in his memory.
“I don’t know why he had to go, I really don’t. I just want to see him, back here with me. It doesn’t seem real, just feels like a dream but it’s true,” he said.
Those who knew Beischl say he always knew how to make people laugh and was going to be a senior at Galesburg-Augusta High School.
Police say Beischl was walking his bike across the tracks not far from an intersection where construction is underway. Sgt. Jeff Heppler says everything was working properly. “Crossing activated, the train blew its whistle, blew extra as it approached as we viewed in the video. The train could just not get the young man’s attention before it struck him,” he said.
Heppler said they are still investigating and putting together statements but at this time it’s their belief that this is just an unfortunate accident. Police are unsure why Beischl didn’t see or hear the train.
Investigators say the train’s usual speed is between 70-80 mph, though they say it wasn’t going that fast.
Police say it’s not the first tragedy in the area in recent years. Sgt. Heppler says they are continuing to try and educate others about the dangers along the tracks, especially with the speed limit set to increase to 110 mph in the future.
“The town has been gearing up because this railroad is going to increase the speed limit down through here. We’re trying to get folks educated that trains are very large and can be relatively quiet for the size they are but they’re very deadly they cant stop on a dime,” Heppler said.
