Teenager Struck By Train, Hospitalized In Delaware County

DARBY, Pa. (CBS) -- A 14-year-old boy from Darby, Delaware County is recovering at the hospital after being clipped by a freight train Wednesday evening.

The gate was down at the intersection of Main and North 6th streets, and the lights were flashing red, when a freight train was crossing, but Darby Police say two brothers ignored the gate and ran across the tracks as eyewitnesses looked on.

"They tried to beat the train and could not make it," said the onlooker. "I tell kids all the time, I tell them 'don't do that' they don't know how fast the train is coming."

The younger brother made it across the tracks, but his 14-year old brother, Tiyeeh Smith, was clipped by the train.

"He has shoulder and buttocks pain according to the paramedics he is in pretty good condition, we don't expect him not to make it," said Darby Police Chief Robert Smythe.

The younger brother was so scared when he saw his older brother get clipped by the train that he ran home.

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Police say the train engineer did not do anything wrong.

"The kids were the ones that were at fault. The gate was down, the whistle sounded, everything was fine they darted in front of the train," said the chief, who urged that this incident be a warning to everyone in the area about trying to beat a train. "People don't realize this train is 7,000 feet long you are not going to beat it. This boy was very, very fortunate."

Smith was taken to Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital where he is recovering from non-life threatening injuries.

Reported By Valerie Levesque, CBS 3