Published Wednesday, November 4, 2026. This post summarizes public news reports and is general information, not legal advice.
What Happened on the Kingston Line Tracks in Abington
A woman was struck and killed by an MBTA Commuter Rail train in Abington on Tuesday afternoon, according to reports from Fall River Reporter, Boston 25 News and 95.9 WATD. The train was operating on the MBTA Kingston commuter rail line. 95.9 WATD reported that the incident shut down part of the Kingston line.
Transit Police said the incident happened at approximately 4:10 p.m. and that the person struck was an adult woman. Transit Police said she entered the railroad right of way at the Summer Street crossing. Police said she was struck about an eighth of a mile down the tracks from the Summer Street crossing as an MBTA Commuter Rail train approached her within its path of travel.
She was pronounced dead as a result of her injuries. Transit Police said detectives processed the scene, and Abington police asked motorists to seek alternate routes while emergency crews were there. The Transit Police superintendent offered condolences to the woman’s family and friends on behalf of the Transit Police and the MBTA.
How Can a Police Investigation Affect a Civil Claim in Massachusetts
A police investigation and a civil claim are separate processes in Massachusetts. A police investigation examines what happened and whether a law may have been broken. Police can seek criminal charges, prosecutors decide whether to pursue them, and a court decides guilt.
A civil claim for compensation asks a different question: whether another party can be held legally responsible for the harm. A civil claim does not require a criminal charge or conviction, but the person bringing the claim must establish a legal basis for liability. At Colucci, Colucci & Marcus, P.C., Boston personal injury attorney Dino M. Colucci represents people injured in pedestrian accidents and families who have lost someone in one. Our team investigates how an incident happened, which records exist and which parties can be responsible.
Under M.G.L. c. 229, § 2, a Massachusetts wrongful death action generally must be filed within three years from the date of death. It can instead run three years from when the executor or administrator knew, or in the exercise of reasonable diligence should have known, of the factual basis for a cause of action. Both periods are subject to any additional time provided by certain sections of chapter 260.
Why Electronic Records and Witness Accounts Can Fade After a Rail Incident
In a civil claim, records created by machines and devices can be relevant to understanding what happened. Transit system logs, vehicle event data recorders and phone records can each hold information about timing and movement that no single person observed.
These records do not always stay available. Stored data can be overwritten in the normal course of operations, and a vehicle and the data it holds can be released or returned to service. Some records, including phone records, can require a formal request before they are produced.
Witness accounts can change over time as well. People who were near a crossing or aboard a train can be hard to locate later, and their memory of details can become less precise. Identifying who holds each record and who saw what can be important early in a claim.
Our team represents injured clients in Suffolk, Norfolk and Middlesex counties and throughout Massachusetts. In each matter, we look at which electronic records exist, who controls them and how a preservation request can be made.
What Families Can Do Now
- Keep a record of every call and letter from insurers: Note the date, the company and what was said in each call. Keep copies of every letter and email.
- Request the police report once it is available: Ask the investigating police department for its report when it is released. It can record what officials found at the scene.
- Ask that video and vehicle data be preserved: A written request to the parties that hold video, vehicle data or system records can ask that those materials be kept.
- Understand who brings a wrongful death claim: Under M.G.L. c. 229, § 2, the executor or administrator of the deceased person’s estate brings a wrongful death action for the benefit of eligible surviving family members. A claim must have a valid legal basis, and special restrictions can apply to deaths involving people walking on railroad tracks.
- Talk with a lawyer before signing anything: A lawyer can explain what a release, an authorization or another document does before a family member signs it.
Sources
- fallriverreporter.com: Woman struck after afternoon collision with Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority train
- 959watd.com: Woman Struck, Killed by MBTA Train in Abington
- masslive.com: Woman killed by MBTA Commuter Rail train while walking tracks in Abington
- boston25news.com: Woman fatally struck by MBTA Commuter Rail train in Abington
- universalhub.com: In Readville and Abington, people hit and killed by commuter-rail trains
How Colucci, Colucci & Marcus, P.C. Can Help Families
Our Boston attorneys represent families after fatal crashes, from the first insurance call through a wrongful death claim. Call Colucci, Colucci & Marcus, P.C. at (617) 936-8607 to schedule a consultation. Our office at 31 Milk St, 4th Floor, Boston, MA 02109 serves injured clients throughout Boston and across Massachusetts.
