Waterford police: Man struck, killed by train was wearing headphones

A Waterford Township man was killed Wednesday, June 6 in an apparent accident while walking along the railroad tracks between Hatchery and Frembes roads in Waterford Township.

According to Waterford Township police, the train struck Kevin Robert Bickford, 45, sometime before 2:58 p.m., when police were first contacted by witnesses.

Police report Bickford was walking westbound, not eastbound as previously reported, on the railroad tracks when he was struck by a train traveling westbound. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

Following a preliminary investigation, the fatality has been ruled an accident. A CD player, headphones and a recently purchased CD was found at the scene.

According to family members, Mr. Bickford would walk the tracks frequently in order to get to several local businesses.

“Apparently (Bickford) was walking down the tracks and had headphones on listening to music, and never heard the train coming,” said Waterford Township Police Chief Daniel McCaw.

A witness at the scene who was not associated with the victim, but was also walking along the railroad tracks about 50 to 100 feet behind the victim at the time of the accident, was not injured.

The Frembes Road crossing over the railroad tracks was closed for several hours after the accident, as were the crossings at Crescent Lake and Hatchery roads. All of those crossings were reopened later in the evening.

The accident remains under investigation. If you have any information regarding this accident, or you witnessed it, please contact Sgt. Dolehanty at 248-618-6057.