PONCHATOULA -- Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s deputies said a 52-year-old died Thursday after he was struck by a train.

WWL-TV

Police said the southbound City of New Orleans train struck William Gabriel, who had been walking on the train tracks at the time, killing him instantly.

The train's engineer told deputies that the train was traveling 75 miles per hour when he saw something in the middle of the tracks. Realizing it was a man walking, the engineer said he sounded the train's horn before it hit Gabriel.