According to WVNS, Delmar Eugene Chambers Jr, 44, was sitting on the track with his head in his hands when the train neared a trestle near Kegley.
While engineers of the westbound train, which had two locomotives and 100 empty coal cards, made attempts to stop it, they could not bring the line to a halt before it hit Chambers.
The victim’s body was found by emergency officials after the 2.30am accident and an investigation is underway by the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office.
NS railroad officials made no public comment on the incident.
