Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
MTA pauses track work after worker killed by subway train
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Published Nov 29, 2023
Modified Nov 29, 2023
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Gary Hershorn/Getty Images
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Published Nov 29, 2023
Modified Nov 29, 2023
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A subway track worker was dragged and killed by a train in Manhattan Wednesday morning, prompting the MTA to halt all non-essential track work for 24 hours, NYC Transit President Richard Davey said.
Hilarion Joseph, 57, was flagging — or alerting train operators that workers were on nearby tracks — near the 34th Street-Herald Square subway station around 12:20 a.m. when he was struck by a northbound D train, according to police. The crew he was working with was conducting routine track cleaning, according to Transport Workers Union Local 100 officials.
Joseph was transported to Bellevue Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Police and union officials said an investigation is underway to determine how Joseph was struck by the train. He’d worked for the MTA for less than a year, according to Transport Workers Union Local 100.
Hilarion Joseph, 57, was working as an MTA flag man near Herald Square when he was struck and killed by a passing train.
Via TWU
“We obviously take employee safety seriously and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family,” Davey said at an MTA committee meeting Wednesday. “These are dangerous jobs that we ask our people to do day-in and day-out.”
Davey also said the work pause will be used to “refresh and retrain” MTA employees on protocols for track safety.
Local 100 Safety Director John Chiarello said Joseph was previously in the military was days away from his one-year work anniversary.
“This development has shaken our union,” Chiarello said. “This incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges our members face each and every day.”
Chiarello described the train operator who hit Joseph as “distraught” and said she has been an operator for one year. He did not identify the operator.
The last on-duty death of an MTA worker was in 2020, when train operator Garrett Goble died of smoke inhalation as he helped passengers escape a train that was lit on fire by an arsonist.
This story has been updated with new information.
Tagged
manhattan
transportation
Ramsey Khalifeh
Ramsey Khalifeh is a transportation reporter on the NYC Accountability desk covering the largest transit system in the country. He was previously a general assignment reporter at Gothamist and worked on the Boston Globe's metro and copy desk. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NY unemployment recipients brace for delays during system upgrade
The shutdown is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. on Monday and last for nine to 12 days.
By
Jon Campbell
and
Carol Chen
Published Oct 30, 2026 at 12:59 p.m. ET
Influential Brooklyn developer illegally raised rents despite tax break, lawsuit claims
The lawsuit targets the leasing practices of the company Two Trees, which recently received a special carveout in the New York state budget.
By
David Brand
News
Influential Brooklyn developer illegally raised rents despite tax break, lawsuit claims
The lawsuit targets the leasing practices of the company Two Trees, which recently received a special carveout in the New York state budget.
By
David Brand
Democrats' early voting lead in NJ keeps growing ahead of Election Day
By
Mike Hayes
Early Addition: Is Harry running?
By
James Ramsay
NYC Council takes key step toward Mamdani's promised Department of Community Safety
By
Ben Feuerherd
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .