Homeless Train Victim Was Vietnam Vet

A man who was identified as 59-year-old Vietnam veteran James Frederick Adams.

Adams, whose parents were from White Oak, was homeless at the time of his death. Among other local homeless residents, he was better known by the name "Big Jim" and was known for his kind demeanor. According to Fredericksburg Police spokesperson Natatia Bledsoe, city police have had contact with Adams in the past, but never involving any criminal matters. 

Bledsoe says that adams was known to walk the tracks fairly regularly to get from one place to the other. Police say that Adams was squatting in a building near the Fredericksburg Train Station. Residents who live in the vicinity of the train station reported that Adams could frequently be seen hanging out on the rail siding near where he was fatally struck. He carried everything he owned with him in a small bag, say friends of Adams. 

Adams left few survivors behind. Police were only able to track down a nephew living in Stafford County as well as Adams' ex-wife, however the couple had been divorced since the 1970s. 

Adams was not regularly employed. Police say that he worked odd jobs to make a few dollars here and there. 

The incident occured around 7:05 p.m. Friday evening when a southbound 20 car CSX maintenance and equipment train struck the victim as he was walking along the train tracks in the vicinity of Charles Street, near the Fredericksburg train station.

The victim, according to the engineer, never turned around nor made an attempt to get out of the way. The train was unable to stop in time, striking the victim who was pronounced dead on the scene.

According to police, the tracks are surprisingly well travelled by pedestrians. Bledsoe said that tracks in the area are known to be used to access homeless camps located off the rail siding.