A statement from Riverdale police said Brother Petersen, a switchman employed by the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) since September 2004, was working at the time of his death, according to a report published by the Deseret Morning News. Police told the newspaper they believe Petersen was riding on a car to hook it up with another train when he slipped and fell underneath.

Brother Petersen was found dead in an area of the yard between 31st Street and Riverdale Road, according to a report was published on the website of television station KUTV.

There were no witnesses who saw the 3:50 a.m. accident, Union Pacific spokesman John Bromley told the Idaho State Journal.

Bromley said Petersen was not wearing a belt pack at the time, so the locomotive did not stop when he fell. When his co-workers lost radio contact with the man, they searched for him, Bromley told the Idaho State Journal. "There were no witnesses. But apparently, he fell under the car," Bromley said, adding UP is conducting an investigation to determine what happened.

"Brother Petersen was a single father, and he had custody of his 12-year-old boy," said Thomas.

Bailey said Petersen's 36-year-old brother, Kelly Petersen, also a member of Local 1366, was informed of his brother's death yesterday (April 11). Kelly Petersen, also a switchman, began working for the UP in May 2004.

Detective Nolan Geilmann, of the Riverdale Police Department, said he's in the midst of an investigation, and he doesn't believe there was any criminal wrongdoing behind the accident, the Idaho State Journal reported. "Speculatively, we think he slipped off the train. He was there alone," Geilmann said.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is also investigating the accident, according to spokesman Warren Flatau. Flatau told the Idaho State Journal that the FRA's Region 7 inspector has already started the investigation, which will entail inspecting equipment and infrastructure. Flatau said investigations usually take upwards of seven months. He said switching is usually conducted at slow speeds, and statistics have shown remote control switching to be safe.

"We are investigating it as we do with all employee fatalities," Flatau said. "I know there was switching going on, but they haven't given me anything definitive yet."

Riverdale is located about 30 miles north of Salt Lake City.