Authorities say a 73-year-old woman was hit by a train near the Overbrook Train Station on Thursday afternoon.
She was transported to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in critical condition.
Action News spoke with Al Beatty who witnessed the incident.
"When I saw another customer ahead of me stand up, scream and point, I turned to look behind me and unfortunately, there was an elderly woman, her back to me, standing literally in the middle of the train tracks of the oncoming training," witness Al Beatty said.
The four car train was already decelerating, but still Beatty says it hit the woman with such force she was launched into the air.
"When I saw her in midair, I turned and collapsed to the ground, closed my eyes, I couldn't look. I assumed the worst when I got up and looked over. Sure enough, she was under the train," Beatty said.
Remarkably, the woman was between the rails and conscious.
"I saw her lift and flex her leg and trying to speak. I said, 'Please, don't move. Help is on the way,'" Beatty said.
Beatty hadn't noticed the woman before the incident, but his sense is, this was not an attempt at suicide.
"I never seen her before. I know that her bag was on the bench where I was. She was intending to get on the train. The way she was raised her hand as it approached, almost looked as if it she was trying to hail a taxi," Beatty said.