NACOGDOCHES, Texas – A tragic accident in Nacogdoches has claimed the life of Robert Gardner, a 43-year-old Union Pacific employee from Lufkin. Authorities confirmed that Gardner was killed Monday, June 9, 2025, in a collision involving a train in the 900 block of South Fredonia Street.
Emergency crews responded to the scene shortly after the incident was reported, but Gardner was pronounced dead as a result of the injuries sustained. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has opened an investigation into the incident, as is standard protocol in cases involving workplace fatalities.
At this time, officials have not released specific details about the circumstances leading up to the collision, and Union Pacific has not issued a public statement regarding the loss of one of their employees.
Gardner had worked with Union Pacific Railroad and was well-known in his Lufkin community. His death has left family, friends, and co-workers reeling.
In a poignant and unsettling twist, Gardner had shared a Facebook post just one day earlier—on Sunday, June 8—regarding another rail-related incident under investigation in his hometown. Lufkin police had reported finding a body on the railroad tracks between Abney and Angelina Streets early that morning. Authorities have not indicated any connection between the two cases, and they have yet to publicly identify the individual found in the earlier incident pending next-of-kin notification.
The investigation into Gardner’s death is ongoing, and officials urge anyone with relevant information to contact local authorities.
As the Nacogdoches and Lufkin communities come to terms with the loss, tributes continue to pour in for Gardner, remembered by those close to him as a dedicated worker and a kind, compassionate man.