PROVIDENCE — One person was killed and two others seriously injured when they were struck yesterday afternoon by an Amtrak Acela train just north of the Providence station as it headed to Boston.

Amtrak today identified the man who was killed as a contract employee with an architectural engineering firm. Gary Graves, who worked for HNTB Holdings, of Kansas City, Mo., was struck at about 1:15 p.m. yesterday while he and two other workers were inspecting the tracks just north of the Providence Amtrak station, according to Tracy Connell, an Amtrak spokeswoman.

The other two workers were Amtrak employees. Their names have not been released. The two who were hurt were taken to a hospital, but Connell did not know which one.

Connell also said today that the National Transportation Safety Board is taking over the investigation.

No one on board the train was hurt, she said, and passengers remained on the train. According to Connell, there were 162 passengers and 6 crew members on board.

Although the incident drew Amtrak police, city police and fire and rescue workers, state medical examiners office staff and even Mayor David N. Cicilline, no one at the scene would talk about how the accident happened. Amtrak police are leading the investigation.

Late yesterday afternoon, Amtrak said in a statement that the high-speed express train was going below the 55 mph limit authorized on that stretch of track.

Amtrak service in the area in both directions was halted for about 2½ hours while the Acela remained just north of the Providence rail station.

At 3:48 p.m., service was resumed, Amtrak said in a statement sent at 4:15 p.m. The train, number 2154, was also released and continued on to Boston.

MTBA service between South Attleboro and Boston was unaffected by the accident.

The train was passing through a stretch of track bounded on both sides by sloping ground leading up to a chainlink fence. When it came to a stop, part of the train had passed under the Charles Street overpass, where the corridor narrows.

A green tarp was placed over part of the side of the sixth or seventh car while recovery personnel worked from underneath to remove the person who had been killed.

With reports from Journal photographer Mary Murphy and projo.com staff writer Brandie Jefferson.

mmckinne@projo.com