A railroad conductor, summoned bycustomers who heard screaming, rushed onto electrified tracks in Freeport as heand others rescued a woman who was being raped, authorities saidWednesday.

As a westbound Long Island Rail Road train was held in thestation on Tuesday, assistant conductor Eugene Chino ran toinvestigate.

He heard someone yelling for help from the track bed, but hecouldn't see anyone. So Chino went onto the live tracks, weavingthrough the electrified third rail, interrupting the attack on a28-year-old woman, LIRR officials said.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority police, who were alreadythere on another call, responded as well.

The suspect, identified as 48-year-old David Thorton,surrendered immediately and was charged with first-degree rape,LIRR officials said.

Thornton was awaiting an arraignment on Wednesday afternoon. Thename of his attorney was not immediately available and there was nophone listing at the address provided by the LIRR.

The victim was admitted to Nassau University Medical Center.

Chino said he used his newly issued LIRR cell phone to relay information tothe train engineer and to the nerve center at Jamaica Station,where supervisors stopped all trains traveling along the route.

The phones were given to more than a thousand conductors andother crew members as part of an effort to keep customers updatedon train delays.

"The quick thinking actions of the LIRR crew members and theMTA police resulted in the apprehension of a suspect and helpedsave the victim from further attack," said LIRR President HelenaWilliams. "We are very proud and grateful that the crew memberscame to the assistance of the victim without hesitation and the MTApolice were able to make an arrest."