What seems to be an overlooked incident with 2 CSX employees killed: http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2017/06/28/amtrak-services-suspended/ Very sorry for all those involved.
Just a terrible thing and I'll bet the CSX employees couldn't hear or see anything until it was too late. It's said that employees should expect a train on any track in either direction at any time, but close clearances, limited visibility and duty can make it a difficult challenge.
You forgot to mention the aero effects of a train passing personnel at 73 MPH when there are relatively close clearances between the passing and stopped train.
It probably would not apply here, but I seem to recall from years ago that in such a close/tight situation, employees were instructed to lay down.
If you 'know' the situation is about to happen you are correct. I believe this was a 'perfect storm' situation. Employees were very close to the locomotives of their own train and the noise idling locomotives make. They observed the NB Amtrak that was approaching them on the 'far' Amtrak track - along with the noise of it's passage. They apparently never heard or saw the SB Amtrak operating on the 'near' track that extinguished their lives. Unless and until forward facing video from the SB Amtrak is released (if ever) we have no idea of the specific actions the employees were taking. One of those killed was the son of a supervisor of mine before I retired and I also knew him personally.