Driver narrowly escapes injury after car collides with freight train on M street in Merced

Andrew Kuhn
·1 min read

A Merced man escaped injury when the vehicle he was driving collided Wednesday morning with a train on M Street.

At about 9 a.m. Wednesday, a 65-year-old man driving a Ford Mustang on M Street had stopped for a passing freight train traveling eastbound on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railway tracks, according to Merced Police Officer Craig McKeeman.

McKeeman said the vehicle was the first car in line in the No. 1 lane. The vehicle then rolled forward and collided with the moving train. Police said the train continued as it appears the operator was unaware of the collision.

According to McKeeman, a police sergeant was in a vehicle on M Street behind the Ford and the collision was captured on video. Authorities said the driver was not injured and neither drugs nor alcohol appear to be a factor in the collision.

Police respond to the scene of a collision involving a vehicle and train on M Street in Merced, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. According to police, the 65-year-old driver was not injured when the vehicle rolled forward and collided with the passing freight train.
Police respond to the scene of a collision involving a vehicle and train on M Street in Merced, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. According to police, the 65-year-old driver was not injured when the vehicle rolled forward and collided with the passing freight train.
Police respond to the scene of a collision involving a vehicle and train on M Street in Merced, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. According to police, the 65-year-old driver was not injured when the vehicle rolled forward and collided with the passing freight train.
Police respond to the scene of a collision involving a vehicle and train on M Street in Merced, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. According to police, the 65-year-old driver was not injured when the vehicle rolled forward and collided with the passing freight train.