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Car Clipped By Train South Of Elk Grove, Driver Unharmed

ELK GROVE (CBS13) – California Highway Patrol says a driver is lucky to be alive after his car was clipped by a train late Thursday morning.

The scene is just south of Franklin Boulevard and Dierssen Road, south of Elk Grove.

CHP says the driver pulled up to a private railroad crossing and stopped just before the tracks. The driver then spilled something and went to reach for it, only to have the front of his car hit by an approaching train.

Everything forward of the engine was ripped off, CHP says, but the driver was completely unharmed.

"[He'] very lucky," said CHP officer Matt Lawton. "Any auto or anything versus train, the train usually wins."

CHP notes the car was not on the tracks, just close enough to where a part of the train was able to clip the car.

Due to the incident happening on private property and the fact that the car wasn't moving, they are leaving the investigation up to the railroad company.

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