OGDEN, Utah (ABC 4 News) - Two men in Weber County are lucky to be alive after jumping to safety seconds before a fast-moving train bulldozed their pick up.
The truck versus train accident happened late Tuesday night at 8950 West 900 South in unincorporated Weber County.
All that's left of the truck now sits in a towing yard in Ogden. The mangled metal-- even baffling those used to seeing the worst wrecks.
“That's the fuel tank that belongs under the bed of the truck not up there,” said Sean Scheer, a tow truck driver for Brett’s Towing.
The Weber County Sherriff’s office says around 11 p.m. two guys in the truck had backed up and got stuck on railroad tracks-- something authorities say is easy to do.
"Rails are slick they stand probably 10 inches tall so once your wheels get up over them you're pretty much going not have movement,” said Lt. Mark Lowther. “The space between the rails is so close that you can’t really get much of a run to get over them.”
The Union Pacific train came fast Lowther said at about 55 miles per hour. The truck didn't stand a chance. It took the train about a mile after the collision to come to a stop leaving some with no doubt what would have happened had the men not jumped when they did.
"Occasionally you'll get one that's not even this bad and there are fatalities,” said Scheer. “When you see them this bad you kind of expect it, so the guys are lucky.”
The accident is under investigation. The men face possible trespassing charges on Union Pacific Property.
