Videos capture Union Pacific train smashing into truck hauling Caterpillar equipment

A pair of videos captured in Redding, California, on Wednesday show the moment of impact when a train collided with a stuck truck hauling heavy equipment.

The incident occurred shortly before noon on October 4 near Breslauer Way at SR-273 in Redding, according to the Redding Police Department (RPD).

Police say that a 25 year old Washington resident hauling a Caterpillar tractor “on a low clearance trailer” attempted to cross the railroad tracks and became stuck. The truck driver attempted to free the stuck truck from the tracks, but was unable to do so before an oncoming Union Pacific train struck the vehicle.

“As a result of the collision, the tractor was thrown from the trailer, striking the railroad crossing arm controls, causing major damage. Per witness statements, the semi-truck and trailer had been stuck on the railroad crossing for a short period of time, and no call had been made to notify Union Pacific about the semi prior to the collision,” RPD said.

You can see the train vs. truck collision in the two videos below (language warning for the first video).