''I thought he was dead. I got an awful fright,'' was the reaction of a neighbour when she saw a smashed Nissan Safari next to a level rail crossing south of Oamaru after the four-wheel-drive was hit by a train yesterday.
Then Dianne Burgess saw the vehicle's door open and the driver get out and walk away.
''I was totally relieved when I saw him getting out of the car, not just only surprised.
''A good outcome, even though it was an awful accident,'' she said.
Mrs Burgess recognised the vehicle and driver because its sole occupant, Andrew Winders (53), of Herbert, did casual work on their farm.
His vehicle and the trailer it was pulling was thrown about 15m through a fence by the impact, the two locomotives pulling four wagons stopping more than half a kilometre down the track.
Mr Winders was driving to the Burgess farm on Burgess Rd, between Herbert and Maheno, about 8.30am and on the crossing when the lead locomotive travelling north hit his vehicle behind the front wheel on the passenger's side.
His vehicle and trailer slid along the side of the locomotive before being thrown clear just past the crossing.
Mrs Burgess heard the train toot when it approached the crossing, as it usually did around that time.
Then there was a constant blast from the horn that ''sounded desperate''.
It was followed by a bang, which she later thought was not loud enough for a vehicle being hit and was perhaps cattle on the railway line.
She went out to investigate and ran towards the crossing.
Mr Winders got out bleeding from some lacerations and was able to walk. She took him to her house near the crossing, gave him a towel to clean the blood and hot coffee ''with plenty of sugar''.
''He kept apologising to me for causing problems, but I think that was shock.''
Mrs Burgess went back to clear tools thrown from the trailer and scattered across the road. She did not want another crash if a vehicle hit the tools.
Highway patrol Sergeant Peter Muldrew said the driver was very lucky he was not killed, able to walk away from the crash and escaped with what appeared to be minor injuries.
It was fortunate the train hit towards the front of the vehicle, throwing it to one side. A split second later and it would have hit in the middle, probably dragging it down the track, he said.
Mr Winders was taken to Oamaru Hospital to be checked over. He was home yesterday afternoon, but did not want to comment when contacted.
