A 22-year-old Longmont man lost a leg on Wednesday when a Burlington Northern Railroad train ran over him as he sat on the tracks.

The train was heading north out of Longmont, when the crew spotted the man several hundred yards ahead of the train, said Joel Post, Longmont police commander, said Thursday.

The engineer was unable to stop the train in time, and it hit the man, cutting off his left leg.

Crew members gave the man first-aid, until police and fire department personnel arrived. He was flown by helicopter to Denver Health Medical Center.

The injured man said he had been drinking, Post said.

The accident happened at 10:08 p.m., near South Hover Street and Ken Pratt Boulevard.