A man camping at Lake Koocanusa on Sunday night is "incredibly lucky to be alive" after he fell asleep on the train tracks and was run over by 26 train cars.

The man, in his mid-20s, has been charged with mischief for the incident on Sunday night at about 7 p.m.

Cpl. Don Erichsen from the Elk Valley RCMP said the Albertan man got into a fight with his girlfriend while he was heavily intoxicated and decided to go for a walk.

He sat down on the train tracks in Elko and fell asleep.

A train was approaching and the engineer saw the man and attempted to disturb him by blowing the whistle.

"The sleeping man did not make any movement whatsoever," said Cpl. Erichsen. "The engineer attempted to stop the train but 26 cars ended up going over the man before it came to a stop.

"The man was found under the train and was still not moving, and was assumed dead.

"However, the man eventually woke up and was not too impressed that a train had come to be on top of him while he was sleeping."

The man was arrested for intoxication in a public place then later charged with mischief and released.

"This man is obviously been watched over, because last May long weekend he was hit by a car while camping in lake Koocanusa," said Erichsen.

"This year it was a train, so I'm not sure how he plans to top that next year.

"I just think it is incredible he is alive, let alone doesn't have a scratch on him."