A Smoketown man who was thrown off his motorcycle against the side of a moving train engine Thursday night remained in critical condition Friday night, a Lancaster General Hospital spokesman said.

Robert Zimmerman, 38, of 2469 Old Philadelphia Pike, was injured at a railroad crossing on Diller Avenue in New Holland.

Zimmerman, who was celebrating his 38th birthday, was heading south on Diller Avenue on his Suzuki motorcycle when the crash occurred shortly after 10 p.m., according to Officer Mark Willwerth of the New Holland police.

He reached the single railroad track, which is south of Route 23, at the same time that an eastbound Norfolk-Southern engine with no cars attached was crossing, police said.

The railroad crossing does not have lights, and there are no crossing gates. The train's engineer, Dave Eppley, 53, of Mechanicsburg, was blowing the horn, and the lights on the engine were flashing, Willwerth said.

The conductor saw the motorcycle approach the engine. He told the engineer to stop, but it was too late, Willwerth said. Zimmerman apparently saw the engine at the last moment. He hit his front brakes, which caused the back of the cycle to rise off the roadway, police said.

Zimmerman was thrown off the cycle into a fuel tank on the engine, Willwerth said. His helmet was destroyed on impact.