The eastbound Union Pacific freight train hit the car near Olympic and Montebello boulevards around 3:40 a.m.
Police say the vehicle had crashed into the center median just prior to the train accident, which spun the car onto the tracks.
Union Pacific spokesperson Aaron Hunt said the train could not stop in time.
"It typically takes one of our trains more than a mile to stop and in this case the train was unable to stop before hitting the vehicle," said Hunt.
The vehicle had three occupants. One of the passengers was taken to the hospital with a broken arm. A second passenger and the driver were uninjured. The driver, however, was arrested for suspicion of drunken driving following the collision.
The car was totaled and impounded.
The intersection was closed while officials investigated the cause of the crash.
