It looks like this was a case of a procession of floats, a parade moving as a parade in which the struck float stopped on the tracks because the truck/float ahead of it had not moved to allow enough clearance for the following float which was struck. It seems to me the struck vehicle entered the crossing while the gates were up and the flashers dark but then stopped on the tracks because the vehicle ahead stopped moving trapping the struck float. Then the train arrived. It seems to me this parade should have been coordinated with the railroad and all drivers instructed to not cross, even though flashers were dark, until they could see there was enough room to get in the clear on the other side of the tracks.