SULLIVAN, N.Y. - A 70-year-old man was killed when his car was hit by a CSX freight train at a rural railroad crossing, state police said.

Peter Musacchio of East Syracuse was thrown from his car and pronounced dead at the scene about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Engineers on the 70-car westbound train told troopers they saw a 2003 Honda stopped on the tracks as they approached the crossing. The crossing arms were down and the warning flashers activated.

Engineers said Musacchio tried to back off the tracks and nearly made it, but the train clipped the car's right front fender, spinning it around and ejecting Musacchio.

Musacchio may have been trying to remove his seat belt and escape when the train hit, investigators said.

"He may have realized too late the train was not going to clear his vehicle," said Trooper Jim Simpson.

Investigators were still trying to determine whether Musacchio had driven around the lowered crossing arms or was already on the tracks when the arms came down, Simpson said.

No one on the CSX train was hurt.

A westbound Amtrak passenger train was delayed for about two hours after the collision.