Man Killed In Otego Train Crash

From Bloomville, State Police Say

Wife Thrown From Golf Cart, Broke Both Legs, Troopers Report

OTEGO – A husband from Bloomville, Charles W. Turk, 57, was killed when the golf cart he was driving struck a train at about 2:54 p.m. Sunday behind 515 Route 48, Otego, state police announced this afternoon.

When troopers from Oneonta arrived to investigate, they found him underneath the overturned golf cart.  His wife, Cynthia E. Turk, 58, was thrown from the cart and broke both legs, police said.  She was life-flighted to Albany Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.

An investigation found the gas-powered cart was being driving in a northerly direction; as it crossed at a private agricultural crossing of the Canadian Pacific railroad tracks, it was struck by west-bound Canadian Pacific Engine 8082.

The two-engine freight train pulling 31 cars was operated by engineer Patrick Madden and conductor Brian McAlister.

Otsego County Corner James Hurley responded to the scene and had the deceased taken to Fox Hospital for a postmortem examination without an autopsy.

A state DOT rail safety inspector was contacted and the investigation is continuing.