Information from Findagrave. 1
Two Leland residents were killed instantly Saturday afternoon when their pickup truck was struck by a Burlington Northern freight train west of Leland.
Driver of the pickup truck, Ernest “Jim” J. Barber, 40, and a passenger, Ralph G. Hackman, 59, both of Leland, were pronounced dead at the scene, La Salle County Coroner Wayne Hess said.
The accident occured Saturday afternoon on the Benson Road at the Stalling crossing, two miles west of Leland when a westbound freight train including six power units and 95 cars struck the northbound truck, Sheriff’s Deputies said. Engineer of the train, Gary M. Cox of Galesburg told authorities that the truck stopped at the crossing and all of a sudden started up and pulled out onto the tracks.
Authorities theorized that the driver apparently tried to get going on the ice glazed slope, spun on the ice, and did not see the train.
Both of the victims were employed with the Howard Wright Livestock and was driving Wright’s pickup truck.
According to residents the crossing is clear, however there are no signals, except a railroad crossing sign.
A coroner’s jury was impaneled and an inquest is pending, Hess said. Traffic fatalities for La Salle County totals 49 for the year.