MORLAN, Robert Edward - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

An inquest into the death of Robert Edward Morlan, 59, of West Lebanon, Ind., who was killed when a train struck the truck he was driving Tuesday (Jan. 26, 1971), had been set for 10 a.m. Monday. State police said Morlan's truck was westbound at a grade crossing on Poland Road 3 1/2 miles east of Bowman Avenue when it was struck by a Norfolk & Western Railroad passenger train on its daily run from Detroit to St. Louis. The train consisted of two diesel units, a baggage car and two coaches. The southbound train was delayed some two hours while crews repaired damage to the lead diesel. Eventually, the train moved slowly into Danville under power of the second diesel. The damaged diesel was removed at Tilton. Coroner Don C. Goodwin said trainmen told him they were not aware of the collision until they saw soybeans scattering from the truck. A tarpaulin from the truck was draped over the diesel's headlamp. Repairs to the diesel included cutting away some metal that had bent below track level. Goodwin said the train had been traveling at about 65 miles an hour, but slowed shortly before the accident because of other accidents in the vicinity recently. Engineer was J. Blackburn of Peru, Ind. Fireman was D. Derrybury of Logansport, Ind. The wreckage from the truck was carried about 50 yards and cut off a utility pole before coming to rest in a field on the west side of the tracks. A section of metal from the truck was molded to the front of the lead diesel by the impact. No injuries to train passengers or crew were reported. The crossing is protected by crossarm signs.   --typed by Walt W