On March 14, 1940, the Rio Grande Valley suffered the worst disaster in Texas road history. What was supposed to be a routine trip to the fruit fields around the Hidalgo county area—ended in a journey of death. Approximately 27 people died, and 17 were injured when the Missouri Pacific passenger train, westbound from Harlingen to Mission, violently crashed into a truck loaded with fruit pickers. Most of the dead didn’t know what hit them—as they were in the truck bed, huddled under a tarpaulin (canvas) to protect them from the chilly morning breeze. The faded tan canvas became the death shroud ...