News & Reviews News Wire Watco’s Decatur & Eastern Illinois to acquire neighboring Eastern Illinois Railroad NEWSWIRE

Watco’s Decatur & Eastern Illinois to acquire neighboring Eastern Illinois Railroad NEWSWIRE

By Bill Stephens | November 26, 2019

| Last updated on November 3, 2020

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DTUmap
A map showing Illinois and Indiana and the proposed takeover of the Eastern Illinois Railway by Decatur & Eastern Illinois.
Surface Transportation Board filing
WASHINGTON ā€” Watco short line Decatur & Eastern Illinois, which began operations in September 2018, aims to expand by acquiring the neighboring 53-mile Eastern Illinois Railroad.

The DE&I, a CSX Transportation spinoff, last week applied for a Surface Transportation Board exemption that would permit it to operate and acquire the Eastern Illinois Railroad from current owner NRG Inc.

The deal would close by Dec. 31 under DE&Iā€™s proposed timetable, which was disclosed in a Nov. 22 regulatory filing.

NRG acquired the Eastern Illinois in 1988, when Norfolk & Western sought to abandon the former Nickel Plate route.

DE&I connects with Eastern Illinois in Metcalf, Ill. The Eastern Illinois runs 53 miles from Metcalf to Neoga, Ill., and a connection with Canadian National.

The Eastern Illinois serves six shippers on the line, including grain and lumber customers.

In an Nov. 1 regulatory filing, DE&I said it was seeking eight employees to operate the Eastern Illinois.

2 thoughts on “Watco’s Decatur & Eastern Illinois to acquire neighboring Eastern Illinois Railroad NEWSWIRE

  1. Better yet, help CSX offload the Illinois Sub from Seymour to O’Fallon. Lots of online biz between Salem and Mitchell.

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