Look at this photo. Five covered hoppers, all conspicuously still adorned in the Chicago Rock Island & Pacific Railroad’s “powder blue” (some would say “bankrupt blue”) paint scheme from 1975. The Rock Island was forced into liquidation by a bankruptcy court 33 years ago, yet many peices of rolling stock are still around as evidenced Saturday, January 12, 2013 at United Suppliers Inc’s Henry, Illinois granular fertilizer plant.
All five cars are owned by Midwest Railcar (MWCX) but retain their original owner’s paint. I’ve seen ex-Rock Island covered hoppers here before but not five coupled together.
Appropriately, this industry is located on a former Rock Island track, the Bureau Jct.-Peoria line, which was Peoria’s first railroad. It has been operated by the Iowa Interstate Railroad (IAIS) since June 1987. The IAIS purchased the Henry-Peoria segment on December 30, 2006. The rest is subleased from CSX Transportation.
The United Suppliers plant was built by W. R. Grace & Co and opened in early 1967.
- David P. Jordan
23 responses so far ↓
1 meanjarhead // Jan 12, 2013 at 9:39 pm
It looks like part of my train set. I love it!
2 Jason Myers // Jan 12, 2013 at 11:54 pm
Now that is something you don’t see everyday. When I think of the Rock that’s the paint scheme I think of too. Nice find David!
Jason Myers
3 Vonster // Jan 14, 2013 at 5:14 pm
Tease me, Dave. My 2nd fav after ATSF. I swoon at the site of a RI or Monon BL2. Oh, MONON!! Now I’m in trouble….CRAP!
4 Vonster // Jan 14, 2013 at 5:15 pm
Born too early……:-(
5 David P. Jordan // Jan 14, 2013 at 6:02 pm
Born too late, right?
6 alex // Jan 14, 2013 at 6:28 pm
It looks like there are some more baby blue cars behind th front five as well
7 Vonster // Jan 14, 2013 at 6:35 pm
Sorry, Dave. I’m off seeking RI porn…
8 meanjarhead // Jan 14, 2013 at 6:51 pm
Vonster i am with you on the RI being my second favorite. However my # 1 is Chicago Northwestern.
9 Vonster // Jan 15, 2013 at 3:58 pm
Im with you on that. ATSF is my fav because I grew up in full sight of the Pekin to Acona branch in Roanoke. You could easily see the train coming from the west in the early evening/late afternoon and my friend and I would regularly run the 1/2 mile to the tracks to watch it, sometimes switching out cars at the old Ulrich manufacturing plant.. I’ve always liked CNW too though.
10 David P. Jordan // Jan 15, 2013 at 4:25 pm
Hey, Vonster,
Speaking of Ulrich Mfg Co’s Roanoke Plant, I always wondered if the Santa Fe served it. Thanks for the confirmation.
There’s a PJStar article dated May 29, 1958 (page A-3) entitled, “Roanoke Plant Blast Kills 1, 2 Injured When Solvent Ignites.” The article mentions that Ulrich manufactured parts for earthmoving equipment and pumps for industrial, chemical and agricultural processing and had 200 employees.
I assume boxcars and gondolas were typical rolling stock used at Ulrich Mfg? I’m thinking the plant was still in operation through the 1960s, but perhaps not for much longer. Research tells me that c. 1980, spur tracks still existed to serve Besser Industries, The Home Place, Roanoke Milling Co, Roanoke Farmers Association, Standard Oil (or Amoco by then), Roanoke Concrete Products and Woodford County Seed Co (or FS), though some of these may not have used rail for some time (another source says Roanoke Farmers Assn. last shipped by rail in 1973).
11 Vonster // Jan 15, 2013 at 5:32 pm
I beleive Urlich became Besser. They used to do a lot of work for Cat. I remember they used to deliver potash to a bunker along the tracks downtown. I don’t remember Roanoke Concrete getting any carloads although we kids did haunt the place, getting chased away all the time. I loved their cinder block machine (BRRRRRRRRRRR!) I also remember a brief field trip to see the local station agent before thay closed the depot. I swear I remember them using RSD15 (long nose) engines but I could be wrong. There used to be a coal mine there too (the slag pile is still there) but it was shut down long ago.
12 Vonster // Jan 15, 2013 at 5:37 pm
Oh, and there was also Prairie Dehydrating on the east side of town. They made dehydrated alfalfa pellets for feed. On a summer eve when the wind was right, the sweet smell would cover our neighborhood. Mmmmmmmm…..
I don’t remember if they were rail served.
13 Vonster // Jan 15, 2013 at 5:53 pm
Dave: I would love to help you fill in the blanks on that. E-mail me with phone and I will call when convenient.
14 David P. Jordan // Jan 15, 2013 at 6:01 pm
Did Besser make the same products? Or did Ulrich close and Besser bought the property?
I’ve heard of Prairie Dehydrating. The “Public Response to the Secretary of Transportation’s Rail Services Report,” from February 1975 incorrectly calls it “Perry Dehydrating” but noted that it shipped 276 carloads in 1972 and 247 in 1973.
Is the old Prairie Dehydrating plant still standing?
15 Vonster // Jan 15, 2013 at 6:16 pm
I want to say yes on Besser.
Prairie property now occupied by Roanoke Concrete.
Offer still stands.
16 Vonster // Jan 15, 2013 at 6:18 pm
Oh and former ATSF bridge over creek in town now a fancy covered bridge used by Geisert Ford as bridge over creek in their lot.
17 Vonster // Jan 15, 2013 at 6:22 pm
http://www.dalejtravis.com/bridge/illinois/htm/13102a.htm
18 David P. Jordan // Jan 15, 2013 at 7:15 pm
Hi Vonster,
So are any of Prairie Dehydrating’s facilities still in use by Roanoke Concrete, or did the latter build completely new?
Btw, I emailed you my cell#
19 just passing through // Jan 16, 2013 at 2:01 am
This is amazing and thank you for sharing. I had only seen something so good in 2001 in the Badlands. For some reason, there were inordinate amounts of Rock equipment still in good shape in the sidings approaching Rapid City on the DM&E. Minnesota Commercial had about 15 Bankruptcy Blue hoppers in storage in Minneapolis in 2006, but I’m sad to say they all were tagged mercilessly within two weeks. I hope they don’t have a lot of jerks who spray paint trains for fun in Henry.
20 Vonster // Jan 16, 2013 at 7:26 pm
Dave: I don’t think there is much left of PD on that site. I found a OLD pic of that that I’ll pass on.
21 vonster // Jan 17, 2013 at 3:16 pm
http://jack-johnston.blogspot.com/2010/07/prairie-dehydrating-co-roanke-ill-78-c.html
This photo is messed up but shows the plant back in what I’ll guess is the early 60s
22 David P. Jordan // Jan 17, 2013 at 3:35 pm
Thanks. Too bad it’s all marked up, but I can see the hopper in the shed.
23 vonster // Jan 22, 2013 at 4:10 pm
I can’t say enough about how that plant issued “perfume” in a small town on a summer night. Mmmmmmmmmm.
Not like ADM.
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