08-18-2011, 02:57 PM
Continuing:
Here's a shot of the northwest end of Harlan Bakeries facility. You can see what I mean by every vacant lot growing corn or soybeans. Photo taken from Pike St looking past the two storage tracks there.
Next I ventured over to Commerce Ave and Mid-Illinois Concrete to see what I could shoot there. I managed to get two rather poor photos of the conveyor system they use to unload rock from the concrete pit. Rather interesting in so far as there is a small conveyor under the pit that leads to the larger movable conveyor.
I didn't plan on getting out of the truck here, but did want to try and get close enough to get a shot of the concrete pit, but about this time a pickup truck came up behind me and the little lady driving it asked me who I was looking for. Once again told that I was a "rail fan" just trying to get photos of the rail served facilities in the park and after I got another of those "are you nuts?" looks and a big grin, she informed me that I was in a hard hat area and it would be best if I left. So I thanked her and left. Any way, I hope you can make out some of the detail of this conveyor system.
From here, I went up to Mansfield Dr to the north end of the EFRR where they connect with CSX and the location of the now apparently unused TQW crossdock. Here is a photo looking south on the EFRR showing the Mid-Illinois Concrete unloading pit area and the north end of Hodgson Mill. If you look closely, you can see the ILW geep sitting at the north end of the Hodgson spur and the truck unloading shed that has been added to that facility.
Finally, here's a shot of the track side of the TQW crossdock and three 50ft box cars on the interchange track. Track on the right is the CSX/CN interchange track
Glad I was finally able to get an unobstructed view of the track side of the TQW crossdock, as I'd forgotten that the rail car door was off-center! Any way, fairly nice detail view of that. Certainly a structure that I'd like to include on my layout if it would fit the theme. I do plan on kit bashing a model of this structure, regardless of whether I end up using it on the layout.
That's pretty much it as far as photos went in Effingham. It was really starting to cloud up and I had a lot of territory to try and cover, so I headed on out to venture to other locations. I'm sorry that I didn't plan this out better, as I'd have contacted the EFRR and perhaps could have been given a tour of the area without being hassled and maybe even a cab ride on the 2716. But that's the price you pay when you do things on the spur of the moment. It would certainly have been better to photograph the industries in the afternoon, but I just took my chances. I do hope that business picks up for the EFRR as it appears that just about all the rail business is at the TQW warehouse right now. It is an interesting operation.
Mark, if you want the full size photos, contact me via private message and I'll arrange to send them to you.
Here's a shot of the northwest end of Harlan Bakeries facility. You can see what I mean by every vacant lot growing corn or soybeans. Photo taken from Pike St looking past the two storage tracks there.
Next I ventured over to Commerce Ave and Mid-Illinois Concrete to see what I could shoot there. I managed to get two rather poor photos of the conveyor system they use to unload rock from the concrete pit. Rather interesting in so far as there is a small conveyor under the pit that leads to the larger movable conveyor.
From here, I went up to Mansfield Dr to the north end of the EFRR where they connect with CSX and the location of the now apparently unused TQW crossdock. Here is a photo looking south on the EFRR showing the Mid-Illinois Concrete unloading pit area and the north end of Hodgson Mill. If you look closely, you can see the ILW geep sitting at the north end of the Hodgson spur and the truck unloading shed that has been added to that facility.
Finally, here's a shot of the track side of the TQW crossdock and three 50ft box cars on the interchange track. Track on the right is the CSX/CN interchange track
That's pretty much it as far as photos went in Effingham. It was really starting to cloud up and I had a lot of territory to try and cover, so I headed on out to venture to other locations. I'm sorry that I didn't plan this out better, as I'd have contacted the EFRR and perhaps could have been given a tour of the area without being hassled and maybe even a cab ride on the 2716. But that's the price you pay when you do things on the spur of the moment. It would certainly have been better to photograph the industries in the afternoon, but I just took my chances. I do hope that business picks up for the EFRR as it appears that just about all the rail business is at the TQW warehouse right now. It is an interesting operation.
Mark, if you want the full size photos, contact me via private message and I'll arrange to send them to you.
Ed
"Friends don't let friends build Timesavers"
"Friends don't let friends build Timesavers"