Three Class Is to serve ADM's new intermodal facility in Illinois

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM) executives and local officials on Sept. 19 marked the opening of ADM's new intermodal container facility at its processing complex in Decatur.

To be served by CN, CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Railway, the 250-acre Midwest Inland Port intermodal facility is designed to initially handle 50,000 containers per year. ADM plans to eventually expand annual capacity to 150,000 units.

The intermodal ramp offers direct access to several major highways in addition to the three Class Is. The project was funded in part by an Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity grant.

"ADM is one of the key reasons Illinois is the largest exporting state in the Midwest, and this new facility will help even more businesses get their goods to domestic and foreign markets more easily and cost effectively," said Quinn in a press release.

The facility will enable businesses to tap ADM's grain transportation and logistics expertise, he said. In addition, businesses of every type will be able to "access markets anywhere, at any time, and do so quickly and cost-effectively," said ADM Transportation President Scott Fredericksen.