Watco Hopes to take Over CSX Routes in Early September

Two CSX routes in Indiana and Illinois are expected to begin operation in early September by subsidies of short-line operator Watco.

The Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad will take over the Decatur Subdivision in Illinois and the neighboring Danville Secondary in Indiana on or around Sept. 6, pending regulatory approval, Watco said in a filing with the Surface Transportation Board.

Watco recently landed the support of agricultural products company Archer Daniels Midland, which is one of the largest shippers in the territory.

ADM recently told the U.S. Suraface Transportation Board that it supports Watco’s big to buy 126.7 miles of track from CSX.

The sale also includes 3.6 miles of trackage rights on Canadian National (former Illinois Central) in Decatur, Illinois.

The Decatur Sub (nee Baltimore & Ohio) extends between Montezuma, Indiana, and Decatur. The Danville Secondary (nee New York Central) extends between Terre Haute, Indiana, and Olivet, Illinois, and includes the Paris Industrial Track in Paris, Illinois.

Watco projects revenue to top $5 million from the 14 customers currently served by CSX routes.

The STB filings do not disclose the sale price of the routes.

A Watco spokeswoman said the carrier plans to assign six GP38-2s to the routes. The company plans to hire four conductors, five engineers, a locomotive laborer, a track inspector, two track laborers, and two track foremen.

CSX put the routes up for sale last January.

Tags: Baltimore & Ohio, CSX, CSX Danville Secondary, CSX Decatur Subdivision, CSX line sales, CSX secondary routes, New York Central, Watco, Watco Companies, Watco Transportation Services