Canadian National Pledges Support to Develop Midwest Inland Port
DECATUR, Ill. — Canadian National, the largest railroad in Canada and one of the largest railroads in North America, pledged its support May 2 to developing the Midwest Inland Port in Decatur, Illinois.
CN, which is one of three Class I railroads providing service to Decatur businesses, has joined the strategic development coalition for the port. Other members of the development group include Archer Daniels Midland Co., Ameren Illinois, Decatur Memorial Hospital, Clayco, OmniTrax and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
The railroad can help products from its customers in the Decatur area reach destinations around the globe, said John Orr, senior vice president for CN's Southern Region.
“They can extend their reach all over the world,” Orr said. “Our reach is second to none.”
The railroad, with headquarters in Montreal, already has spent $750 million to expand ways for shipments to bypass Chicago, Orr said. Avoiding the congestion in the Chicago area has been one of the main selling points to encourage use of the transportation infrastructure in Decatur.
As a result of bypassing Chicago, Orr said, the railroad can offer more predictable transit times for shipments and avoid delays that sometimes can last days or even weeks.
The concept of the Midwest Inland Port was created with ADM's intermodal rail facility as its centerpiece, said Dennis Whalen, ADM's vice president of intermodal transportation. The conversion of a former CN rail yard into the intermodal ramp started about six years ago, when ADM bought the property, Whalen said.
“The Midwest Inland Port is showing signs of being an economic driver as a new platform for growth into emerging markets around the globe,” he said. “We see many possibilities ahead.”
Having CN onboard brings expanded recognition and credibility to efforts in further developing the area's transportation network, said Larry Altenbaumer, executive director of the Midwest Inland Port.
Decatur Mayor Julie Moore-Wolfe noted more containers filled the facility than the last time she was there. It is a sign of what Decatur can benefit from in the future, she said.
“It is the best opportunity we've had in decades,” Moore-Wolfe said.
Each container tells a story of the benefits extending into the community from use of the intermodal ramp, Orr said.
Rail access is one of the features used in marketing Decatur to potential businesses, said Ryan McCrady, president of the Economic Development Corp. of Decatur and Macon County. McCrady said other highlights include affordable utility rates, connections to highways and the training of the area's workforce.
He said that working with CN is key step forward in bringing more imports into the country through Decatur.
