Effingham

Company History: The EFRR was built in 1996, beginning service with just 400 feet of track in Effingham, Illinois. The owner is an industrial property developer (and railfan) who built an industrial park at the junction of CSX’s (former Pennsy) mainline to St. Louis and Canadian National’s (former Illinois Central) mainline from Chicago to the Gulf. As industries moved into the park, EFRR built spurs to serve them. Today, the entire railroad has 15 switches. A warehouse, a breakfast cereal manufacturer, a cement plant and Harlan Bakeries (making Krispy Kreme donuts) are among the customers. Power is provided by a former Reading SW1200. The same property developer also established the Illinios Western Railroad to accompany another potential industrial park to the west. A diesel has been painted in Illinois Western colors but that park has had no takers and it remains farmland. The Illinois Western therefore has a locomotive but no customers and no railroad.

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