A managed affiliate of OmniTRAX, Inc. and the Topflight Grain Cooperative, Inc., located in Illinois, are entering into a joint venture to operate, market and rehabilitate a Topflight rail line, now renamed Decatur Central Railroad, LLC. OmniTRAX will manage the rail line, which links Cisco and Decatur, Ill., commencing in late 2016. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
OmniTRAX CEO Kevin Shuba stated, “The Decatur Central Railroad is a great opportunity for OmniTRAX due to strong existing commodity flows, real-estate driven expansion prospects and the potential to add new diversified business. We’re also very excited to work with the Topflight and Midwest Inland Port teams, and to be a part of the Decatur business community.”
The railroad, which interchanges with CN just north of Decatur, will be used to transport grain from Topflight Grain Cooperative members to the processing companies of ADM, Tate & Lyle and others in and around Macon County.
“We see a lot of opportunity on the rail line for improved performance and expansion,” said Scott Docherty, Topflight'S chief executive officer and general manager. “OmniTRAX has had great success with their other railroads and industrial parks, and we look forward to working with them to grow the business here for years to come.”
The new rail line is integral to the growth plans of the Midwest Inland Port, a multi-modal hub in Decatur. The inland port is a division by the Economic Development Corporation of Decatur & Macon County (EDC).
“OmniTRAX has a great track record of developing businesses that grow regional economies and create new jobs, and Topflight is a key agriculture player in Central Illinois,” remarked EDC President Ryan McCrady. “We look forward to working with them to help the Midwest Inland Port reach its full potential.”