Keokuk Junction Railway Gains Canton Customer


An area shortline is getting a new customer. 

Hitchcock Scrap Yard Inc. (HSY) plans an operation on the south side of the former International Harvester Co. Canton plant. Today's Fulton Democrat tells us that

The city has a lease agreement with Hitchcock Scrap Yard on some property that runs close to a railroad spur. They plan to scrap steel there, load into rail cars and ship it out, said Mayor Kent McDowell.

Rail service will be provided by the Keokuk Junction Railway (KJRY). I shot the above photo April 11, 2009 when Agridyne LLC was transloading steepwater into tank cars spotted on this KJRY, siding, trucking it from the nearby Riverland Biofuels plant. Hitchcock Scrap Yard's new facility will be located just behind the tank cars. 

The most likely destination for scrap shipped from Canton is Amsted Rail's Griffin Wheel Corp. foundry in Keokuk, Iowa. BNSF serves this plant, but KJRY has access through a reciprocal switching agreement. Keystone Steel & Wire Co., served by the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad in Bartonville, could be a potential rail market for HSY as well. 

- David P. Jordan

Comments

  1. Traingirl36October 25, 2017 at 6:39 PM

    Good news I hope they start this soon. I'm going to make it a point to watch this area like a hawk now. Also finally a mayor that might not be full of it and actually do something for this town.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. David P. JordanOctober 25, 2017 at 7:00 PM

      Hitchcock Scrap Yard apparently initiated the project, but the new mayor did his job.

      Delete

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