ADM expansion requires CRANDIC to add track

The completion of ADM's new $540-million dry mill ethanol plant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has created a need for more railroad track, KCRG-TV reports. The CRANDIC Railway began construction this month of a new 9,000-foot track that will go from Old Bridge Road to just east of Fairfax, CRANDIC Marketing Manager Jeff Woods said.

The new railroad track,
referred to internally as the West 900 project, will parallel an existing
CRANDIC line. Woods said the new track will speed the interchange of cars with
the Cedar Rapids-based Iowa Interstate Railroad, which operates and east-west
line across Iowa. Currently, CRANDIC’s interchange with the Iowa Interstate
takes place in the railroad’s Smith-Dows yard near Edgewood Road in southwest
Cedar Rapids, and takes place on two separate tracks.

When the construction is
complete, CRANDIC will be able to simply move the train onto the track and
uncouple its engine so that the Iowa Interstate can pick them up.

ADM’s new dry mill is
opening up this month at its existing manufacturing complex in southwest Cedar
Rapids.

CRANDIC, a unit of
Alliant Energy, got a later than expected start on the project because of the
summer’s heavy rains and permitting issues. The project is slated for
completion by winter.

"It’s an expensive
project, but it will help the shipping community in terms of getting shipments
in and out of town quickly," Woods said. "It will definitely save a lot of
time, with the sheer magnitude of trains moving in and out of town."

The major categories of
commodities the track will carry are coal, corn, distillers dried grains and
ethanol. The track will also carry general freight, such as cardboard and paper
shipments.