Sioux City, IA: GN Roundhouse, Hansen Mueller and other Ag Support Facilities

Roundhouse: (Satellite)

Hansen Mueller: (Satellite)

Satellite

I noticed the roundhouse on this topo map.

1963/64 Sioux City North and 1964/65 James Quad @ 24,000

Just south of what is now a BNSF railyard is the Hansen Mueller Grain Elevator. The cut on the left looks like tank cars instead of covered hoppers.

G A, Feb 2020

I was surprised to learn that they handle: "Oats, Wheat (Hard Red Winter and Spring)." [HansenMueller_sioux-city]

I'm used to an elevator that is that big handling corn and soybeans.

On the right side of this view we see the expected covered hoppers. Obviously, this elevator is railserved.

Street View, Sep 2024

A cut of BNSF hoppers is actively being loaded.

Street View, Sep 2022

And they have some antique hoppers stored here. Note the green BN hopper. I was looking for a locomotive that is handling the cut of hoppers that is being loaded. Do they have something in the building that will pull the cut forward like a cable and a winch?

Street View, Sep 2022

Jim Pearson Photography posted

BNSF 8247 leads a grain train as it waits to head out of Sioux City, Iowa on June 23rd, 2025 on the BNSF Napier Subdivision.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/5, 1/120, ISO 100.

Dennis DeBruler commented on Jim's post
Would you provide a map link or the street names of an intersection close to that feed mill? Marshall is the former GN route, Aberdeen is the former Milwaukee route and Sioux City is the former CB&Q route to the South; so I assume that Napier is the former CB&Q route to the West. I followed that route from Sioux City to the countryside, but I could not find this feed mill. I did find several other grain handling facilities. https://www.bnsf.com/ship-with-bnsf/maps-and-shipping-locations/pdf/subdivisions-map.pdf

See BNSF Bridge over Missouri River for the CB&Q route to the West. While looking for the feed mill in Jim's photo, I did find a lot of rail-served companies that support farmers.

Kay Dee Feed

Satellite

This feed company provides mineral products rather than plant-based products. "As an industry innovator, Kay Dee pressed the first mineral block in 1932 and introduced the first waste-free granular livestock mineral in 1962. Today, Kay Dee provides its customers with a full line of livestock mineral and protein supplements and has grown to be the largest independent manufacturer of mineral and protein supplements in the United States." [KayDeeFeed]

Scratch and Peck Feeds

Are the bins across the tracks also part of their chicken feed operation?

Satellite

Their market seems to be pet owners and hobby farmers who are willing to pay a premium for the latest buzzwords.

0:23 video @ 0:07

Instead of corn and soybeans, they use field peas and sunflower seeds. They also use dried mealworms, fish meal, eggs and meat scraps. [ScratchAndPeck]

@ 0:13

Fertilizer Supply

Satellite

Richardson Milling

Satellite

"Richardson specializes in transforming high-quality oats and durum wheat into value-added food ingredients." They have a photo showing flakes, not flour. [richardson_milling]

This helps explain why Hansen Mueller stores oats and wheat.

Tyson Fresh Meats and Ingredion

This is where the CB&Q route turns from heading North to heading West. Ingredion bought a plant in Chicagoland that makes corn syrup. I don't know what they make here.

Satellite

Cargill and Dakota City Organic Elevator

So, Cargill has two facilities in the Sioux City area. Cargill has a big soyabean processing plant on the north side of town. Again, I see a bunch of tank cars when I would have expected covered hoppers.

Satellite