Janesville, MN: 2026 World's Largest Grain bin: 2.3m Bushels

(Satellite, will be east of the current bin.)

The previous record holder was 2.2m bushels in Mason City, IA in 2021.

J & D Construction Inc. posted

Janesville is the future site of the construction of what will be the world’s largest grain bin, with a capacity of 2.3 million bushels.

Projects like this aren’t just about size — they’re about performance. More capacity. Faster handling. Better efficiency. And infrastructure built to serve agriculture for decades to come.

We’re proud to be part of projects that help move the industry forward and support the producers and operations that depend on facilities like this every day.

This is what Building the Backbone of America looks like.

[Fortunately, some comments identify this Janesville as the one in MN.]

This looks like an ethanol plant. The 2021 record holder was also an ethanol plant. I presume that ethanol plants don't care how clean the corn is so they can store everything that comes to the plant in one bin.

Satellite

Street View, Jul 2025

Carrollton, IL: Lost/GM&O/Litchfield, Carrolton & Western Depot

Litchfield, Carrolton & Western: (Satellite)

Other GM&O Route: (Satellite)

Lawrence Thomas posted
Looking for photos of the stations on the former Litchfield, Carrollton & Western Ry - it eventually became part of the GM&O. Stations were Eldred, East Hardin, Carrollton, Carlinville and Greenfield, Illinois. Another depot was at Barnett. Carrollton depot view is below.
Richard Fiedler shared

Chicago & Alton ended up with two routes at this town. I found Eldred and Greenfield to determine that Lawrence is talking about the east/west route. The north/south route was owned by KCS in 2005, so it is probably CPKC today.

1926 Roodhouse, 1930 Pearl and 1932 Greenfield Quads @ 62,500

Possibility 1 at the top of these notes was probably Lawrence's photo because it is along the east/west route. I think whoever built the north/south route had their depot at Possibility 2.

1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

Hope, OH: 1854-74 Hope Iron Blast Furnace

(Satellite)

Old Blast Furnaces Overview

Street View, Jul 2023

This view shows how it was built into the side of a hill to reduce the length of the charging bridge.

Wild Marks, Feb 2023

This part of the Hanging Rock Iron Region from Logan, OH, to Mt. Savage, KY.

Trailracker, Jun 2025

Facebook Reel

Ludlow, IL: Grain Elevator expansion denied and Lost/IC Depot

Elevator: (Satellite, note that there are no I-57 ramps to provide interstate access for this town)
Depot: (Satellite, based on the aerial photo below)

Founded in 1904 in Ludlow, Illinois, the company now has eight locations: Buckley, Danforth, Del Rey, La Hogue, Ludlow, Paxton, Perdueville, and Piper City, with convenient access to rail and Interstate highways. [LudlowCoop]

Ludlow board denies Ludlow Co-Op rezoning request for expansion

Evidently the town folk want some grass preserved. Looking at a satellite image, this elevator appears to be the only business in town. I would think the residents would be more interested in jobs and tax revenue instead of some "prettyness."

There are more photos of this elevator in "20161006-07 US45 Grain Elevators, Sperry Car, IC Historical Society, Centralia Museum, Coaling Tower." Search for "ludlow".

20161006-07 6139c, Facebooked
Not all farmers have an 18-wheeler with a grain trailer. Here we see a dump truck being unloaded in Ludlow, IL. The elevator is on the former IC mainline, and it has a fall protector. But it may be served by a shortline that has trackage rights on the CN. I'm still trying to figure out the details.

Now that I fixed my comment based on the feedback from Cory and Bob, I realize that their comments are a little confusing. I originally commented that this was an example of the front of the truck being raised by a hoist in the elevator. That is what I remember the elevator doing when I took a load of grain to town with my Grandpa's straight truck around 1967. Bob is right. His 1949 Dodge truck was single axle.
Cory Zadorozniak I’ll guarantee that truck is lifting his hoist. You can see the cab in behind.
Dennis DeBruler Ah, it is a dump truck. Thanks for the correction.
Bob Summers The truck pictured has its own hoist. The old lifts you are referring to would not be around any more. Typically we used them for smaller single axel farm trucks that maybe had a 200 to 250 bushel load. The truck pictured appears to be a tandem that would probably deliver over 500 bushels per load and definitely will have its own hoist. This type truck is often used by custom harvesters so they can also transport their combines and equipment. We also see more and more grain delivered to the elevator from the field in hopper bottom semi's.
Scott Sherman In the 1970's when I was in high school I would drive dad's old Studebaker truck to the elevator. Hoist didn't lift very fast fast so always told to stop on the elevator lift. As I was raising the truck box the elevator crew was lifting the front axle off the ground. When empty the front of the truck was far in the air sitting on the lift and the truck box was straight up and down.
Brett Ellis Scott Sherman I'm amazed they did that lol
Eric Miller All I remember when I was on harvest in the summer and fall of 71, was dumping the grain from the trucks, but then I drove combine, so there's that, LOL!

Back in the early 1990s, they still had a wood elevator in their complex.

13:48 video @ 10:36

Actually, they still do have a wood elevator.

Street View, Sep 2023

Depot

Andy Zukowski posted
Illinois Central Railroad Depot in Ludlow, Illinois. 1973
Richard Fiedler shared

1940 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

East Harding, IL: Lost/GM&O Depot

(Satellite, based on the aerial photo below.)

This depot has to be the largest depot size to town size ratio that I have seen.

Barbara Donovan posted eight images with the comment: "Quincy, Carrollton,  and St. Louis Railroad Depot in East Hardin, just north of where the Joe Page Bridge was built."

Richard Fiedler shared

1

2

3

4

5

6

7, cropped

8

Today, even the north/south route is abandoned.

1938/38 Hardin Quad @ 62,500

1940 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

Tennessee, IL: Lost/CB&Q Depot

(Satellite)

Andy Zukowski posted

Tennessee, Illinois Railroad Depot 

Tennessee was founded because of the railroad. Platted in 1854 by Joseph B. Bacon, Steve Cockerham, and Thomas Waddle, the community was known for 20 years as 'Tennessee Station.' This small depot was probably erected shortly after the Northern Cross Railroad arrived in 1855, but this is an early 20th-century photograph, so the building may be a later one.

Richard Fiedler shared

Thomas Whitt shared

1941 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

Merna, IL: Lost/IC Depot and Old Grain Elevator

Depot: (Satellite, it is long gone. Judging by Andy's photo below, it was south of the tracks and east of IL-165.)

Old Elevator: (Satellite, the roof is in bad shape)

 

Andy Zukowski posted
Railroad Depot & Elevator in Merna, Illinois. C1910
Richard Fiedler shared

Ned Carlson posted
Illinois Central 2-8-0 #908 at Merna, IL on the "Bloomer Line"
Everett Lueck: 908 was assigned to the Bloomer line local from 1956 until retired in 1958. 908 was the last IC 2-8-0 in service, and the last steam engine in regular service to go in and out of Bloomington-Normal. (and it is Bruce Meyer, no s)

Comments on Ned's post

Andy Zukowski posted, cropped
Photograph taken in 1975 of the Merna Railroad Depot at Merna, Illinois.
Richard Fiedler shared

Originally, the Bloomer Line was the Bloomington District of the IC. Today, it is a short line railroad. The Bloomington District is highlighted by the green lines on this map.

1958 Peoria and Aurora plus 1957 Chicago Quadrangles @ 1:250,000 via Dennis DeBruler

The street view driver did not go down E 1600 North Rd, so this was the best view through the trees that I could find. Judging form the date, I'm lucky that a driver went up IL-165.

Street View, Nov 2008

The town used to have 14 grain bins. 11 are still standing, and it looks like 6 are still used. I counted just 8 houses. So, I've found another Midwest town that has more bins than houses.

Satellite