Philo, IL: Multiple Grain Elevators

Gary Sams -> Follow the Flag Wabash Railroad
Philo, Illinois Wabash Cannonball 7-19-61 Glen Brewer photo

Judging from the wood structures, there are at least two grain elevators in this town. And both have grown with the addition of concrete silos. It is not uncommon for even rather small towns to have more than one grain elevator. I still have not figured out the economic reason for more than one elevator. Is one a coop that grinds feed for the farmers whereas the other stores, sells and ships grain?

In the first satellite image, the wood buildings have been torn down, but one of the facilities has grown using steel bins.

Railroad Glory Days posted (Facebook won't give me the link)
Both my parents grew up in tiny Philo, Illinois, and I still have family living there. Naturally, having grown up as a railroad enthusiast, I was familiar with the small scale, Wabash station operations there. But one day that all came to a crashing end -- see the full story, "Finis for Philo" here: http://RailroadGloryDays.com/wabash
No injuries.
[1962]
Glen Brewer shared
[The web site has several more photos of the wreck.]

Satellite

It is now one coop that does not seem to have any rail service. There is no fall protector and the siding is in bad shape.

From Premier Cooperative

Satellite

I noticed the nearby sister elevator in Tolono does have rail service (fall protectors and long, well-maintaned sidings). In fact, in the satallite image below, I caught
a 51-car cut parked on a siding. So Philo probably trucks sold grain to that elevator for rail shipment.

(It looks like high-school kids, as well as grain, is hauled to Tolono.)

Satellite

Jan Mormandale posted
Chinook MT - 2013
[This elevator shows that not only could they make big wood elevators, it shows they could workewell into the 21st Century (Streetview). Plus there is another elevator in that town that has a big wooden part (Streetview). But it grew with steel bins instead of concrete bins.]