Normal, IL: Mitsubishi's closed auto plant may be sold

Satellite

I evidently have not posted about the automotive plant in Normal, IL closing.

Satellite

I'm sure this is the plant because you can see the ramps for loading the autorack freight cars. The railroad is NS/NKP/Lake Erie & Western.

David Jordan posted Mich. auto firm wants to reopen Mitsubishi plant. Unfortunately, the "auto firm," Rivian, has a history of fraud.

David Jordan Rivian is supposed to develop and manufacture a sports car. 

Roger Kujawa I saw how they said the same thing and left Florida with a $2 million grant and didn't produce anything.

Illinois is getting a little smarter about offering incentives to companies to come here because they have had plants close soon after they opened after taking money from the state. A common excuse for getting money was "employee training." Tax breaks is one thing, but cash has proven to be too risky.

David provides much more detail in this posting. (You will have to be a member of Facebook. You may have have to join the Rail Customer Discussion group.)

Update: Volkswagen was considering leasing the auto loading ramps and parking lots to store all of the cars they are being forced to buy back because of their diesel emissions test fraud.


Rivian bought the plant for $2-milllion dollars and city and state incentives for a 1000 employees. Given the track record of the CEO, I sure hope the incentives are paid only after people are working. Currently the parking lot with rail access is being used to store Volkswagon's mistakes until they figure out what to do with them.