Toluca, IL: Ruff Brothers Grain with a loop track for unit trains

(Satellite)

Satellite

Years ago BNSF helped pay for two large grain elevators along the former Santa Fe route that had loop tracks so that they could quickly load a unit train. BNSF is just now making this happen with five grain elevators in Washington (source). A problem with big grain elevators is how fast can they unload the farmer's truck or wagon. I see this one has two scales and two unloading bays and not much room to queue up a lot of trucks. So hopefully they don't waste a lot of the farmer's time setting in line. BNSF helped build another big elevator near Ransom, IL.

I saved a closeup of the elevator because the satellite caught it with one ground storage pile empty and the other with the cover partially off so that they could start emptying it.

Satellite

Dennis DeBruler posted

This photo was uploaded to Google Maps by Pat's Train Videos on Aug 2022, cropped.

It is displayed along the entrance to Ruff Brothers Grain Co.:   https://maps.app.goo.gl/BZzUUuLvoe9XLDyz8

The grain elevator is located next to the BNSF/Santa Fe mainline.