Crab Orchard and Egyptian Railway History
- ARR Reporting Marks - COER
- Class III railroad that operates in the cities of Marion and Herrin in Southern Illinois.
- Recognized by the FRA for being the last U.S. railroad of any kind to use steam locomotives exclusively in regular revenue freight service up until 1986.
- Founded in 1971, the "Crab Orchard & Egyptian Railroad" was first founded and incorporated under the name of American Rail Heritage Ltd, and was originally a tourist railroad.
- Tourist railroad operations ended in 1978 after a fire destroyed the railroad's main office and two of the railroad's six passenger cars.
- In 1977 the COER finally purchased the "Marion District" line from ICG (they had previously had a cooperating agreement with ICG) and began revenue freight service.
- Steam operations ended in 1986 when the dry-pipe inside the boiler of #17 suddenly collapsed. A diesel takeover was already planned so instead of a costly overhaul the locomotive was sold to the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad.
- In 1987 The COER purchased the 5 mile "Herrin District" line from ICG. Which provided them access to new customers such as a large Maytag Plant.
- Currently the "Marion District" has the most traffic out of the two districts.
- After numerous plants closed and finally the Whirlpool-Maytag Plant closed in 2006 the "Herrin District" was only used for car storage from 2007 to 2012.
- In 2012, the railroad was purchased by Progressive Rail and renamed "Crab Orchard & Egyptian Railway." The new ownership has brought more traffic to both districts, and PGR has upgraded infrastructure on the "Herrin District."
Current Operations
- The railroad is operated in two districts: "The Marion District" and "Herrin District." The districts are isolated from each other.
- The railroad interchanges with Union Pacific in Marion, and the BNSF in both Marion and Herrin.
Modoc Railroad Academy
- The railroad is currently home to the Modoc Railroad Academy, which operates on the east end of the "Marion District."
- The academy uses an old 44 ton locomotive (AARX 2107) and several vintage railroad cars to teach future railroad industry employees. The Modoc Academy also uses an old GTW boxcar as a classroom, which is attached to the COER offices in Marion.
COER Marion District Customers
- Runs for 8.5 miles from Marion to Carterville (Ordill).
Interchanges
- Interchanges with Union Pacific in Marion
- Interchanges with BNSF in West Marion.
|
|
| Customer
|
Location
|
Company Description
|
Type of Railcar
|
Notes
|
| Illinois Transload
|
Marion
|
Coal Transload/Various Materials Transload
|
Open-Top Hoppers/Covered Hoppers/Tank Cars
|
Also serves as a railcar storage yard for Modoc Railroad Academy.
|
| Marion Fast Stop
|
Marion
|
Elevator
|
Covered Hoppers
|
Inactive?
|
| Warren Oil
|
Marion
|
Lubricants Manufacturer
|
Tank Cars
|
|
| Crisp Container Corporation
|
Marion
|
Beverage Container Manufacturer
|
Covered Hoppers
|
|
| Cimco Recycling
|
Carterville
|
Scrapyard
|
Gondolas/Covered Hoppers
|
|
| Railco Repair of Illinois
|
Carterville
|
Railcar Repair
|
Covered Hoppers/Boxcars
|
|
| Koerner Distributor
|
Carterville
|
Beer, Wine and Spirits Manufacturer
|
Covered Hoppers
|
|
|
COER Herrin District Customers
- Runs for 5 miles throughout the city of Herrin.
- Mainly used for car storage.
Interchanges
- Interchanges with BNSF in Herrin.
|
|
| Customer
|
Location
|
Company Description
|
Type of Railcar
|
Notes
|
| Various Transload
|
Herrin
|
Transload
|
Covered Hoppers/Tank Cars
|
|
| Keren Hart Limited
|
Herrin
|
Clothing Wholesaler
|
Boxcars
|
Inactive?
|
| Natural Enrichment Industries
|
Herrin
|
Tricalcium Phosphate Manufacturer
|
Covered Hoppers/Tank Cars
|
Currently inactive. Planning to use rail service in the future.
|
|
COER Locomotives
|
|
| Number
|
Model
|
Built
|
History
|
Notes
|
| PGR 33
|
SW1200
|
1964
|
Ex-SSW 1071/2259.
|
Assigned to the Marion District. Replaced #1161.
|
|
Former COER Locomotives
|
|
| Number
|
Model
|
Built
|
History
|
Notes
|
| COER 1
|
35 Tonner
|
1942
|
Named "Rosi-Clare."
|
Purchased in 1975. Retired in 1995. Now on display at the American Fluorite Museum in Rosiclare, Illinois.
|
| COER 5
|
2-4-2
|
1946
|
Built by Davenport. Ex-Central Illinois Public Service 5.
|
Sold in 1985 to the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Tourist Railroad in Jackson, Missouri. Currently under restoration.
|
| COER 6
|
SW1
|
1953
|
Ex-Sahara Coal 6; "The Six."
|
Retired in the mid 2000s. Scrapped in 2018.
|
| COER 17
|
2-8-0
|
1940
|
Built by the Canadian Locomotive Company. Ex-Roberval & Saguenay Railway 17.
|
The last operating common carrier steam locomotive in America. Sold to the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad in Boone, Iowa in 1987. Now on display.
|
| COER 1147
|
SW1200
|
1966
|
Ex-MP 1147.
|
Purchased in 1986. Sold in 1989 to pay expenses. Now on the Little Kanawha River Railroad?
|
| COER 1136
|
SW1200
|
1966
|
Ex-MP 1136.
|
Assigned to the Herrin District. Purchased in 1986. Sold in 2018/2019 to AMS Service LLC. Now operates in Herrin, Illinois under Herrin Railroad ownership.
|
| COER 1161
|
SW1200
|
1965
|
Ex-MP 1161.
|
Retired in 2017. Sold in 2018 and rebuilt in South Carolina. Then ironically shipped in 2019 to Egypt as MVPX 1161. Formerly assigned to the Marion District. Purchased in 1987.
|
|
COER Rolling Stock
|
|
| Number
|
Type of Railcar
|
Built
|
History
|
Notes
|
| COER 11
|
Caboose
|
1917
|
Ex-EJ&E 143.
|
Typically stored in the Marion enginehouse.
|
|
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