The Central Illinois Railroad is a shortline railroad in Illinois. The switching and terminal railroad operates trackage near Peoria, Illinois. The Central Illinois Railroad was established in 2000, operating on track leased from the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway. The railroad previously operated around eighteen miles of track owned by the BNSF near Chicago, Illinois, but on 30 July 2010 announced that due to financial losses on those lines, BNSF would resume handling operations on those lines on 9 August. The CIRY is owned by the Railroad Services Group, which also provides contract switching services and track maintenance. It is also owned in majority by the La salle Rockford & Central Railway.
Equipment
Railroad Services operates eight switching locomotives, some of which are operated by the CIRY and some of which provide contract switching.
1203 DRSX/CIRY 1203 is a former Grand Trunk Western SW1200. It has reportedly been repainted into a scheme similar to that of CIRY's 1202 and 1207. It is employed at Mittal Steel in Hennepin, Illinois, which is closed and engine is stored out of service.
1204 DRSX/CIRY 1204 is an ex-Southern Pacific SW1200E rebuild. 1204 was stored out of service at Barilla Pasta in Ames, Iowa. It was purchased in 2010 by Key Cooperative and is currently being operated at its facility in Newton, Iowa
1206 CIRY 1206 is an ex-Belt Railway of Chicago EMD SW9. 1206 is currently employed on Central Illinois Railroad's Lumber District Branchline. The engine's crew recently repainted it in a CB&Q themed paint scheme, celebrating the line's heritage. 1206 is arguably the railroad's most famous engine, recently being featured in Trains Magazine soon after receiving its new paint job. 1206 was stored out of service after the railroad shut down on 9 August 2010. It was moved to Fostoria, Ohio in July 2012, and now works at Sunny Farms Landfill. Scrapped, 2019.
1207 CIRY 1207 is an EMD SW9. 1207 is currently based on the Kellar Branchline in Peoria Illinois.
1208 DRSX 1208 is an ex-Belt Railway of Chicago EMD SW9. 1208 is retired on the Lumber District. 1208 has suffered from heavy vandalism and mechanical abuse and neglect.
1209 DRSX 1209 is based on the Illinois Northern branch. 1209 is a former Belt Railway of Chicago EMD SW9.
