{{Infobox rail |railroad_name=Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad | image = 200px|center|alt=DREI Logo |length={{convert|182|mi|km|abbr=on}} |locale=Eastern Illinois & Western Indiana |marks=DREI |start_year={{Start date|2018|9|09}} |end_year=present |gauge={{RailGauge|ussg}} (standard gauge) |hq_city=Decatur, Illinois, USA |logo=|parent_company=Watco}} The '''Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad''' {{reporting mark|DREI}} is a Class III<ref>{{Cite web |title=Federal Register :: Request Access |url=https://unblock.federalregister.gov/ |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=unblock.federalregister.gov}}</ref> American regional railroad that is a subsidiary of Watco operating in eastern Illinois and western Indiana.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad (DREI) |url=https://www.watco.com/service/rail/decatur_and_eastern_illinois/ |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=Watco |language=en-US}}</ref>
In January 2018, CSX Transportation announced that it was seeking offers to buy the Decatur Subdivision and the Danville Secondary Subdivision as part of a system-wide sale of low-traffic routes, and in July, Watco, via the DREI, was identified as the winning bidder.<ref name="trains1">{{cite web | url=http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2018/07/09-watco-to-acquire-first-csx-transportation-line-spinoffs-in-illinois-indiana | title=Watco to acquire first CSX Transportation line spinoffs in Illinois, Indiana | website=Trains Magazine | date=July 9, 2018 | accessdate=September 10, 2018 | archive-date=August 28, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828050547/http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2018/07/09-watco-to-acquire-first-csx-transportation-line-spinoffs-in-illinois-indiana | url-status=dead }}</ref> Following regulatory approval from the Surface Transportation Board,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.stb.gov/decisions/readingroom.nsf/9855c1fb354da09b85257f1f000b5f79/befd2a7364f38cf9852582ec0062c6b6?OpenDocument | title=DECATUR & EASTERN ILLINOIS RAILROAD, L.L.C. -- ACQUISITION EXEMPTION CONTAINING INTERCHANGE COMMITMENT -- CSX TRANSPORTATION, INC. | publisher=Surface Transportation Board | date=August 24, 2018 | accessdate=September 10, 2018 | archive-date=October 9, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009192056/https://www.stb.gov/decisions/readingroom.nsf/9855c1fb354da09b85257f1f000b5f79/befd2a7364f38cf9852582ec0062c6b6?OpenDocument | url-status=dead }}</ref> the DREI began operations on September 9.<ref name="trains2">{{cite web | url=http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2018/09/10-decatur--eastern-illinois-makes-debut | title=Decatur & Eastern Illinois makes debut | website=Trains Magazine | date=September 10, 2018 | accessdate=September 10, 2018 | archive-date=September 11, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911044720/http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2018/09/10-decatur--eastern-illinois-makes-debut | url-status=dead }}</ref> Commodities on this route are primarily chemicals, plastics, soybeans, and corn.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad|url=https://www.watco.com/service/rail/decatur_and_eastern_illinois/}}</ref>
The DREI operates three intersecting routes totaling {{convert|182|mi|km}}—the former Decatur Subdivision between Montezuma, Indiana, and Decatur, Illinois, the former Danville Subdivision between Terre Haute, Indiana, and Olivet, Illinois, and the former Eastern Illinois Railroad trackage from North Metcalf, Illinois, to Neoga, Illinois.<ref name=":0"/> It interchanges traffic with CSX, the Norfolk Southern Railway, the Canadian National Railway and the Union Pacific Railroad.<ref name="trains2"/> The railroad is headquartered in Decatur, Illinois.<Ref name="trains2"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.watco.com/service/rail/decatur_and_eastern_illinois/ Official website]
{{Watco|state=collapsed}} {{Illinois railroads|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Decatur Eastern Illinois Railroad}} Category:Illinois railroads Category:Standard-gauge railways in the United States Category:Watco