Gilman, IL - Super 8 Gilman
Address: 1301 S. Crescent St. Phone: 815-265-7000
Location/ Directions: From I-57, Exit 283, then East 2 blocks.
Average Price (Checked Oct 2011): $48.00 AAA Rated: YES Stars: **2**
About Hotel: 2-Floors, -Rooms, Interior Corridors, Free Continental Breakfast, Free High Speed Internet, Pets Allowed, Truck/Bus Parking, Guest Laundry, Olympic Size Spa, 24 Hour Desk, All Queen & King Beds, Alarm Clock Radios, Extended Cable w/Free HBO, Hairdryer, Iron / Board Available, Micro-fridge.
Railroad View: Excellent View! Get a room on the west side (front) of the motel for a railroad view. 2nd floor rooms will be best to keep you above the parking lot and traffic on the local road. A grade crossing across from the motel on US-24 will provide warning of passing trains as they blow their horns. Don't worry, the sound of the horns is not loud as other motels listed on this website, its possible to achieve a good nights sleep in this motel.
Railroads past Hotel: Canadian National (CNIC, former Illinois Central mainline) / Amtrak (about 6 trains daily). You can expect around 15-20 trains during a 24-hour period on the mainline. In the distance, you can view the CN line to Gibson City. This secondary line sees a couple of CN locals, plus CN coal & grain extras. Norfolk Southern also runs up to 3 trains per day on this line using trackage rights. During my short stay, I saw two Norfolk Southern trains use this line.
Photo Comment: Above: A southbound CN freight has a Metra F40 in tow. Morning sunlight from the motel rooms provide excellent lighting for photographs of passing trains. Above Left: Take with a zoom lens, a Norfolk Southern Auto-Rack & Auto-Parts train can be seen across a corn field on the Gibson City (IL) CN Line. There are not many trains on this secondary line. Left: CN 2457, a former LMS blue leasing engine is now part of CN's roster. With a zoom lens, its possible to shoot decent photographs of the passing trains. During my overnight visit, I saw several non-CN painted locomotives pass through, including a few BC Rail units, Grand Trunk, and a IC black engine. To the right side of this blue engine is the Gilman Amtrak station platform. The short platform is accompanied by a "bus-stop" style shelter, no train station building at this location. Its also a nice place to watch & photograph the trains in the afternoon sunlight.
Photo Comment: Above: Looking west from room # 203, a Auto-Rack train passes through Gilman. This photo captures most of the railroad view from this motel. Above Left: Amtrak's City of New Orleans flies through Gilman around 7:00am. The City of New Orleans is the only Superliner equipped trains on this line. The 4 other daily Amtrak trains on this line use Amfleet / Horizon single level cars. Most Amtrak trains through Gilman can be seen during daylight hours.
Left: A nighttime photo taken from room # 203 give you an idea of the amount of light during the night. Its easy to see passing trains during the night, folks that like to video passing trains from the motel should be satisfied. Gilman is a very small town, most of these businesses (including the motel) survive due to the exit off I-57 (US-24, Exit # 283), gas stations, restaurants, and a few motels and the Amtrak stop populate this short strip of US-24.
Walking Distance from Gilman, IL Amtrak Station.