Reel pickup in Elwood

A port with no water

Elwood's inland port was built on part of the former Joliet Army Ammunition Plant. Freight arrives by rail, is sorted, and leaves by truck, and the buildings that do that work are among the largest in the metro. Large buildings take a lot of cable: lighting and power across hundreds of thousands of square feet, chargers, conveyors and data. Their reels are mostly 42 to 72-inch nailed wood.

New buildings go up in phases. The best time to call is when the electrical contractor starts packing up a phase, so the empties leave before the tenant moves in. Next step: send the building and the contractor's contact.

Elwood itself is a small village of homes and a few businesses beside the industrial land. Residents with a spool or two can ask as well; the truck passes nearby on corridor days.

Long drives, full trucks

Elwood is at the far end of the corridor day, so we plan it around full loads. A lot of 30 or more mid-size reels, or a fit-out's worth of large ones, makes the trip on its own. Smaller lots ride along when a larger Elwood or Joliet pickup is booked.

Rail property and port gates have their own rules. Stage reels outside any rail fence, at the building's truck court, and put the gate procedure in the work order.

Reels by the trailer for warehouses

Some Elwood buildings need reels as well as get rid of them: for rewinding leftover cable, for storing spare runs, for maintenance stock. We bring checked reels sized by flange and traverse, by the trailer if needed, and take the empties on the same trip.

Tell us the cable size and the length you need to store, and we suggest a reel size. The capacity calculator works out the numbers.

Pickup notes for Elwood

• Route 53 and Arsenal Road carry heavy truck traffic; allow a longer window.
• Reels must be staged outside rail property, at the building.
• Returnable maker reels from big pulls are listed for their maker's truck.

Before the truck comes

1. Count the reels by flange size, outside edge to outside edge.
2. Photograph the stack, plus one tag or stencil up close.
3. Stand each reel on edge and chock it; never stack them flat.
4. Leave an aisle wide enough for forklift tines, or a clear path to roll.
5. Keep maker-tagged returnables in their own row.

What the driver checks on each reel

Flanges

Boards whole and flat, not warped, split or cupped.

Staves

Lagging mostly intact on the drum, without rot or gaps.

Arbor hole

Round and solid, so a spindle or payoff bar fits.

Drive holes

Not torn out or elongated by a payoff stand.

Markings

Any maker's stencil, returnable tag or reel number.

Leftovers

Cable ends, staples and banding removed or noted.

The rest of the I-55 / I-80 day

Elwood shares a run with these stops:

• BolingbrookI-55 warehouse parks and the I-355 interchange
• RomeovilleWeber Road and Route 53, between I-55 and the Des Plaines River
• JolietI-80 and I-55 interchanges, the intermodal area and the river plants
• New LenoxI-80 and Route 30 (Lincoln Highway); Metra Rock Island line

Where Elwood reels go

• Buyback: one-way wooden reels with sound flanges and staves are paid for at the stop, priced by size and condition.
• Maker take-back: anything tagged or stencilled as returnable is listed for its owner's own collection.
• Recycling: split, rotted or warped reels are broken down, the wood recovered and the hardware separated.
• Resupply: checked reels go on to buyers who need them for rewinding, storage or projects.

Questions from Elwood

Do you serve the CenterPoint and BNSF area in Elwood?

Yes, at the warehouses and buildings around the rail yards. Reels need to be staged outside rail property.

Is a small lot worth the trip to Elwood?

It rides along with a larger Elwood or Joliet pickup. Send it in and we add it to the next corridor day with room.

Can you deliver reels to Elwood and pick up empties on one trip?

Yes. Tell us the sizes you need and the empties you have; both go on one trip.

Do port buildings need a certificate of insurance from the hauler?

Some do. Tell us the building's requirements in the request, and we confirm before booking whether we can meet them.