Railfan Motels

El Paso, IL - Super 8 El Paso 

Address:    25 Linco Dr.                         Phone: 309-527-4949

Location/ Directions:  I-39 and Hwy 24 Exit 14, turn left, motel on the left.

Average Price (Checked Oct 2011):   $63.00                                   AAA Rated: NO      Stars: (n/a)

About Hotel: 3-Floors, 51-Rooms, Interior Corridors, Business Center, Free Continental Breakfast, Free High Speed Internet, Pets Allowed, Truck/Bus Parking, Elevator, Free Local Phone Calls, Guest Laundry, Family Suite w/3 Queen Beds, Hairdryers, Pets Allowed with Permission, Premium Cable TV with HBO.

Railroad View: Excellent View!  Railroad directly across the street.  Upper floor rooms are best to keep above the parking lot and a few trees in front of the east half of the motel.  Windows open all the way protected with a screen.  Trains blow their horn about a half mile both east & west of the motel which may give you a heads up of an approaching train without waking you up.  You can see trains at night, however its not bright enough to read locomotive numbers.

Railroads past Hotel:    TP&W Railroad (a RailAmerica property).  This is not a busy railroad.  Expect no more then 4 trains during a 24-hour period.  During my 14-hour stay, only one train passed.  At 8:19pm, I heard a train horn to the west of the motel, I was able to run down the stairs, walk outside and catch the only TP&W freight train pass the motel during my visit. 

Railroad Radio Frequency:  161.400 TP&W Road.

Notes:   Motel doesn't have microwaves or refrigerators in rooms.  Nearby food can be found at: Hardee's, McDonald's, Dairy Queen, Casey's General Store, and IGA Supermarket - all a short drive down the road.  

Comments: 

Photo Comment:  Since the only train I saw during my stay was after dark, the best I can provide is a train-less photo.  The railroad is located right across the highway (US-24), a clear view from my room (# 202).  As you can tell the weather was perfect this morning, lighting would have been perfect to photograph a passing train.  Trains move around 25-40 mph, they are easy to chase on US-24 without the need to speed.  Highway US-24 more or less follows the TP&W Railroad across Illinois and the eastern half of Indiana, US-24 is a great alternative for crossing the state without the use of a Interstate.

Motel Floor Diagram:  The floor plan of the second floor illustrates in detail which rooms are best for train watching.  Best Rooms are: 202, 203, 204.  Rooms on the front marked "Fair View" have some trees fouling some of the view.  Rooms in the back of the motel marked "Fair Distant View"  have a clear view across the motel parking lot of the railroad.

 Reviewed June 2013 - RailfanMotels.com