Savoy, Illinois
Best Western Paradise Inn
709 N. Dunlap Ave
Savoy, IL 61874
217-356-1824
Located on US-45, one town south of Champaign, IL is this Best Western located across the highway from the CN-IC (Illinois Central Mainline). A handful of Amtrak train's also run through here. Train's come past fast, with little notice. Keeping the window open a crack, and the A/C off is your best bet to ready yourself if your interested in taking a picture or video of a passing train. There is a grade crossing down the road, but its still hard to hear the horns, especially with traffic on US-45. I was able to get some pictures with the help of the radio scanner, which gave me advanced warning by the crews talking to the train dispatcher. There is also a hotbox detector nearby. The motel is very nice, its an older 2-story, outdoor corridor property, but kept in tip-top shape. I was very impressed with the condition of the motel, and the room was fresh and clean. A room on the second floor will give you a better view, as cars are parked in the motel parking lot. Traffic on US-45 has been getting busier in the last few years, as a new Wal-Mart has just opened south of the motel on US-45.
The motel is a short drive away from the Monticello Railway Museum, in Monticello, IL (about 20-minutes to the west).
Submitted by Charles Holzer 6.9.09