Peoria Station

After work, I learned that Norfolk Southern's D49 local had already left East Peoria. I decided to go after it, catching just before Carlock. I knew I could not set up in time there, but exited I-74 (due to construction) onto US 150 (waiting on the train in town) and just barely beating it to Yuton, where it had slowed before pausing for the conductor to line the switch into the "make up" track and into Good Yard's Track 5.    This was a good one. Three Caterpillar tractor loads (one D10 and two D11s), four coiled wire rod loads, a plastic load (from IMRR), an alcohol load and the usual ADM traffic from the Iowa Interstate. Two empty coil steel cars from IAIS, and a scrap metal empty. Two probable steel billet empties (also from IAIS), brought up the rear. CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway Train D49 (Normal IL to E. Peoria IL Turn) is shown slowing at Yuton, Illinois as it approaches its home terminal, Good Yard, in Normal late-afternoon Wednesday, April 22, 2026...

After work, I headed into town on I-474 and exited on SW Adams Street for the chance that Union Pacific's MPECL was late, as it is on occasion. Unfortunately, Adams Street Yard was empty. So I crossed the river to check out the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard. While in the vicinity, I heard radio chatter about a TZPR 2133 seeking permission from Iowa Junction to East Peoria. I retraced my earlier journey on I-474 (construction on the Cedar Street Bridge would have delayed me too long), and found a train moving toward the bridge. Although a TZPR unit was on the point, all cars made it obvious that this was a TP&W train.  CAPTION: A Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway local, EP1, is heading toward the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Illinois River Bridge at Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Tuesday, April 21, 2026. TZPR 2133 has 20 cars (most if not all are from Mapleton).   While heading for Peoria the second time, I noticed the tail end of Canadian...

I finally got the loaded CN-bound soybean train this afternoon! Boy were those units growling going through Chillicothe!  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad train ZENOE (Zeh Noh Grain, Eastbound) rolls by the former Rock Island depot at Chillicothe, Illinois late-afternoon Saturday, April 18, 2026. Later, the whole train is shown at E. Knox Street in Rome. IAIS 503 and IAIS 153 have 109 soybean loads for Canadian National on TZPR's Pekin double track main.   I caught TP&W's westbound road freight at Gridley Saturday evening. I'm glad I did. There was one empty OZIX twin-bay covered hopper and a lumber load (for Morton Buildings' East Peoria Transload?) that must have come off CSX.  CAPTION: A Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway westbound freight, sometimes known as "M-EFEP" (Manifest, Effner IL to E. Peoria IL), pulls six grain loads from the Ruff Brothers Grain elevator on the east side of Gridley, Illinois early evening Saturday, April 18, 2026. S...

While in the area, I noticed BNSF's M-GALPEI moving on the south end of the TZPR yard. Later, it was coupled to an outbound. It eventually departed, but as thunderstorms entered the area. Amazingly, the train showed up at W. Farmington Road during a lull in showers... CAPTION: BNSF Railway M-PEIGAL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Galesburg IL) rolls by W. Farmington Road a few miles after leaving Peoria, Illinois early-evening Friday, April 17, 2026. BNSF 4462 and NS 9901 have 45 cars.   - David P. Jordan

I had a heads up that Canadian National's L557 local was about to, or already had. left East Peoria, and decided to take Rt. 98 and then a left on Rt. 29. This was a good decision because the train had entered Pekin just ahead of me.  CAPTION: Canadian National Railway train L557 (Local, E. Peoria IL to Decatur IL) rolls enters home rails at IC Junction in downtown Pekin, Illinois late-afternoon Thursday, April 16, 2026. Steel coil and lumber loads, for Hanna Steel and Amerhart, respectively were "turned" at the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard rather than being set out at Pekin (perhaps L556's crew was short on time?). CN 3192 has 37 cars.   I normally don't post UP Joliet/Springfield Sub action here, but something stood out with a possible local connection.    There were nine RISX covered hoppers on today's MBNAS (in groups of six and three). All empties. Those markings are familiar to me because similar RISX-marked cars are assig...

On April 15, 1926, Robertson Aircraft Corporation inaugurated CAM-2, or Contract Air Mail route No. 2, between St. Louis and Chicago with stops at Springfield and Peoria. Charles A. Lindbergh and Philip R. Love each piloted a De Havilland DH-4 biplane, starting out at St. Louis.  The Peoria stop used Alexander Varney's field at Kellar. A marker (see above) is near the location where Lindbergh landed his DH-4 on the first day of service.  - David P. Jordan