Peoria Station

I keep hoping to catch the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's old Kickapoo Job (Industry 2?) when it handles twin-bay covered hoppers assigned to Ozinga Cement Co. service. Although it appears slag or flyash is the product handled at the new Peoria facility, I have not confirmed whether this is inbound or outbound. Facilities for both appeared to have been installed. Seeing these cars on this train would help confirm.  CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad Industry Job rolls across BioUrja Renewables LLC's Riverside Track moments before crossing the Illinois River enroute from Kickapoo Yard in Peoria, Illinois to East Peoria mid-afternoon Wednesday, December 17, 2025. HESR 2107 has three cars.   - David P. Jordan

I had hopes that pe updates on social media this afternoon, Union Pacific's MPECL would depart later than usual, and that I'd be able to see it after work.   Turns out, it still left too early.   I wanted to check the signal at W. Farmington Road, but as I approved from the west, the gates lowered and flashers activated. Then I saw the Canadian National colors and the Komatsu truck chassis loads and immediately knew that BNSF's M-PEIGAL was approaching. Train is a day late, unless something has changed.  It is always a treat to see Komatsu and/or Caterpillar loads on any train leaving the city.  CAPTION: BNSF Railway train M-PEIGAL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Galesburg IL) rolls through Edwards, Illinois mid-afternoon Tuesday, December 16, 2025. Train is a day late unless changes have been made to this train's schedule. CN 2891 and CN 2523 have 15 cars. - David P. Jordan

After work, I decided to check East Peoria for any activity, i. e. Norfolk Southern train D49. No sign of Thoroughbreds, but I did see this TP&W transfer ready to pull out of the TZPR at W. Washington Street.    I left my camera on "auto" mode so video setting defaults to 1080p vs. 4k, so details are not as good, especially in late-afternoon sun. I believe the 12 TP&W covered hoppers on the head end were empty, and probably pulled from BioUrja Renewables LLC's South Yard (which crews and dispatchers still call "ADM South Yard") across the river.   The rest of the train include five tank cars, four with grain alcohol placards and loaded. A boxcar loaded with bagged salt, eight nitrogen tank cars and a methyl chloride tank car represent receipt from BNSF.   The CAIX covered hopper was empty. Next were five empty RISX covered hoppers, likely from CPKC-IMRR, last containing zinc oxide. The CKIX covered hopper was also empty. It is possible that all se...

I took a floating holiday today in hopes of chasing the Keokuk Junction Railway local west from Mapleton. I learned that the eatbound local ran on Thursday, so I assumed that an East Peoria turn would run on Friday. I never did find it, though I went as far as Cuba. Incidentally, two vehicles were at the Kolbe office. I did notice a hi-rail truck on the main near the Hollis Pass west switch. Perhaps Friday's East Peoria turn ran as far west as possible and the crew just left it somewhere west of Cuba? There is evidence of considerable crosstie replacement, as well as ballast and surfacing east of Canton. Perhaps track speeds have been raised on some sections? the stretch between Canton and Cuba, however, is still 10mph territory.    The day wasn't a dud. I returned to Peoria in time to capture a Tazewell & Peoria Railroad Industry Job crossing the river enroute to the North Limit Yard. Per radio chatter, the crew was going to switch BioUrja's alcohol tracks first. La...

I caught this at Ernest Street, just southwest of Washington, with sufficient lighting. Then I shot the power crossing the recently-painted bridge over Peoria Road in Washington.    Consist was mostly typical: 15 TP&W grain empties, 20 Incobrasa grain empties, five empty covered hoppers (one AEX-marked car suggests these are DDGS empties heading for The Andersons in Clymers, Indiana), two ethyl alcohol (UN 1170) and one beverage alcohol (UN 3065) loads, two boxcars containing bagged salt and 11 more empty covered hoppers (possibly DDGS empties for The Andersons as well).  CAPTION: The Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway ran this eastbound Manifest train, sometimes called "M-EPEF," or Manifest, E. Peoria IL to Effner IL), late-afternoon Saturday, December 6, 2025. The entire train is shown at Ernest Street, just southwest of Washington, Illinois, and later, a brief runby in town. IORY 3472 and HESR 2107 have 56 cars.   - David P. Jordan

The train was reported by Elmwood at 1340 hours, but a maintenance foreman apparently held up the train's movement on Tazewell & Peoria Railroad property. CAPTION: BNSF Railway train M-GALPEI (Manifest, Galesburg IL to Peoria IL) has just entered the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad in Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Friday, December 5, 2025. Train is heading for the river and East Peoria to interchange with TZPR and flip back as M-PEIGAL. BNSF 4253 and BNSF 9174 have 28 cars. - David. P. Jordan