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BNSF 13814 in 1995; Coal MTs at Same Spot 30 Years Later! 10-18-25

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CAPTION: Burlington Northern's westbound local, 13814, is shown shortly after leaving Peoria, Illinois on Wednesday morning,  October 18, 1995. Three unidentified geeps have 78 cars. Burlington Northern and Norfolk Southern shifted most carload interchange from Chicago to Peoria that month, swelling consists on existing trains. After creating a slideshow/narration video of Burlington Northern local 13814 from October 18, 1995, I got to thinking...what if I could catch a BNSF train in the same spot moving in the same direction on the 30th anniversary? I would have preferred M-PEIGAL (a possible scenario given some recent Saturday runs), but had to settle for an empty Kincaid coal train to recreate my encounter with 13814 exactly 30 years ago today!  CAPTION: BNSF Railway ran this train of coal empties out of Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Saturday, October 18, 2025. The train, originating at the Kincaid Generating Station near Pawnee, Illinois on the Illinois & Midland RR...
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Iowa Interstate PESI 10-17-25

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I left work this afternoon knowing an Iowa Interstate was leaving town, so I decided to give chase, finally catching up to it at Sparland. I'm glad I did as I was able to document the contents of the six gondolas bringing up the rear.    I shot overhead video from the wood road bridge at Putnam. The gondolas contain iron oxide shipped from Waelz Sustainable Products' Clymers, Indiana facility. I can't think of a destination for this product on the Iowa Interstate so they are likely going to CPKC at Davenport. Thus, IAIS is acting as a bridge line between the TP&W and CPKC! CAPTION: Iowa Interstate manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) rolls between Sparland and Henry late-afternoon Friday, October 17, 2025. Later, it is shown from the wooden road bridge at Putnam. Power runbys at Rt. 26 and entering the mainline at Bureau Junction minutes later conclude the chase. IAIS 151 has 77 cars. - David P. Jordan
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TP&W Kolbe Local (EP1) 10-16-25

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It seems that the Kolbe Local (EP1) ran through to East Peoria this afternoon. Can't confirm 100%. Normally, it makes a Collier turn and swaps traffic with EP2. Earlier, I noticed three tank cars on the south end of the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard, at the Creve Coeur end, actually.    That this local left 17 cars from Mapleton industries at the TZPR yard instead of taking them first to the TP&W yard demonstrates efficient operation when two shortlines are under common control.  CAPTION: A Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway local, probably EP1 out of Kolbe (Mapleton), Illinois, bangs the BioUrja Renewables LLC Riverside Track in Peoria, moments before entering the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Illinois River Bridge late-afternoon Thursday, October 16, 2025. TPW 2056 has 19 cars. After setting out 17 at the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad, and grabbing three more, the five-car train rolls by N. Main Street in East Peoria. - David P. Jor...
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Norfolk Southern D49 10-13-25

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The downtown library was closed for an employee meeting but I decided to check on Norfolk Southern's D49 train. I had no heads up, but sure enough, I got off I-74 onto E. Washington Street and then left on Camp Street. As I approached the N. Main Street intersection, D49 rounded through the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Farm Creek bridge. I made a right, backtracked on I-74 to E. Washington Street and took a back to the Farmdale Trestle and waited.   I had plenty of time.    I found out why. The two locomotives had a healthy 65 cars behind them. The first 15 are from the KJRY - corn syrup/sorbitol and probably organic grain in the CGRX-marked covered hoppers. Maybe six of seven ADMX/leased covered hoppers were loaded. Two NS covered hoppers were empty. The ROLX and ADYX tank cars likely contain steepwater. The next 17 cars were empty NS-marked gondolas, which I've seen pulled by the Tazewell & Peoria RR from Kickapoo Yard to East Peoria, but not that many at on...
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Union Pacific Grain Extra 10-11-25

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I was at the downtown library when I learned of this train's southbound movement. I decided to head to Mendenhall Road south of Bartonville. Sure enough, the train was already approaching when I arrived. It must have been just seconds behind me when I passed under the mainline at Bartonville.  CAPTION: A southbound Union Pacific grain extra, probably from Sterling, rolls by Mendenhall Road near Sommer (Bartonville), Illinois late-afternoon Saturday, October 11, 2025. UP 7410 and UP 6860 were on the point of the 115-car train. UP 6804 was DPU. - David P. Jordan
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Union Pacific MPECL, TP&W Grain, Norfolk Southern D49 10-10-25

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I took a half-day off work and decided to check on Union Pacific's MPECL. It left Adams Street Yard around 1230. Due early poor afternoon lightning at the old Molitor Junction (MP 80) and W. Farmington Road, I opted for video at Pottstown.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) has entered the double track as it rolls by Pottstown, Illinois early afternoon Friday, October 10, 2025. UP 5875 and UP 7225 have 25 cars.   Volume might be up with the fall harvest, but it has been years since I've seen any carrier deliver this many carloads of corn to the present BioUrja Renewables LLC/former ADM distillery in Peoria.   When rail-to-barge grain export operations commenced in 1981, the Chicago & North Western and Toledo, Peoria & Western were granted access to ADM's Riverside Track (ex-Rock Island Belt Line) via Iowa Junction. Both carriers seemed to deliver loads, pull empties or both on most days.   TP&W grain volume de...
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Canadian National L557 10-9-25

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Thanks to social media, I was able to intercept Canadian National's L557 local this afternoon.    Before I left work, I knew the crew had run their locomotives into the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard. If I wanted to see it, I needed to get to Pekin fast. So I took Rt. 98 out of Morton, then cut through Groveland to Sheridan Road, took a left onto Veterans Road and made my way through Pekin's south side to find L557 just entering home rails at IC Junction. I simply turned left onto Washington Street, rolled down my window and started shooting.    It appears that when the 45-car train left East Peoria this afternoon, only the two loaded alcohol tank cars were from local industry; the other 43 cars were ADM traffic - probably from the Iowa Interstate - including five loaded corn syrup tank cars! CAPTION: Canadian National Railway train L557 (Local, E. Peoria IL to Decatur IL) is shown at Washington Street in Pekin, Illinois mid-afternoon Thursd...
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