Peoria Station

American Airlines' announcement today that it is adding 100 new daily departures from Chicago-O'Hare by spring prompted a look at schedules. Sure enough, Bloomington-Normal's Central Illinois Regional Airport (CIRA) gets its third daily roundtrip (lost when larger regional jets were deployed in April 2025) restored on February 12, 2026. Presently, two roundtrips are operated by 65-seat Embraer 170s. A schedule shuffle involving an earlier morning departure and a new late-morning turnaround, the latter on 76-seat Embraer 175 equipment. The additional frequency will soon increase CIRA's daily departures to between eight and ten, depending on the day of the week. American Eagle will have three to Chicago-O'Hare and two to Dallas/Ft. Worth, and Delta Connection will have three to Atlanta. Allegiant Air will be offering nonstops to Destin/Ft. Walton Beach, Orlando-Sanford, Phoenix-Mesa, St. Petersburg/Clearwater, mostly twice-weekly. - David P. Jordan

WMBD-TV Channel 31 ran this story the day after Christmas , with airport director Gene Olson suggesting trends would give Peoria International Airport a record passenger tally in December.  This December might set a record for the busiest month since the COVID-19 pandemic decimated travel. Normally, Peoria sees its highest travel months over the summer, Olson said. So with passenger volume running 20 percent higher this year than in 2024, December numbers might well exceed 80,000 and beat July 2025's all time record of 80,836 passengers? If that happens, the year-end tally will be at least 822,561!  - David P. Jordan

I figured that Friday would be busy, and I was correct.    On Wednesday, a BNSF coal train was sitting on the mainline near Darst Street. The TZPR bridge was in the raised position so it seems the whole railroad was shut down for both Wednesday (Christmas Eve) and Thursday (Christmas Day). A second BNSF coal train was reported at Galesburg. I noticed on Christmas Day that Union Pacific's MPECL was parked on the Low Line by Adams Street Yard, and it probably arrived early, like Wednesday evening.    I missed some action due to work (BNSF's M-GALPEI) and darkness (BNSF's M-PEIGAL, and the departing KJRY local). I did not bother with a short (four cars) Norfolk Southern D49 leaving East Peoria because I was waiting for the TP&W train described below.    This one was waiting on the east leg of the wye, a bit unusual for a TP&W train. Apparently, this job must have pulled rather than backed out of the South Yard and connection and then onto the TZ...

I happened across this one in East Peoria while heading back home. When I saw the headlight some distance out of the TP&W yard onto the Peoria Sub, I exited I-74 onto E. Washington Street and checked the dwarf signal at W. Washington Street. Sure enough, it was yellow so I waited.  When I left, the train was stopped on the Nickel Plate, presumably waiting for the bridge to come down. Street lamps are excellent at this spot!   This evening's run had 25 Incobrasa and 15 TP&W cars. The former were probably loaded at Inco Grain Ltd. in Goodland, Indiana. I can only guess the latter's origin but I believe Wheatfield Grain at Crescent City and Ludlow Cooperative Grain Elevator at La Hogue can load 15 cars at a time. The Ruff Brothers elevators at Gridley probably can do so combined.  CAPTION: A Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway East Peoria Switcher rolls along the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad at West Washington Street in East Peoria, Illinois early evening Sat...

Peoria International Airport handled 741,724 passengers through November of this year, breaking the 2019 all-time record of 689,416 with one month still to go.   An article posted online today by WEEK TV-25 notes that PIA has broken passenger records for 14 of the last 16 months.  This post will be expanded and updated later this evening.  UPDATE In November 2025, PIA handled 62,474 passengers, which was the 14th record for the past 16 months. December's tally need only be 58,276 to reach the 800,000 mark for the first time. So this year, not only did it break 700,000 for the first time, there is the possibilty that it will also break 800,000!  If it does not reach 800,000 for the full year, it will be very close, and this means that passenger traffic will be up some 14 percent over 2024.  Passenger traffic will continue to grow in 2026, but not at the pace seen in 2025. Why? Because PIA's 2025 gains aren't likely to be matched in 2025. United Express increased...

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