Union Pacific MPECL 9-19-17


Tuesday evening, I caught Union Pacific's MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) and glad I did. The ninth through twelfth cars were loaded covered hoppers carrying BNSF reporting marks. 

BNSF Railway is Union Pacific's primary competitor but the two interchange quite a bit of traffic. Peoria sees very little. Interchange between the two carriers (which takes place at the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard) is limited to an occasional scrap metal movement to or from Sterling, Illinois and New Mexico potash bound for Atherton Grain Co. at Normandy, which is near the north end of Union Pacific's Peoria Subdivision. 

The ten cars on Tuesday's train were among a reported 20 cars consigned to TZPR-served Mosaic Crop Nutrition LLC's barge dock and warehouse in the Pekin bottoms. Potash was shipped from Carlsbad, New Mexico. Apparently, these ten on Tuesday's MPECL were re-biilled for another customer, possibly Atherton Grain Co. in Normandy. 

I may have to investigate further the next day or two. 

- David P. Jordan

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