Iowa Interstate Coal Train 10-29-17


Sunday afternoon, I was able to chase an Iowa Interstate coal train PECR (Peoria IL to Cedar Rapids IA) from Bridge Junction in Peoria to Mossville. 

The train, loaded at the Shay Mine near Carlinville, Illinois, arrived here on Norfolk Southern, and a trio of NS motors (#'s 2593, 7716 and 9961) led two Iowa Interstate units (#'s 153 and 514) with 93 loads. In Cedar Rapids, the Cedar Rapids & Iowa City Railway will deliver it to Archer Daniels Midland Co's co-generation plant. 

Scenes are at the old (1900) Rock Island depot, the new (1967) Rock Island depot, rolling through the Limit Yard (from the on-ramp off N. Adams Street to eastbound US 24) and at Sankoty (whole train). 

- David P. Jordan

Comments

  1. ShawnOctober 31, 2017 at 5:20 AM

    David,
    Does UP still server the Shay Mine from its branch that diverts off the Springfield Subdivision south of Girard? Has UP or C&NW ever owned or bid for the ADM contract? I would think the UP could move the train with fewer crews than NS+Iowa Interstate and would be great for the traffic thin Peoria Sub.
    Shawn Woessner

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. David P. JordanOctober 31, 2017 at 8:32 PM

      Union Pacific has access, but apparently hasn't served then-Monterey Mine loaded two 90-car coal trains for Duck Creek Station near Canton each week. I believe the mine closed in December 2007. Since it reopened as the Shay Mine, only Norfolk Southern has served it.

      I'm thinking that ADM prefers IAIS get a share of the Cedar Rapids coal business, thus the original CN-Peoria-IAIS(-Iowa City-CIC) and now the present NS-Peoria-IAIS routing. Union Pacific would probably charge higher rates anyway, even for single-line service (absorbing Crandic delivery charges at destination).

      Delete
  2. ShawnNovember 2, 2017 at 6:00 AM

    Who currently owns the Duck Creek Station and Edwards Station contracts? What is the frequency of delivery?
    Shawn

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. David P. JordanNovember 2, 2017 at 8:19 PM

      BNSF delivers up to two 135-car coal trains per week to Duck Creek, though probably only during peak cooling and heating cycles.

      Until the end of 2017, Union Pacific is delivering 135-car coal trains to Edwards Station, reportedly 3-4 per week. BNSF has snatched this business, and is expected to begin running trains on or shortly after January 1, 2018. TP&W has long had access to this plant, so it is expected to handle the final leg of the journey. Trains will be interchanged somewhere on TZPR trackage, either via a coordinated meet in Peoria or perhaps TZPR's two-track Pekin mainline.

      Delete

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