Train Movements 12-23-17 (CN and IAIS)

Each winter, the Upper Mississippi River, from about Keokuk, Iowa north, is closed to commercial navigation for about three months from the second week of December. As a result, a number of all-water movements shift to rail-barge and Peoria-Pekin area terminals experience a surge in volume. 

Whereas Grain Processing Corp. (Muscatine, Iowa) and Archer Daniels Midland Co. (Clinton, Iowa) ship gluten feed pellets and/or distillers dried grain supplement (DDGS, or "grain mash") down the Mississippi River from April thru November, they must ship these large volume, bulk commodities to an active barge loadout during December thru March. 

The Iowa Interstate Railroad (IAIS) benefits from this seasonal shift in transportation. Grain Processing Corp. and Archer Daniels Midland Co. typically route feed products via the Canadian Pacific Railway to the IAIS at Davenport, Iowa. From there, IAIS hauls this traffic to the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard for delivery to area river terminal, primarily ADM Grain Co's Peoria and Creve Coeur terminals, but also CHS at Pekin. The American Milling Co.-operated, Illinois & Midland RR-owned terminal at Crystal Lake, just southwest of Pekin, has received such shipments as well. 

Higher volume requires increased train movements. So Iowa Interstate trains SIPE and PESI, which run as needed between Silvis and Peoria, operate almost daily during the winter season. 

I caught yet another PESI this afternoon. Led by SD38-2s 150 and 153, it had 65 cars - seven loads and 58 empties. The latter were returning to ADM facilities in either Cedar Rapids or Clinton, Iowa. The former were grain alcohol loads, most likely bound for eastern points via Chicago interchange. 

One alcohol tank car stood out. The fourth car from the end was placarded (UN 1201) for "fusel oil," which is a poisonous liquid created from imperfect fermentation of alcohol. It has uses in the lacquer industry. This tank car was probably loaded at ADM's Peoria distillery. 

Scenes are in downtown Peoria, at San Koty and Mossville. 

Between the first and second scenes of the Iowa Interstate video, I captured Canadian National train L56491, more commonly known as the "Peoria Local," arriving the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard. CN 5797 & CN 8860 have freshly-painted PREX 7002 and 22 cars. 

Notable traffic includes four anhydrous ammonia tank cars, which are probably consigned to Gavilon's North Pekin terminal. 

- David P. Jordan