Peoria Station

I went back into town in time to catch PESI! IAIS 502 and IAIS 153 have NS 5317 (Norfolk Southern Des Moines Switcher power) and 40 cars. Train had three loads (denatured alcohol mid-train, and 37 empties (last contained grain mash and soybean oil). PESI is shown crossing the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Illinois River Bridge, rolling through the West Yard, passing the old (1900) and new (1967) Rock Island depots downtown, negotiating The Narrows and rolling at mainline speed through the San Koty area, a few miles after entering home rails.  - David P. Jordan

Late this morning, I caught SIPE in The Narrows in Peoria, Illinois.  This was too late to capture the train on video at mainline speed, but I think I did well with it at Alexander Avenue. The first three scenes show power running by Alexander Avenue, Main Street and Bridge Junction. A fourth shows the entire train at Alexander Avenue. All are on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad.  IAIS 502 and IAIS 153 have 62 cars. The first 16 are potash loads, probably for TP&W. The ADM covered hopper could have been a mash car, but being by itself, it could also have contain another product (corn screenings, gluten meal, corn germ, etc.). Next we have 17 loaded tank cars with no haz-mat placards. Many had Cargill (CRGX) markings, so I deduct that these were consigned to Cargill Oil Storage c/o Gavilon in Creve Coeur. Finally, we have five alcohol empties and 23 ADM loads (most or all mash). - David P. Jordan

Traversing the route of the Peoria Rocket, an Iowa Interstate Business Car Special to South Amana, Iowa began its journey in downtown Peoria on August 18, 2021  Another study, different route. The Illinois Department of Transportation is studying rail passenger service between Peoria and Chicago. On Tuesday, it revealed that the former Rock Island Rocket route was being considered.  Compared to the previous feasibility study on rail passenger service to Peoria, this one gets two things correct: (1) single-train service between Peoria and Chicago and (2) a route that serves more population that is presently lacking such service. But all else is a nostalgic dream at best and costly boondoggle at worst.  HISTORY The Rock Island's Peoria & Bureau Valley, which became the city's first operational railroad on November 7, 1854, inaugurated twice-daily, diesel, streamlined Peoria Rocket  service on September 19, 1937. A General Motors-built  Jet Rocket  tr...

Union Pacific's Peoria Wayfreight (LPD01) crew apparently brought MCLPE into town last evening, so they had a full day classifying and interchanging with KJRY, TP&W and TZPR today. Unfortunately, a tank car was found to be leaking, which delayed an already late routine. See this WMBD TV-31 link for details. I just missed UP 5394 at Wesley shoving its TZPR delivery into the East Peoria Yard but waited for it to cross the river with 17 cars for Adams Street Yard. - David P. Jordan

I happened upon this late Sunday morning. A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad Lead Job drills a cut of cars at East Peoria. TZPR 1351 has an unknown number of cars. Video shows it pulling a cut across West Washington Street then shoving back into the yard a few minutes later.  - David P. Jordan

I knew Iowa Interstate was running SIPE overnight with a pair of SD38-2s, so I woke up Saturday morning with plans to catch PESI. The TZPR's East Peoria Yard was emptier than usual and there was no PESI-like train on the lead toward the bridge. Did I miss PESI? It was when I passed a traffic backup by the RiverPlex entrance that I realized I had just missed the train. I quickly caught up to begin my chase to Tiskilwa! A pair of SD38-2s - 153 and 152 - led 99 cars (14 loads/85 empties) Scenes are at Peoria (Detweiller Park), Rome (3rd Street), the Marshall Wildlife Viewing Area near Sparland, just south of Henry, at Bureau Junction and near Tiskilwa on the east-west mainline.  Today's PESI had six scrap metal and eight alcohol loads (five beverage, two fuel-grade and one industrial). The scrap metal is probably going to Gerdau AmeriSteel at Wilton, Iowa though SSAB North America at Montpelier, Iowa on Canadian Pacific is a possibility.  The usual grain mash empties were joined ...

Two local movements this afternoon: one I didn't expect, and one I was trying to catch. As the Union Pacific train left Adams Street Yard, I caught the Keokuk Junction Railway's East Peoria Turn crossng S. Darst Street in Peoria heading toward the river. CEFX 2022-2014 have nine cars. Today's train lacked the usual corn germ loads for Norfolk Southern. Only eight corn syrup loads and a scrap metal empty made up today's train after setting out Union Pacific (and TP&W?) interchange at Collier Yard in Bartonville.  After the KJRY got by me, I had to catch up to the Union Pacific train. My W. Farmington Road spot always serves me well. UP 5394 has 35 cars, mostly empties. I actually forgot my camera, so I had to use my phone for these videos.  - David P. Jordan

It seems to me that the Illinois & Midland and Tazewell & Peoria RR's alternate every six months on transfer work between East Peoria and Powerton. The IMRR does this the first part of the year, then TZPR takes over. Both carriers may run transfers simultaneously depending on traffic volume and crew availability. An Illinois & Midland Railroad local, on the return leg of an East Peoria transfer run, is shown at Hilliards and Pekin, Illinois along the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's double track main, and again in downtown Pekin. IMRR 2084 has 16 cars, including grain mash and dry sorbent loads. A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad crew pulls a unit potash train along the Kickapoo Main between Liberty Steel & Wire Co. buildings in Bartonville, Illinois early afternoon Sunday, January 16, 2022. TZPR 1521, IMRR 1550 and TZPR 1352 have 104 potash loads. The Iowa Interstate Railroad delivered this train to the TZPR by mid-day Saturday, and it is consigned to Mosaic Crop...

I woke up this morning at 0900 to find a Facebook post telling me that Iowa Interstate unit potash train DAVPE (Davenport IA to Peoria IL) had passed Mossville, Illinois at 0855 hours. I figured I could make intercept the train before it slowed to 10mph as it neared Peoria, and I did. It didn't hurt that it stopped near Detweiller Park, several miles south of Mossville. This enabled me to capture the train at one of my favorite spots - a side road near Quality Metal Products in the old San Koty station area.  Video shows it rolling by the San Koty (Peoria Heights), Illinois area late morning Saturday, January 15, 2022. IAIS 508-718-152 have 104 cars for interchange to the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad The crew was expected to return to Silvis engine lite as there is no PEDAV or PESI to take with them. - David P. Jordan

I caught Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) leaving Adams Street Yard at the usual 1600 hours Tuesday afternoon. Video shows it rolling by W. Farmington Road about 1617 hours.  Lone UP 5394 had 30 cars. Cars included dry sorbent and tallow empties, and alcohol and grain mash loads.  - David P. Jordan

I checked Hilliards this morning, and no power was on the point of a wind turbine blade train BNSF brought into town this morning. I checked again almost exactly four hours later, and the train began to move as soon as a northbound Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local from Pekin went by. Due to lighting, I waited until downtown Pekin to shoot any video. Despite being on the wrong side light, I also shot a power runby as it passed Alto Pekin LLC's wet corn mill. Then I shot the whole train at Fuelberth Road (just out of Powerton). IMRR 2084 and TPW 2056 were on the point. Train is enroute to Havana.  - David P. Jordan

Compared to the ten-car train from Tuesday this week, I had hoped today's Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) would have more "normal" consist/traffic levels, and I wasn't disappointed. Despite the freezing weather and the train's later departure (1633 hours vs. the usual 1600 hours), it was worth going out to see. With overcast and rapidly fading light, I decided it best to capture a roll by at the old Molitor Junction area. Per radio chatter, the crew was to check on a red signal at Pottstown where a signal man had been called. My last glimpse of the train indicated that it had stopped short of the double track there. UP 5394 has 29 cars, including seven boxcars. These were among a dozen cars from the Keokuk Junction Railway. All the boxcars are likely loaded with locomotive wheels.  Tank cars CIMX 2062 and CIMX 2115 are in the consist, probably corn syrup empties from PMP Fermentation Products. These belong to Chimico Rail Logist...

It is hard to believe that more than 20 years have passed since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. My generation will always remember that day, which will live in infamy just as December 7, 1941 did to an earlier generation.  The world of commercial aviation was much different prior to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon and Flight 93. At PIA, before 9-11, you didn't have to be a ticketed passenger to go through security for a closer look at commercial airliners parked at their terminal gate. I took advantage of that freedom many times. So I will remember what was best about 2001 as I continue Peoria's commercial aviation history.  Despite the terror of late summer, the year 2001 was much improved over 2000. Let's review events by airline. AMERICAN EAGLE (American Eagle Airlines Inc.) American Airlines' regional partner offered five weekday roundtrips between Peoria and Chicago-O'Hare, all on 50-seat Embraer 145s. This was a good offerin...

Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls across W. Farmington Road late afternoon Tuesday, January 4, 2022. UP 6569 had just ten cars, reflecting slow business after the recent holiday weekend. - David P. Jordan

Two hours, 24 minutes in length - It literally took all day, New Year's Eve, to merge the video files, save the video and then upload to YouTube. The audio is a little inconsistent for the first hour, and I'm sure I'll need to clarify some information in the comments, but... Peoria, Illinois and its suburbs boast nine common carrier railroads, heavy industry and an exciting variety of facilities and operations sure to please visitors. But some train operations are unpredictable, and the rail lines confusing for those unfamiliar with the territory. Hopefully, maps, scenes and narration will help you navigate this exciting and historical railroad town! Excerpts of videos already posted on my channel, mostly in 2021, are used to describe the current railscene.   - David P. Jordan