I left for church early today so I could check out if Iowa Interstate train PESI was getting close to departure. I missed SIPE's arrive with three Norfolk Southern geeps, but found IAIS power with the PESI crew aboard running through the TZPR's East Peoria Yard.
They planned to pulled those three NS geeps across W. Washington Street then shove them along the Nickel Plate and leave them on the Creve Coeur Team Track. But they were instructed to wait for a TP&W local enroute back to East Peoria.
I got gas up in Creve Coeur and came back to find the TP&W train running on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Nickel Plate Division, and two IAIS and three NS geeps waiting at W. Washington Street. I parked with just a few minutes to spare before TPW 3440, HESR 3485 and TPW 5010 rolled by with 33 grain empties from ADM South Yard.
Moments after the TP&W local cleared, Iowa Interstate PESI's crew with IAIS 711 and 703 and three Norfolk Southern geeps (5317-5077-5174) moved across the street, waited for the signal then took the Nickel Plate to the other end of the yard, and ultimately the team track.You ask, "what's with those Norfolk Southern geeps on an Iowa Interstate train?"
Well, Norfolk Southern abandoned its own route into Des Moines in 1992 in favor of a haulage agreement with Burlington Northern between St. Louis/Hannibal and Des Moines. A decade or so ago, BNSF made service to Des Moines much less of a priority. So for some traffic, NS has employed the Iowa Interstate as haulage agent between Des Moines and Peoria. This includes locomotives assigned to work NS customers and interchanges in the Iowa capital.
By early afternoon, PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) is shown rolling by the old San Koty Station area a few miles out of Peoria. IAIS 711 and IAIS 703 have 59 cars. I hard the crew say "55 empties" so I figure four loads were scattered throughout the train. The NS coil steel load is the obvious one.
Black Band Distillery, presently operating at 1000 SW Adams Street, is planning to expand to the vacant property at 2400 SW Washington Street. That is according to WCBU News . Although the article omits it, this property has a long history with the local distilling industry. National Cooperage & Woodenware Co. constructed a plant there in 1900, though a predecessor apparently had begun barrel making operations there c. 1885. This firm survived Prohibition (1920-1933) because the barrels could also be used for packing corn syrup, condensed milk, cider, vinegar, liquid chemicals, flavoring extracts, etc. Hiram Walker & Sons, which purchased one-third to one-half of its production, gained control of National Cooperage in 1946. A new four-story expansion began in the fall of 1964 only to be destroyed by a tornado on September 14, 1965. Operations resumed at the start of 1966 and the entire plant was replaced in 1967-1968. Changing economics led to closure in 1972. Caterpillar Tra
I happened upon this train pulled out of the TP&W's East Peoria Yard onto the Peoria Sub. I quickly concluded it was a switch crew making up a transfer to TZPR, and was rewarded for waiting around. Radio chatter indicated nine loads and 50 empties. The first three cars contained zinc oxide for Union Pacific (via Tazewell & Peoria RR, rather than via direct interchange). Embedded in the consist were six covered hoppers likely containing phosphate fertilizer for Mosaic Crop Nutrition in the Pekin Bottoms. This is the second time I've seen empty tank cars with Incobrasa Industries markings. Normally, I'd expect loads moving westbound. Everything else is empties for TZPR-served industries and interchange to BNSF. CAPTION: A Toledo, Peoria & Western train, probably an EP-X (East Peoria Extra switcher), handles Tazewell & Peoria RR-bound traffic across E. Washington Street in East Peoria, Illinois midday Saturday, October 14, 2023. TPW 5010, TPW 2105 and HESR 34
Peoria Int'l Airport has been awarded $500,000 for assistance in regaining a link to a western connecting hub. The grant, announced Friday, is part of the Small Community Air Service Development program (SCASD). Funds are used to offset financial losses by the airline providing service. On many instances, funds aren't needed. The Airport Authority prefers Denver, Houston, Phoenix or Salt Lake City. Denver and Houston are hubs for United Airlines, Phoenix is a hub for American Airlines and Salt Lake City is a hub for Delta Airlines. It is difficult to imagine that American Airlines would offer Peoria-Phoenix nonstops when passengers can make good connections through Dallas/Ft. Worth. Houston was already tried and didn't work out due to load factors. I don't see Delta Airlines being interested in Peoria-Salt Lake City nonstops. Both American Airlines and United Airlines provided letters of support. So if Houston, Phoenix and Salt Lake City are out, then Denver is likel
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