Union Pacific MPECL 3-8-22

Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) left a little early this afternoon. 

I heard the crew talking to the dispatcher about 3:45 or but I was on Wesley Road near the TZPR yard. I crossed the river on the Cedar Street Bridge and found some cars left in Adams Street Yard, but not train. I used Interstate 474/Rt. 6 to get to the top of Pioneer Hill ahead of MPECL. I went by around 4:30. 

Today's train had 31 empty CBFX twin-bay covered hoppers, probably coming out of storage though which connecting carrier I can't say. More interesting perhaps were the two TP&W cyclindrical covered hoppers and ten potash empties on the rear. 

TPW 604790 and TPW 605750 were loaded. Either Growmark is sending dry fertiilzer (urea?) from its Mapleton Terminal to UP destinations or perhaps organic grain shipped from Forrest is moving to a UP destination. 

I matched the numbers on the potash empties and they are the same ones on that eastbound TP&W M-train which ran February 21 (KSPX 5185, MULX 200935, MULX 200946, MULX 200938, MULX 200951, KSPX 5011, KSPX 5136, KSPX 5107, KSPX 5196, KSPX 5143). The CPRS-UP interchange protocol shows Chicago is the rate division point for interline movements between Saskatchewan and Illinois. 

Lone UP 6030 has 76 cars. A second part of this video shows MPECL racing along a loaded coal train temporarily stored in Edelstein Siding.

- David P. Jordan