TZPR Pekin Local, CN L556/L557? 6-17-22

Early this evening, after leaving the downtown library, I heard some chatter about "IC Junction," so I had to investigate. 

Honestly, I hoped for another detour - maybe a TZPR-crewed PESI for the Iowa Interstate. That would enable me to get it rolling through downtown Pekin and if it "turned" at Powerton Yard in time, at the Rt. 9 crossing across the river on the Union Pacific. 

I first checked Powerton Yard and found no activity. Could the train be leaving East Peoria? Turns out there were two trains, but neither were detours. 

I was in downtown Pekin when I heard the crew on IMRR 2108 ask the St. Albans dispatcher for permission from the Ice House to Wesley 8. I turned left onto Rt. 9 to have a look, and found it just coming out of the Pekin yards approaching through the riverfront area. I turned around on S. Cargill Road, headed back into Pekin and set up in the cemetary off Rt. 29. Normally, I prefer to have the sun to my back, but this was a good location. 



The consist was made up of 13 grain empties, three feed (gluten feed or DDGS/mash), one [likely] steepwater, two alcohol and three carbon dioxide gas loads. Definitely TZPR traffic, though why IMRR 2108 is on the point isn't clear, other than something to do with equipment assignments now that the railroad is having to detour via the UP bridge. (IMRR, TZPR and TP&W have a power-sharing agreement, so this isn't anything unusual.)

On a related note, I called this the "Pekin Local," but it may be an Industry Job, like "Industry 1." I'm not really sure. 

I followed the TZPR train, intending to capture it in better sunlight along Wesley Road. That is when I ran into a southbound CN local at Grove! 

IC 1039 and CN 2338 have 47 cars. After capturing and panning the power by the cemetary, the whole train is shown at IC Junction in downtown Pekin.



L557 normally runs Tuesdays and Thursdays, not Friday. So I am assuming there was no crew for Thursday's train and L556, which makes a Decatur-Pekin turn on Fridays, was doing the honors this evening. 

- David P. Jordan

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