Canadian National L556 at Pekin, IL - 12-29-22

I got a heads up that the northbound Canadian National local went through Delavan this morning around 8:00. Normally, northbound locals (L556) run on Mondays and Wednesdays, so the holiday has them behind one day.

Anyway, I wondered if they may might try to get back on schedule and run the southbound this afternoon. Turns out, the local had to tie up short of Hanna Drive at Pekin due to a water main break somewhere on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad! (Today's high temp reached 63F, so melting snow and soft ground following last week's bitter cold will do that!)

At first, I thought it was a loaded feed pellet train for BNSF, but when I heard the TZPR dispatcher give the CN train permission from IC Junction (Pekin) to Wesley 8, I realized it was the local. The train was mostly covered hoppers, which made it appear to be a unit train from the angle I saw it. 

I shot the train at two locations. The crew asked the TZPR dispatcher if they had any outbound cars, but I couldn't pick up the answer. 

CAPTION: Canadian National Railway train L556 (Local, Decatur IL to E. Peoria IL) rolls by Derby Street as it nears Tazewell & Peoria Railroad (TZPR) territory at IC Junction in Pekin, Illinois on an unseasonably warm late-afternoon Thursday, December 29, 2022. Shortly, it is shown leaving Pekin on TZPR's double track. CN 8953 and CN 2656 have 50 cars. CNIS 412091, an Autonomous Track Inspection Program boxcar, is fifth in the consist. Since Christmas fell on a Sunday this year, Monday was the recognized holiday for many, so CN's normal schedule is a day behind. This train, however, ran early this morning, but was held short of Pekin due to a water main break on the TZPR!

- David P. Jordan