Norfolk Southern D49, Iowa Interstate PESI (w/Passenger Cars!) and Union Pacific MPECL 2-21-23

I had my second encounter this year with Norfolk Southern's D49 local. Both encounters were completely unexpected.

On Tuesdays, I normally take I-474 so I can check on Union Pacific's MPECL. Instead, I took I-74 into East Peoria and filled my tank at the Sunoco station on E. Camp Street because it was 22 cents cheaper than in Morton or Peoria. No sooner did I leave the gas station, I heard a horn...


CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway local D49 rolls along the TP&W's Peoria Sub in East Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Tuesday, February 21, 2023. Shown on their return trip to Good Yard in Normal, NS 3410 and NS 7014 have 23 cars.

I had hoped to see the Iowa Interstate haul those four ex-Amtrak (nee Santa Fe) hi-level cars out of town. I was aware that an IAIS crew delivered a potash train to TZPR early this afternoon, so I hoped for a departure well after 3:00. Turns out, PESI departure before 3:00, but a social media post alerted me to its location, and I calculated that I could catch up to it, and did at Mossville! 

Given the rarity of passenger equipment moves on this line, and despite the overcast conditions, I went all out, and shot the train at three locations, ending at a favorite spot north of Chillicothe. 


CAPTION: Iowa Interstate manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) rolls by Mossville, Rome and Chillicothe areas late-afternoon Tuesday, February 21, 2023. IAIS 507 and IAIS 719 have 56 cars, including four ex-Amtrak (nee Santa Fe) hi-level cars (PPCX 39914, 39926, 39938, and 39942) shipped from Gateway Rail Services at Madison, Illinois to Railroading Heritage of Midwest America's Silvis, Illinois shop via UP-Peoria-IAIS. 

Since I was so far up north, I figured my chances of seeing CN's L557 local (reported to be air-testing its outbound as I chased the IAIS train) were dim, so I opted for the Union Pacific's MPECL. I didn't know if it had already left Adams Street Yard, but my decision to exit southbound Rt. 6/I-474 onto eastbound I-74 paid off, as I saw it climbing Pioneer Hill from the overpass!


CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by Fox Road north of Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Tuesday, February 21, 2023. UP 2558 has 39 cars.

 - David P. Jordan

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