TZPR Industry Job, IMRR Local, Union Pacific MPECL - 3-14-23

Enroute to check Adams Street Yard afternoon work this afternoon, I noticed a healthy string of wire rod loads of out Liberty Steel & Wire sitting in the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Kickapoo Yard, but with no power. 

As there was no sign the Union Pacific MPECL crew was aboard (it would be shortly), I did a little exploring, coming across TZPR 1351 pulling three tank cars through BioUrja Renewables LLC's South Yard. 

I assume they came around the Bridge Junction connection because TZPR 1351 pulled up to S. Darst Street and then shoved onto the industry lead and into Interstate Asphalt Corp's Peoria River Terminal. 


CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad Industry Job shoves along BioUrja Renewables LLC's Riverside Track into Interstate Asphalt Corp's Peoria River Terminal in Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Tuesday, March 14, 2023. TZPR 1351 has three tank cars.

 My attention on the TZPR job, I heard the St. Albans Dispatcher give IMRR 2084 permission on Wesley 8 and to cross the Nickel Plate out onto the double track. I'm assuming (see caption below) this was an Illinois & Midland Railroad local on the return leg of a Powerton-East Peoria Turn. As it was running on Main No. 2 and did not stop to switch ADM's dock, so I accept that as confirmation that it was an IMRR train (though I'd normally expect a variety of cars, plastic loads and liquid feed and slag empties, etc.). 


CAPTION: An Illinois & Midland Railroad local rolls along the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad at Hilliards (Creve Coeur), Illinois mid-afternoon Tuesday, March 14, 2023. IMRR 2084 has 15 cars.

 Before I crossed the river, I noted MPECL had just begun to depart Adams Street Yard. I calculated that I could get the IMRR train then head north on I-474/Rt. 6 and US 150 to Brauer Road and bagged the train at the top of Pioneer Hill. Sure enough, the train came into view as soon as I arrived. 


CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) crests Pioneer Hill on Peoria, Illinois' northwest side late-afternoon Tuesday, March 14, 2023. UP 8787 and UP 3909 have 41 cars.

- David P. Jordan 

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