Amtrak 318, Union Pacific MBNAS on Springfield Sub; Grain MTs on Peoria Sub at Allen 5-11-23

After a vain attempt to catch Canadian National L557 this afternoon, I decided to head to Lincoln and catch Amtrak 318 and Union Pacific MBNAS. 


CAPTION: Amtrak No. 318, the Missouri River Runner/Lincoln Service (Kansas City MO to St. Louis MO and Chicago IL), rolls to a stop at Lincoln, Illinois late-afternoon Thursday, May 11, 2023. A few blocks north, the train is shown again leaving town. IDTX 4606 has seven cars.


CAPTION: Union Pacific train MBNAS (Manifest, Bloomington IL to Alton & Southern) rolls by Amtrak's Lincoln, Illinois depot early evening Thursday, May 11, 2023. UP 4656 and UP 4985 have 43 cars.

I usually get the MBNAS train at Bloomington or Shirley, but I like Amtrak's Lincoln depot as a location for filming in the mid- to late-afternoon. I'll probably do more of this. 

After capturing these two movements, I received a heads up that an empty Union Pacific grain train with five motors was heading up the Illinois & Midland RR to Barr and South Pekin. 

I first thought of heading west on US 10, but decided it better to go up I-155 and then US 136 to Allen. Union Pacific's Peoria Sub is good for 40mph on the South Pekin-Barr stretch (or at least it is where I was just south of Allen). As the train showed up about 15 minutes after my arrival, so I probably made the right call. I could have used some sunlight though...


CAPTION: A northbound Union Pacific train of grain empties rolls by 1500 N. Road near Allen Station, Illinois early evening Thursday, May11, 2023. UP 2674, UP 6028, KCSM 4678, NS 1145 and UP 8027 have 102 cars.

- David P. Jordan

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