Peoria Station

Weekdays this time of year offer a limited window for shooting local rail action before long shadows and darkness falls. So when I can get something, I do.  I knew BNSF's M-GALPEI had coupled to its train at the Galesburg Yard late this morning, so I hoped I could catch it in Peoria after work. When I arrived the south end of town, I found two BNSF units ( 7911 and 7616) sitting on the main at Darst Street waiting for a TP&W local to clear so it could cross the river and grab a loaded feed train (G-PEISMR) at Grove on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Pekin mainline. When the TP&W train cleared the mainline, two Iowa Interstate units (505 and 501) left East Peoria and crossed the river engine lite and then the BNSF units made their move. But I wasn't interested in lite engine movements, so I went to East Peoria to capture the TP&W train and set up at N. Main Street in time for its passage.  It appears the same power was used to deliver nine cars to the Tazewe...

I had seen social media reports that the train left Silvis this morning, so when I learned it was on the Bureau-Peoria line, I figured I had a chance of getting it in the San Koty Area. Sure enough, as soon as I drove by my favorite spot there, I saw the headlights... While it appears that the Iowa Interstate cycles three trains each way between Silvis and Peoria weekly, one of these may be a potash train.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad train DAVPE (Davenport IA to Peoria IA) rolls by the San Koty Station area (MP 154.2) near Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Sunday, November 26, 2023. IAIS 505 and IAIS 716 have 105 potash loads for Mosaic Crop Nutrition LLC via Tazewell & Peoria Railroad delivery switch. David P. Jordan

Two years and five months have past since I've caught the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad switching PMP Fermentation Products in downtown Peoria. So when I was crossing the river at midday this morning, and glanced at the action to my right, I hurried to a safe spot to record it.  TZPR 1351 was just finishing up shoving seven loads (probably all corn syrup, except one possibly a sodium hydroxide solution tank car) into the plant after pulling five corn syrup empties and one empty sodium hydroxide solution tank car and returning to East Peoria.  That latter car, CAOX 300307, was seen on last Saturday's CN L556 local. A second car with the same contents, GATX 229403, was on the same CN local, and might well have been delivered today. PMP has been receiving this product by rail since May 2022.  CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad "Industry Job" or extra spots seven loads at PMP Fermentation Products' Peoria, Illinois plant midday Saturday, November 25, 2023. Wh...

The TP&W received an empty Union Pacific grain train late-morning Tuesday and quickly forwarded it to ADM Grain Co's Clymers, Indiana elevator on Winamac Southern Railway's TP&W-operated Van (Logansport) - Bringhurst line.  So it was a surprise how quickly the loaded train returned west, arriving back at East Peoria late-afternoon on Thursday!  I didn't see the empties go east, but after a family gathering for Thanksgiving, I decided to check for evidence of potential Friday rail activity. I'm glad I did because I picked up scanner chatter on the TP&W road channel (161.400) in East Peoria.  I quickly found three UP motors on a grain train inching westbound through the TP&W yard. The crew asked for dispatcher's instructions on proceeding to Powerton where the train would be handed over to Union Pacific.  I shot the entire train in good lighting as it made its way along the TP&W's Peoria Sub in East Peoria, but in the video, you will first see ...

As soon as left work, I learned that CN 1501, an RDC converted into a track geometry car, had just passed Chillicothe enroute to Peoria. So I went home, and then left as quickly as possible only to arrive the North Limit Yard as soon as the geometry car pulled in.  While Tazewell & Peoria RR officials were there, the car must have tied up for the holiday. Soon, a TZPR crew will take it to the Creve Coeur Team Track. The CN might send up a crew to get it as early as Friday or Saturday.  Although I missed my chance to catch the CN 1501 actually moving, I did manage to see the Keokuk Junction Railway's East Peoria Turn at S. Darst Street. All 19 cars appeared to be loads. I'd guess the first 15 are for Norfolk Southern. The last four are probably for the Iowa Interstate.  CAPTION: The Keokuk Junction Railway ran its East Peoria Turn Wednesday afternoon, November 22, 2023. Shown running on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad from Iowa Junction to East Peoria, LTEX 3848, P...

This past summer, when I happened to catch Union Pacific's MPECL switching Akron Services twice, my camera battery was low, so shooting switching action was limited. I had to complete the action with my phone camera, which has poor quality zoom capability.   The past two weeks, UP has switched Akron Services, but the LPD01 crew performed this chore in the morning using the MPECL train and then tying up at Edelstein for the regular road crew in the afternoon.  Finally this afternoon, I was able to catch this action with my camera battery fully-charged. The only downsides were overcast and early sunsets... But I got it. A little blur here and there, but not bad.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls across W. Farmington Road near Peoria, Illinois a late afternoon Tuesday, November 21, 2023. UP 7334 and UP 8870 have 61 cars. Later, it stops to pull three empty anhydrous ammonia tank cars from Akron Services, giving it 64 cars. ...

I exited I-74 this morning onto E. Washington Street to find two locomotives and a tank car had backed out of the TP&W's East Peoria Yard. It could only mean that another run to Morton was imminent! I'm glad I happened upon this movement because it marked the first time I'd seen it use six-axle power. The only other time it is known to have happened was on March 2, 2023 when MQT dropped two tank cars for Fort Transfer. I don't believe Santa Fe ever used six-axle power on its Pekin District.  CAPTION: The Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway ran "Morton Job" Sunday morning, November 19, 2023. TPW 5015 and MQT 3407 rolled down Norfolk Southern's Bloomington District to Crandall and then the Morton Industrial Spur to deliver a lone tank car to Fort Transfer Company. Scenes are at Farmdale, Crandall and Morton, with final scenes showing power leaving engine lite.  - David P. Jordan

Crossing renewal in downtown Pekin this week apparently caused Canadian National to suspend interchange with the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad until today.  Normally, L556 runs out of Decatur on Monday and Thursday (sometimes not arriving East Peoria until after midnight) and L557 runs out of East Peoria on Tuesday and Thursday. L556 also makes Mount Pulaski or Pekin turns on Fridays and Saturdays.  But today, L556 operated all the way to East Peoria, though one crew tied up short of Christmas Tree Road at South Pekin. A new crew called this afternoon had plenty of work. Darkness fell so I didn't stick around to watch the train head back south but it appears two units will be left here for an empty feed train and the other unit will handle the local business. Not sure which one will actually run tonight.  CAPTION: Canadian National Railway local L556 (Decatur IL to E. Peoria IL) is shown approaching IC Junction at Pekin, Illinois late-afternoon Saturday, November 18, 20...

When I drove by Adams Street Yard a little after 1530 hours this afternoon, the train was already gone. Based on the past few MPECLs, I just went up to Edelstein to see if had been left there by the LPD01 job. When I arrived a little after 1600, I saw nothing. So I backtracked to Akron and waited. Turns out, the train had departed Adams Street shortly before I arrived and was attacking Pioneer Hill as I raced up I-474 Rt. 6 and Rt. 88. I photographed three anhydrous ammonia tank cars on spot at Akron Services and then the train showed itself. The twelve zinc oxide covered hoppers (21st through 32nd cars) were on Saturday's TP&W westbound road freight.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by Akron Services Inc, Akron, Illinois, late-afternoon Friday, November 17, 2023. UP 8934 has 47 cars. Note three anhydrous ammonia tank cars spotted for unloading in the background. David P. Jordan

I learned about this one when still in Morton, so I had to hustle. Turns out, dog catch crew change took place at Rench Road in Mossville, across Rt. 29 from Caterpillar's Mossville complex. I decided to film this in 4k, so I had to get home before uploading it.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate train PEDAV (Peoria IL to Davenport IA) resumes its run after stopping at Rench Road in Mossville, Illinois for a crew change late-afternoon Thursday, November 16, 2023. IAIS 714 and IAIS 715 have 105 potash empties for Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) at Davenport, Iowa.    - David P. Jordan

I checked Adams Street Yard after work this afternoon, but the yard was empty! No MPECL! So I decided to head up to Edelstein Siding, where I found it parked near the north end. Better yet, the crew van arrived just ahead of me! It appears that the the LPD01 crew repeated its Friday routine so it could pull an empty anhydrous ammonia tank car from Akron Services.  The sun had set by the time the train departed but I think I managed some decent video with my phone camera (I forgot my regular camera).  The ammonia empty is the sixth car back in compliance with FRA regulations to have five cars separating locomotives from Toxic Inhalation Hazard (TIH) or Poisonous Inhalation Hazard (PIH) load or empties.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls out of the north end of Edelstein Siding near Speer, Illinois late-afternoon Tuesday,  November 14, 2023. UP 8870 has 49 cars, including an empty anhydrous ammonia tank car (6th in consist) p...

List, Wind turbine trains are back! I learned that BNSF was running a wind turbine tower train to Peoria late this morning, but wasn't going to leave work to see it. Had I gone to Wesley Road Hilliards (Creve Coeur) directly from work, I would have see it, though the mid-afternoon shadows may have been bad for photography or video.  Anyway, I saw the train from Interstate 474, but having heard some radio chatter on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's mainline channel, I decided to investigate. Turns out, the Keokuk Junction Railway's weekly "East Peoria Turn" had just received dispatcher's instructions from Iowa Junction (on Peoria's far south edge) to East Peoria. Despite poor afternoon lighting, I captured a runby at Sanger Street.  CAPTION: The Keokuk Junction Railway's East Peoria Turn is shown running on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad at Sanger Street in Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Monday, November 13, 2023. LTEX 3848, PREX 2003 and LTEX ...

Union Pacific's Peoria Subdivision was relatively busy today. This morning, I learned that an empty northbound and a loaded southbound grain train would meet at Pottstown, so after comfirming a favorable signal indication at W. Farmington Road, and rejecting the increasingly poor lighting, I moved to Pottstown. As soon as I arrived, Union Pacific train GSPGRK-10 was approaching the double track.  I waited another 20 minutes for train GSRKCP-12 to show. Apparently, it was parked well north of Reservoir Boulevard, and ran at 10mph on Track 2 until the crew could confirm the green signal at the end of the double track. (I'm sure I've caught similar meets there in less time before.) Both were Sterling grain trains, empties returning for more loads and a loaded train having just departed from Rock River Lumber & Grain Co. there earlier this morning. A third movement, a ballast train, likely appeared by mid-afternoon, but I didn't see it.  CAPTION: An empty northbound gr...

CAPTION: Toledo, Peoria & Western road freight M-EFEP (Manifest, Effner IL to E. Peoria IL) is shown at locations at or near Weston, Chenoa, Gridley, El Paso, Eureka and Washington, Illinois Saturday afternoon, November 11, 2023. The entire train is shown at each. TPW 2070, IORY 5007, TPW 5010, and IORY 5014 have 121 cars from on-line industries and CSX and CN interchanges.   A nice sunny late-morning and early-afternoon in November is a good time to get a westbound TP&W freight!  A lot of typical TP&W freight business is represented on today's train. - The first 15 cars are loaded with limestone shipped from The Rogers Group/Newton County Stone in Perkins, Indiana and consigned to East Peoria Materials, located on the east end of the TP&W yard (and to celebrate 20 years in January 2024!). - Fourteen TPW-marked cyclindrical covered hoppers might have been pulled from the Ludlow Co-Operative Elevator Company at La Hogue. (Crescent City is possible, but newer, 2...

The horn woke me up this morning, but the crew had already delivered three tank cars and leaving engine lite before I could dress and head out to investigate. Fort Transfer Company hasn't received liquid herbicide since March 2022. The seven tank cars delivered this year have probably contained de-icer or dust control chemicals. At there is more activity in 2023 than in 2022!  CAPTION: The Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway actually delivered three tank cars to Fort Transfer Company in Morton, Illinois Saturday morning, November 11, 2023. After doing so, TPW 5008 is shown at Crandall Junction, switching from the Morton Industrial Spur to Norfolk Southern's Bloomington District for the trip back to East Peoria. None of the tank cars (GATX 37385, UTLX 681632 and UTLX 224856) display a haz-mat placard, so they must contain a de-icer chemical. David P. Jordan

This afternoon's Union Pacific MPECL started from Edelstein Siding.  The Adams Street Yard-based LPD01 "Peoria Wayfreight") took it north this morning, stalled at Reservoir Boulevard and had to double Pioneer Hill, put the train back together, drop an anhydrous ammonia tank car Akron Services and left it on Edelstein Siding.  I was able to shoot video at the same location with both my phone and digital camera.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) departs from the north end Edelstein Siding near Speer, Illinois late-afternoon Friday, November 10, 2023. UP 8061 has 54 cars. The LDP01 crew had run the train from Adams Street Yard, dropped an anhydrous ammonia tank car at Akron Services and then left it in the Edelstein Siding until the road crew was called in mid-afternoon. Both scenes shot at the same location, first with a Samsung Android and second with a Canon SX740 HS.    - David P. Jordan

A United States Air Force C-32B "Gatekeeper," a military version of the Boeing 757-200, arrived the 182nd Illinois Air National Guard base at Peoria International Airport late this morning.  I assume it is related to President Joe Biden's visit to the Stellantis (former Chrysler) auto assembly plant in Belvidere and a fundraiser in Chicago today. Probably a backup in case of unforeseen issues? - David P. Jordan

The time changed and I woke up earlier than usual Sunday morning, which was fortunate, because I learned that BNSF's M-GALPEI was enroute. I only needed to wait at W. Farmington Road for a few minutes before it showed up. Later, I shot it crossing Krause Avenue on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad.  CAPTION: BNSF Railway train M-GALPEI (Manifest, Galesburg IL to Peoria IL), running a day early, rolls by W. Farmington Road near Peoria, Illinois late-morning Sunday, November 5, 2023. Later, the train enters the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad at S. Darst Street to reach the East Peoria Yard. BNSF 8031 and BNSF 7837 have 52 cars (26 loads, 26 empties).   In between the BNSF scenes, I saw a Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local bound for Mosaic Crop Nutrition with what I assume to be potash loads.  CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local rolls by Krause Avenue in Peoria, Illinois late-morning Sunday, November 5, 2023. Enroute from East Peoria to Mosaic Crop Nutrition...

Normally, PESI is made up of mostly empties, so when I see a bunch of ADM and leaser-marked covered hoppers that are loaded (pressed truck coil springs), I wonder if new business is moving.  There were 41 cars in blocks of ten, 24 and seven. Turns out, they were loaded at ADM Grain Co's Clymers, Indiana elevator, and routed to Cedar Rapids via TPW-Peoria-IAIS for ADM's plant there. Train also had nine grain alcohol loads, most placarded for beverage alcohol.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) rolls through Rome, Illinois late-morning Saturday, November 4, 2023. IAIS 516 has 79 cars.   David P. Jordan

As I left work, I learned that BNSF's M-PEIGAL received permission from the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad to depart East Peoria at 1410 hours. So I calculated that I could drive Interstate 74 to the Rt. 97 crossing east of Knoxville and backtrack, hopefully successfully intercepting the train before it stopped for a likely re-crew.  And I did just that! The CP and CN units were a little unusual, so I'm glad I made the trip. The train paused briefly at the County Road 17 crossing and then proceeded across Rt. 97, tying up short of S, Farnham Street in Galesburg for a re-crew. After sunset, the new crew got permission to enter the big hump yard. I had shot video of an eastbound and a westbound manifest on the Mendota Sub and didn't expect to see M-PEIGAL again.  CAPTION: BNSF Railway train M-PEIGAL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Galesburg IL) is shown at Rt. 97 just east of Knoxville, Illinois late-afternoon Thursday, November 2, 2023. Later, after a re-crew, the train exits the P...