TP&W East Peoria Switcher 11-27-23

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 Tazewell & Peoria Railroad this morning. The crew must have continued across the river engine lite, grabbed grain empties from BioUrja South Yard. There were four TP&W grain empties on the head end and an empty CRDX covered hopper on the rear. All others were those familiar green Incobrasa Industries cars. 

CAPTION: A TP&W East Peoria Switcher has returned home after working in Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Monday, November 27, 2023. TPW 5008 and TPW 5015 have 70 cars.

David P. Jordan