Peoria Station

An unusual movement and a desirable one to capture! Union Pacific ran an empty autorack train out of Oklahoma (probably Oklahoma City, based on the "OK" symbol) a few days ago destined for temporary storage on Edelstein Siding. The train came up via St. Louis, and probably via Kansas City as well. Union Pacific accesses Oklahoma's capital from the west from Rock Island's old Mid-Continent Route at El Reno, or haulage/trackage rights on BNSF's ex-Santa Fe, both of which are north-south routes.  I assume the reason for this is that auto assembly plants are shut down this week, and empty autoracks need a place to go until the reopen after the Christmas-New Year's break.  I received a heads up this morning, and planned accordingly. I normally spend time at the downtown Peoria library so I was close anyway. I waited at W. Farmington Road and then headed north to capture it entering Edelstein Siding.  Reportedly, UP 7312 returned to South Pekin engine lite, passing

The last one in 2023! Tuesday's train had 26 grain empties and 15 plastic empties it normally wouldn't have. Without them, the 77-car train would have had just 36 cars. So I'm not surprised that today's MPECL was short. This should continue into January.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by Milepost 80 shortly after departing Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Friday, December 29, 2023. UP 5691 has 24 cars.   David P. Jordan

Allegiant Air is operating Peoria - Fort Lauderdale nonstops Sundays and Thursdays from March 7 through April 7, 2024. I confirmed this using the airline's website. Months ago, I noticed that the Fort Lauderdale route had disappeared from the route map. Even seasonal routes are shown in broken lines, so it appeared the route had been officially dropped, seasonal or year-round. Given the time of year and short duration of this service, I assume this is for spring break... - David P. Jordan 

I was waiting for the green light at N. Morton Ave. and Jackson Street in Morton this afternoon when I heard the Iowa Interstate dispatcher confirm that a southbound had cleared its track warrant from Bureau Junction to Peoria. I was heading for downtown Peoria anyway, so it was pretty convenient to check on this train. After crossing the river, I went to the RiverPlex parking lot and waited. It didn't take but a few minutes to hear the train blowing for the Caroline, Spring and Morton Street crossings.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad train DAVPE (Davenport IA to Peoria IL) rolls by the PMP Fermentation Products Inc. plant in downtown Peoria, Illinois while running on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Uptown Division mid-afternoon Wednesday, December 27, 2023. IAIS 511, IAIS 712 and IAIS 718 have potash loads for TZPR-served Mosaic Crop Nutrition.    - David P. Jordan

I wasn't expecting Union Pacific's MPECL to leave around the usual time today, given the LPD01 crew didn't work on Monday. I figured they would work late, thus the MPECL crew would be called late.  When I arrived, the train was strung out onto the Low Line, so I suspected a crew might be aboard. But a BNSF X-SMRPEI (Grain Empties, Summerfield TX to Peoria IL) empty feed train was heading toward the TZPR bridge, so I thought I might have time to grab some video at Hillards. Fortunately, I had set my scanner to the UP Peoria Sub road channel (161.265mhz, AAR Channel 77), and heard MPECL call the dispatcher as the BNSF train approached my location. So I left before getting blocked by a long and slow train of 100 cars... CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls across W. Farmington Road late-afternoon Tuesday, December 26, 2023. UP 6889 has 77 cars.   David P. Jordan

Despite the soggy weather, I was able to capture the usual Friday afternoon action on Union Pacific's Peoria Subdivision. I didn't gave to wait long either. The crew called the dispatcher at 1530 and cleared E. Farmington Road just 19 minutes later! CAPTION:   Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by W. Farmington Road shortly after leaving Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Friday, December 22, 2023. UP 6543 has 19 cars. - David P. Jordan 

I don't know if L556/L557 made its usual Monday/Tuesday cycle this week. If it did, today's lengthy consist may be explained by season surges in ADM grain products moving between Cedar Rapids and Decatur plants.  The UP motor might have come off of a Decatur-bound coal train. The IC SD70s have been assigned to Decatur for awhile now.  CAPTION: Canadian National Railway train L557 (Local, E. Peoria IL to Decatur IL) rolls across Fifth Street near South Pekin, Illinois mid-afternoon Thursday, December 21, 2023. UP 7510, IC 1036 and IC 1038 have 86 cars.   David P. Jordan

It took longer to head north that I wanted, finally moving north from Peoria Junction after 4:30 this afternoon. Lead unit UP 6957 is an  AC4460CW wearing the newly-modified scheme. Otherwise, nothing unusual in the consist.  As a side note, an Iowa Interstate train with GP38-2s 712 and 708 on the point that was reported by Chillicothe at 1320pm, but I had to miss it as I was committed to the UP train (and it was probably dark by the time it cross the river anyway).  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) is shown at Milepost 80 shortly after departing Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Tuesday, December 19, 2023. UP 6957 had 43 cars. David P. Jordan

When I arrived my spot on W. Farmington Road this afternoon after work, a green signal indication encouraged me to stay. Although I heard radio chatter (all static) around 1530 hours, I may have picked up the UP train dispatcher giving CPWNR permission from Crescent Junction north. The train cleared my location at 1615. Video was shot with my Canon SX740 HS at 1080p.  CAPTION: A Union Pacific train of coal empties rolls across W. Farmington Road near Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Friday, December 15, 2023. UP 5468 and UP 5997 on the point, and UP 2661 as DPU. Symbol is reportedly CPWNR (Coal, Powerton IL to N. Rochelle Mine WY).   By the time the coal empties showed up, it was getting dark. Overcast made it darker, so I nearly gave up on MPECL, which I knew hadn't yet entered the mainline at Peoria Junction. I decided to head that way to confirm that it was at the junction. Sure enough, it was. Minutes before I would have given up, the crew received permission to head north. Vid

I'll be glad when the days start getting longer again. December 22 can't come soon enough! There was nothing unusual on today's train, but I believe the last five cars were those left behind on Friday, probably due to tonnage-per-exle restrictions.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by Milepost 80 shortly after departing Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Tuesday, December 12, 2023. UP 6762 has 39 cars.   - David P. Jordan

I got a heads up on this one while still home, so I decided to capture it at Mendenhall Road due to better lighting. I didn't have to wait long... The train is consigned to NRG Energy's Powerton Station. The crew will pull into the Illinois & Midland Railroad's Crescent Yard and tie up. An IMRR crew will deliver to the adjacent power plant.  CAPTION: A Union Pacific coal train rolls by Mendenhall Road near Sommer, Illinois late-morning Saturday, December 9, 2023. UP 7014 and UP 7601 were on the point of the 117-car train; UP 8726 is DPU. Train symbol reportedly is CNRPW (Coal, North Rochelle Mine WY to Powerton IL). - David P. Jordan

The single unit likely expains why a cut of covered hoppers (probably empties) was left behind at Adams Street Yard. They will probably move on Tuesday's train.  Consist was pretty typical, but the 15 loaded covered hoppers blocked on the head end might be of interest. Normally, I'd assume they contain distillers dried grain (DDG, or "mash") or gluten feed pellets from Alto plants in Pekin, but is it possible that Keokuk Junction Railway served-Farmers Elevator at Sciota loaded corn for a UP destination?  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by Milepost 80 shortly after departing Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Friday, December 8, 2023. UP 5266 has 53 cars. David P. Jordan

After work Tuesday, I was successful in getting Union Pacific's MPECL. The crew radioed the dispatcher at exactly 1530 hours, and began moving a short time later. The short consist was actually in the yard itself rather than parked on the Low Line.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by Milepost 80 shortly after departing Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Tuesday, December 5, 2023. UP 8080 has 19 cars.   Earlier, I glanced from Interstate 474 to see the flashing EOT of Iowa Interstate's PEDAV potash empties, so I knew it too would depart shortly. After getting the UP train I headed through town, then turned right onto SW Washington Street in hopes of intercepting PEDAV. I made a left onto the Cedar Street Bridge only to notice the train about to pass the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's West Yard. So I quickly turned around, went back across the river and set up off SW Water Street by the "old" (1900) Rock Island depot.  CAP

I guess this movement is no longer rare... I caught it November 11, November 19 and now today, December 3. The TP&W crew had IMRR 2108, which I may have seen earlier switching tank cars at the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria "B" Yard. I can't confirm this this as it was too far away.  I have, however, seen a TP&W crew return to East Peoria from Morton with a few tank cars, grab a covered hopper and deliver to TZPR directly. So it wouldn't be a stretch to have them run over to TZPR engine lite, grab a loaded tank car and then make the Morton trip directly from there. Fort Transfer Company now has five tank cars, all delivered since November 11 (three that day, and one each the other days). That makes nine for the whole year - a 900% increase over 2022! At least I got to use my new SD card!   CAPTION: The Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway made yet another run to Morton, Illinois early-afternoon Sunday, December 3, 2023. IMRR 2108 delivered a

I didn't get Union Pacific's MPECL yesterday afternoon at the usual W. Farmington Road spot because my camera stopped recording account of "slow write speed" on the SD card. I couldn't do it with my phone at another location because the train stalled on Pioneer Hill. By the time the crew could take two halves and re-assemble at Edelstein (I think), darkness would have already fallen. So I didn't record it at all.  Returning from the Bloomington, I saw the tail end of Iowa Interstate's PESI going through downtown Peoria so I got ahead of it and set up off of the Fairholm Avenue crossing just short of the North Limit Yard. I shot video for about four minutes before the "slow write speed" issue returned. I edit the video down to a power runby and shot the whole train further north with my phone.  I think my SD card is going bad. I will have to purchase another one. At least I hope that is the issue... Today's train had 13 loads. Five alcohol loa