Union Pacific MPECL, Norfolk Southern D49 2-6-24

Union Pacific ran MCLPE late Saturday with a reported 141 cars (67 loads 74 empties). I saw it strung out along the Low Line Sunday evening. Glancing at it from the SW Adams Street Viaduct, I could tell the train had covered hoppers and tank cars, but I'm unsure why it was unusually heavy. I'm guessing it ran more than a day early because it took too much space at Clinton. 

In contrasr to MCLPE, today's MPECL was shorter than usual. 

CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by W. Farmington Road shortly after departing Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Tuesday, February 6, 2024. UP 8240 and UP 7262 have 28 cars.

Due to heavy switching volume at Rivian Automotive in Normal, D49 didn't have time to make an East Peoria turn on Monday. So it had a reported 40 cars and NS 5199 (a high hood GP38 for Des Moines) for TZPR. I was hoping to catch it after work, because the outbound had eight Caterpillar tractor loads on the head end. But sometime since Sunday evening, a TZPR crew pulled the Cats off the outbound. I did catch the outbound, which left shortly after my encounter with Union Pacific's MPECL. 

Notably, beginning with the 7th car was a 29-car block from the Keokuk Junction Railway with the usual corn gluten meal, corn germ, corn syrup/sorbitol and scrap metal traffic for distribution east and south. 

CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway local D49 rolls by N. Main Street in East Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Tuesday, February 6, 2024 shortly after departing the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard. Later, the train is shown at Farmdale as it prepares to attack the hill on the way out of town. NS 6406 and NS 6936 have 42 cars (41 loads, one empty). 

- David P. Jordan