Peoria Station

Despite the rain, I decided to try and catch Union Pacific's MPECL. When I drove by Adams Street Yard a little after 3:30pm, the crew toned up the dispatcher.  It was by W. Farmington Road within 30 minutes.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by W. Farmington Road shortly after departing Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Tuesday, May 14, 2024. UP 7099 and UP 8950 have 31 cars.   David P. Jordan

Tuesday's Union Pacific MPECL was short, but I expected such as KJRY interchange moved on Friday's train.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls across W. Farmington Road shortly after leaving Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Tuesday, May 7, 2024. UP 7099 and UP 8950 have 29 cars.   - David P. Jordan

On my way home early this afternoon, I caught a southbound loaded Union Pacific coal train at Pottstown. Train diverged onto the Low Line at Peoria Junction so it is Decatur-bound.  CAPTION: A southbound loaded Union Pacific coal train rolls along the south end of the double track at Pottstown, Illinois midday Sunday, May 5, 2024. UP 7886 and UP 5964 have 152 loads for ADM's Decatur, Illinois co-generation facility via Canadian National interchange on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Pekin double track. UP 5943 is DPU. Train symbol is probably C-BTDE (Coal Loads, Black Thunder Mine WY to Decatur IL).   David P. Jordan

Fortunately, Union Pacific's MPECL was waiting near Peoria Junction Friday afternoon for passage of a three-unit set moving engine lite southbound. Otherwise, it might have left before I swung by Adams Street Yard.  I'm glad I caught it. I don't think I've seen 25 boxcars on MPECL before! The block of likely company material on the head end was interesting too. At first, I thought it was scrap metal loads but then got a better look at Pottstown.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by MP 80 shortly after departing Adams Street Yard in Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Friday, May 3, 2024. UP 7099 and UP 8950 have 71 cars. Note nine gondolas on the head end appear to be loaded with scrapped company material. There were also 20- and 5-car blocks of boxcars on this train.   - David P. Jordan

The year 2002 marked PIA's return to the top as Central Illinois' busiest passenger air facility. As soon as 2003 dawned, threats of service cuts increased as the airline industry reeled from terror threats and other issues. The year offered a lot of drama, so let us analyze each carrier's service and end with a bright spot which continues to the present. AMERICAN CONNECTION (Trans States Airlines) Having been relegated to secondary status (i. e., not part of the American Eagle network), Trans States Airlines was limited to providing "American Connection" feeder service to American Airlines' St. Louis hub. The major carrier demanded concessions from its unions by April 1 or it would file for Chapter 11 reorganization.  Labor agreed to concessions at the last minute and bankruptcy was averted, but cost savings were insufficient to avoid service cutbacks. Travel slumped again with Operation Iraqi Freedom, a U. S.-led invasion of Iraq to oust that country's d

While at the downtown library this afternoon, I learned that both Iowa Interstate's SIPE and Union Pacific's MCLPE were enroute to Peoria. As the closest, I went after SIPE first, encountering it in Chillicothe. I shot video at Rome and then headed north to intercept the Union Pacific train.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) rolls by Rome, Illinois on the Peoria Subdivision early-evening Wednesday, May 1, 2024. IAIS 513, the Rock Island Heritage Unit, has 32 cars.   The sun had already set when I saw MCLPE's approaching headlight just south of Manlius. I managed to get a second video at the Rt. 40 crossing south of Buda. Low lighting means reporting marks and numbers are mostly unreadable, but the usual traffic makes most cars easy to identify in regards to load or empty status, commodities or commodities last handled.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MCLPE (Manifest, Clinton IA to Peoria IL) rolls south of Manlius, Illinois at 1925 N. Avenue W