Peoria Station

It is time for my annual update on local airline service.  A summer month is best for this update. I used July for 2023's update, and I have every reason to do so again this year. Barring last minute changes, the schedules and route map below are accurate. So let us delve into the present situation.  ALLEGIANT AIR Like last year, schedules for July 2024 show most flights operated with Airbus A320 equipment. They do not discern between 177-seat A320s or brand-new 186-seat A320SEOs. Smaller A319s, configured for 156 seats, are now only used on Las Vegas flights. Subsititutions happen and due to complexity with Allegiant Air schedules, the equipment shown below may be at times oversimplified.  Seasonal nonstops to Destin/Fort Walton Beach and year-round nonstops to Phoenix-Mesa have gained one weekly roundtrip each as compared to last year. So there are now 25 weekly departures this month versus 23 in July 2023.  Deliveries of 50 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft was to start in ...

The crew was switching out one of the locomotives when I swung by Adams Street Yard this afternoon, and it wasn't until well after 4:00pm that it departed.  I believe a work train was somewhere up north, so MPECL initially received a track warrant to Pottstown and Pioneer.  CAPTION: Union Pacific MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by W. Farmington Road shortly after departing Adams Street Yard in Peoria, Illinois on a soggy late-afternoon Friday, June 28, 2024. UP 5767 has 54 cars. - David P. Jordan

Hearing an SD38-2 rattle by me is a good sound. I hope 151 and 153 continue to roam the Iowa Interstate for a long time.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) is shown at six locations along the Peoria Subdivision late-afternoon and early-evening Thursday, June 27, 2024. IAIS 153 and IAIS 518 have 45 cars (42 loads/three empties). Locations are Putnam, Henry, south of Henry, Sparland, Rome and San Koty, Illinois.   - David P. Jordan

When I swung by Adams Street Yard Tuesday afternoon, I could not confirm yet that a crew was aboard Union Pacific's MPECL. So I parked off Krause Ave. and waited. But BNSF had brought in an X-SMRPEI empty feed pellet train for Decatur (via Canadian National) and the crew radioed the dispatcher shortly after I arrived.  CAPTION: BNSF Railway train X-SMRPEI (Grain Empties, Summerfield TX to Peoria IL) has just entered the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad at S. Darst Street in Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Tuesday, June 25, 2024. BNSF 6952 and BNSF 6614 were on the point. Gluten feed empties will move via Canadian National to ADM at Decatur, Illinois.   After grabbing video of the BNSF feed empties, the Union Pacific crew asked the dispatcher for instructions. A work train was moving north, so MPECL was given a track warrant to Pioneer in the interim. Tuesday's train was unusually short. The third unit, however, makes me think Monday's MCLPE must have been a big train.  CAPT...

One of the few things left to draw fans to the Peoria railscene is a switching and terminal line which rosters end cab switchers. The Tazewell & Peoria Railroad put two of its own and one from sister Illinois & Midland Railroad on the point of an Iowa Interstate unit potash train this morning for the trip across the river and then down to Mosaic Crop Nutrition.  I didn't stick around to see it, but I know the units returned to East Peoria engine lite.  CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad unit potash train rolls by Mendenhall Road just south of Bartonville, Illinois shortly after entering the Union Pacific's Peoria Subdivision to reach Mosaic Crop Nutrition midday Saturday, June 22, 2024. TZPR 1351, IMRR 43 and TZPR 1521 were on the point. Train arrived the area as the Iowa Interstate Railroad's DAVPE (Davenport IA to Peoria IL).   David P. Jordan

It has been hot all week, which makes railfanning a bit uncomfortable. Fortunately, Union Pacific's MPECL departed around 1530 hours this afternoon, which minimized waiting in the heat and humidity.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by W. Farmington Road shortly after departing Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Friday, June 21, 2024. UP 5767 and UP 7113 have 58 cars. Note the first 12 are empty ballast cars stored at Adams Street Yard since March.   - David P. Jordan

Last week was a dud for catching Union Pacific's MPECL trains. Both days, it ran late and I wasn't going to wait around not knowing if and when a crew was called. Despite MCLPE's late arrival on Monday, MPECL departed Peoria around the usual time (4:00pm).  Tuesday's train had a typical consist, including those wheel shipments in boxcars from the KJRY. It is always good to see boxcars on any merchandise train, especially blocked right behind the locomotives! CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by W. Farmington Road late afternoon Tuesday, June 18, 2024. UP 5767 and UP 7113 have 47 cars.   As I waited just off Krause Avenue on Peoria's south side for Union Pacific's MPECL to receive dispatcher's instructions, a pair of BNSF units rolled by me engine lite, heading west toward homes rails at S. Darst Street. I assumed the crew had just dropped off an empty feed pellet train (X-SMRPEI) for Canadian National on the Tazewe...

I received a heads up in time to drive past downtown to the W. Farmington Road crossing with one minute to spare before Union Pacific's MCLPE showed up!  I don't know why it is running so late, but it was good to catch a train movement which normally runs Sunday night/Monday morning and Wednesday night/Thursday morning.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MCLPE (Manifest, Clinton IA to Peoria IL) rolls by W. Farmington Road near Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Monday, June 17, 2024. Running very late for an unknown reason, UP 5767 and UP 7113 have 31 cars.   After spending time at the downtown library, I made my way toward the Cedar Street Bridge. As I was crossing it, I noticed a westbound hopper train crossing the TZPR bridge, so I turned around and intercepted it. I knew Union Pacific had called a crew for an empty Decatur coal train delivered to the double track near Pekin this morning by Canadian National. Sure enough, that what is! I went to W. Farmington Road and waited...

I caught the latest Union Pacific grain train loaded at the TP&W-served ADM Grain Co terminal at Clymers, Indiana.  The TP&W delivered to Union Pacific at sister Illinois & Midland Railroad's Powerton Yard, and a UP crew had already moved it to South Pekin and broke it at the Townline Road crossing.  I arrived when the next crew was putting the train together to go south.  CAPTION: A southbound Union Pacific grain extra is shown north and south of Green Valley, Illinois early-evening Sunday, June 9, 2024. UP 8818, UP 5659 and UP 7004 have 112 cars. Train was loaded at ADM Grain Co's Clymers, Indiana terminal, routed west over the TP&W and delivered to the UP at the Illinois & Midland Railroad's Powerton Yard near Pekin.   - David P. Jordan

I learned that a USAF C-5 Galaxy arrived Peoria International Airport early this afternoon so my first priority after leaving work was to confirm that it was still here (it was).  I did monitor local Union Pacific radio chatter, and managed to catch it at the old Molitor Junction area until my camera battery died.  I quickly drove to W. Farmington Road and shot this video with my phone.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL rolls by W. Farmington Road shortly after departing Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Friday, June 7, 2024. UP 7113 and UP 5767 have 50 cars.   - David P. Jordan

An empty BNSF Kincaid coal train was passing Hilliards about the time I left work (3:00pm). Normally, I'd ignore it, but the lead unit was BNSF 6179 was one of ten locomotives displaying eight heralds of predecessor companies commemorating the 25th anniversary of the railroad (Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. was created on September 22, 1995). If figured I'd have to take I-74 as far as Edwards and then backtrack.  I was correct. I got maybe one mile east of Edwards when I saw the train slowly approaching. I turned around and waited at Kramm Road, an open spot a few miles west of Edwards. The train crawled up to the crossing so the conductor could detrain and watch for vehicle traffic until the locomotive blocked it. He then boarded and the train took off. I don't think it exceeded 10mph though.  CAPTION: A BNSF Railway westbound empty coal train resumes its run west on the Peoria Subdivision after pausing for a brief stop at Kramm Road, a few miles west of Edwards, Illi...

I began to hear chatter between the crew and dispatcher shortly after I drove by Adams Street Yard about 3:35 this afternoon. But it took them awhile to depart and then get track warrants while waiting at Peoria Junction.  Note that the rear car, GTW 406503, was on BNSF's M-GALPEI last Thursday, May 30. I believe the car is empty.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by W. Farmington Road shortly after departing Adams Street Yard in Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Tuesday, June 4, 2024. UP 5767 has 28 cars.   David P. Jordan

I was already near Union Pacific's Peoria Subdivision when I got a heads up that train MCLPE was at Edelstein. It took about 40 minutes to reach Pottstown and the sun had already set, but I'm glad I went for it, even with the swarming mosquitoes... Train has a decent mix of traffic (mostly empties) for KJRY, TZPR and TP&W.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MCLPE (Manifest, Clinton IA to Peoria IL) rolls through Pottstown, Illinois early evening Sunday, June 2, 2024. UP 5767 has 51 cars.   David P. Jordan

I figured after SIPE dropped its train at East Peoria, PESI would depart around two hours later. Sure enough, it did. The train stopped at the West Yard for what appeared to be a crew change (not sure on that) but then I heard "make the cut" on the radio, so I wondered if they were going to pull the 22 cars left by SIPE earlier, and drag them to the North Limit Yard. I waited by the old (1900) Rock Island depot for PESI and it had 62 cars, matching what the crew told the St. Albans dispatcher prior to departure (15 loads, 47 empties). So I don't know why PESI stopped short of Persimmon Street, pulled up to State Street and then backed up before final departure for points north and west.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) is shown crossing the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Illinois River Bridge mid-afternoon Saturday, June 1, 2024. IAIS 501, IAIS 712 and IAIS 710 have 62 cars (15 loads, 47 empties). After power runby scenes at Chicago ...

My planned spot underneath the Murray Baker Bridge downtown was too crowded so I parked off Persimmon Street, only to have the train stop twice and set out the head 22 cars at TZPR's West Yard. The glacial movement of this train would have ensured a long video anyway... Empties included a gondola, a tank car with no haz-mat placard, and four empty tank cars on the rear with beverage alcohol (UN 3065) and industrial alcohol (UN 1170) placards.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) rolls along the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Uptown Division at Persimmon Street in Peoria, Illinois late-morning Saturday, June 1, 2024. IAIS 501, IAIS 712 and IAIS 710 have 96 cars (90 loads, six empties). Train stopped to set out the head 22 cars at the West Yard before crossing the river into East Peoria.   David P. Jordan