Peoria Station

This morning, I got a rare chance to capture an Iowa Interstate SIPE in daylight. Normally, they are called at 1700 hours on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, guaranteeing nocturnal appearances in this area.  The Thanksgiving holiday is the likely reason for the modification. There is a chance that a new crew will take PESI out later today.    While I did not witness it, a pickup was made at Atkinson Grain & Fertilizer in Atkinson. This tells the first two covered hoppers are loaded with organic grain, probably for a Norfolk Southern destination.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) rolls by the Chillicothe History Society in its namesake Illinois town late-morning Saturday, November 30, 2024. Later, the whole train is shown at Rome, Mossville and San Koty. IAIS 152 and IAIS 702 have 65 cars. First two cars were picked up at Atkinson. - David P. Jordan

I saw PESI rolling under the Murray Baker Bridge (I-74) just before I hit the exit ramp. A few minutes earlier I was wondering if it had left, and there it was!   Two coil steel loads from Norfolk Southern, a scrap metal load and quite a few alcohol tank cars were typical with the many distillers' dried grain ("mash") empties, but a block of loaded covered hoppers - mix of ADM and leasers - going north are unusual.  Perhaps flaxseed is again being transferred from barge to rail at the Hilliards barge dock like in winter 2012 and winter 2013? The former uses Canadian Pacific cars, but the former apparently used ADM cars. Destination was ADM Milling Co. in Red Wing, Minnesota routed IAIS-Davenport-CPKC.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) enters the North  Limit Yard in Peoria, Illinois while still running the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Uptown Division mid-afternoon Wednesday, November 27, 2024. IAIS 515 and IAIS 150 hav...

I waited to turn left from W. Camp to N. Main in East Peoria when I heard the Norfolk Southern crew asked for permission to depart the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad.  Fortunately, I was able to get the green arrow on the second cycle and set up for video. I even made it to Dolans Lane for second runby!   All tank cars on today's return leg to Good Yard in Normal.  CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway train D49 (Normal IL to E. Peoria IL Turn) crawls through the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Farm Creek Bridge in East Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Tuesday, November 26, 2024. Later, it is shown on home rails passing the TP&W yard. NS 6923 and NS 6972 have 32 cars (31 loads/one empty).   - David P. Jordan

I received a heads up around midday today that a TP&W westbound had passed Fairbury, Illinois. Fortnately, I was able to see it at El Paso and chase to Cruger.   The 25-car mid-train block of Incobrasa covered hoppers were loaded, so they were likely from Inco Grain Ltd. at Goodland, Indiana consigned to BioUrja Renewables LLC in Peoria. Inco Grain Ltd is a subsidiary of Incobrasa Industries, and purchased the Co-Alliance LP elevator in September 2023. It will load corn for two years and then switch to soybeans only.  CAPTION: Toledo, Peoria & Western train M-EFEP (Manifest, Effner IL to E Peoria IL) rolls through El Paso, Secor, just west of Secor, Eureka and Cruger early afternoon Sunday, November 24, 2024. TPW 5015, RCPE 3481, TPW 5008 and TPW 3441 have 50 cars.   - David P. Jordan

I actually heard the horn from inside my house blowing for nearby crossings. At first, I thought it could be a TP&W train coming into town, so I checked that first. Nothing, so I headed east on I-74 and saw this set of four units approaching Deer Creek. I arrived Goodfield with perhaps a couple minutes to spare.    I'm unsure of the reason for four units on today's local.  CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway train D49 (Normal IL to E. Peoria IL) is shown rolling through Goodfield, Illinois mid-afternoon Friday enroute back to Good Yard in Normal. NS 7034, NS 6968, NS 1120 and NS 6972 had no cars.   - David P. Jordan

Union Pacific's LPD01 job leaves and departs Adams Street Yard in Peoria on July 1, 2024.   I hope the judge makes an example of these two clowns!   Union Pacific's LPD01 job was either going to or returning from Collier Yard to work the Keokuk Junction Railway and Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway interchanges. Damage to the locomotive explains why Adams Street Yard and the adjacent Low Line are still full of cars.    Peoria County Sheriff's Office Facebook Page:    Train Derailment Arrests Peoria County Incident #24-7190   (Peoria County, IL) - On Monday, November 18th, 2024, at approximately 3:00 pm, Peoria County Sheriff's Deputies were notified by the Bartonville Police Department of an incident where BPD officers had two males detained for derailing a train near the train crossing on Sanitation Rd (100 block) just outside of Bartonville. The Union Pacific Locomotive Engineer saw the males near the derailing device and called Bartonvil...

I would have missed this if I had my scanner off. I was westbound on I-74 short of the E. Washington Street exit when I heard a train announced to the St. Albans, VT dispatcher that it was clear of TZPR/TP&W property at Farmdale. I exited, and arrived the crossing in time for a brief glance down the NS Bloomington District in the distance. A flashing EOT on a CO2 tank car gave away what the chatter was all about. I took US 150 back east toward Morton and then got on I-74 to Goodfield where I waited.    Looks like NS 6369, the "GoRail" unit, is still cycling between Decatur and East Peoria.  CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway train D49 (Normal IL to E. Peoria IL turn) is shown rolling through Goodfield, Illinois on its return leg to Good Yard in Normal, Illinois late-afternoon Monday, November 18, 2024. NS 6963 ("GoRail" unit) and NS 6972 have 14 cars including a Caterpillar D11 track-type tractor load.   - David P. Jordan

Norfolk Southern's D49 was reported westbound at Deer Creek around 1300 hours Wednesday, so I knew there was a chance to see it in the other direction after work.   I first went to check the TZPR diesel shop area where IAIS 151 was on the Creve Coeur Team Track and a PESI-like train was positioned on the West Lead (I later learned that the actual PESI had departure a short time prior to my arrival; 151 took a potash train from Wesley later in the afternoon).   I then backtracked to the Cedar Street Extension and found the NS local in the A Yard short tracks. With no radio chatter indicating that its departure was imminent, I crossed the river.    I found BNSF's M-GALPEI waiting at Darst Street for intructions from the TZPR dispatcher. Shortly, I heard the NS local get permission to depart. As I prepared to leave my spot and cross the river, the BNSF crew asked the TZPR for permission to enter the property. Fortunately, the dispatcher told them to wait, givi...

Although Union Pacific's MPECL has been getting called earlier on its usual Tuesday and Friday runs, I still head that way after work to check in case of a delay. Driving I-474 westbound this afternoon, I happened to glace north toward Hilliards and noticed Canadian National's L557 local! So I turned around after crossing the river and waited for the train where it enters Pekin near Worley Lake.    The four empty BNSF flat cars must be returning to Caterpillar at Decatur for more machinery loads.  CAPTION: Canadian National Railway train L557 (Local, E. Peoria IL to Decatur IL) rolls along the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad double track mainline at Pekin, Illinois mid-afternoon Tuesday, November 12, 2024. CN 8937 and CN 5791 have 19 cars.   - David P. Jordan

I received a heads up and caught an empty northbound Union Pacific grain extra late this afternoon. I saw the information 30 minutes after the fact, but was already in downtown Peoria so I decided to head over to W. Farmington Road. The signal was green and I only waited but a few minutes before the train showed. Symbol is something like GSWWAZ or GSWWAC.  CAPTION: A northbound train of Union Pacific grain empties rolls across W. Farmington Road late-afternoon Saturday, November 9, 2024. UP 8730 and UP 8394 have 101 cars.   David P. Jordan

I went into East Peoria this afternoon to check on Iowa Interstate manifest PESI, which was expected to have IAIS 509 and IAIS 151 on the point, as well as NS 5174 for Des Moines. The train was sitting on the West Lead in East Peoria with lights on, but darkness fell before it left.   I did capture the Keokuk Junction Railway's East Peoria Turn on its return trip west. Seeing any train helps me deal with MPECL withdrawal... CAPTION: The Keokuk Junction Railway's East Peoria Turn is shown at Sanger Street in Peoria, Illinois on its return trip west shortly after 5:00pm Wednesday, November 6, 2024. Train just departed the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard.  LTEX 3010, PREX 2003 and LTEX 6437 have 28 cars. - David P. Jordan

Iowa Interstate's SIPE arrived Thursday night with 513 again. Friday, I learned that PESI was planned for Saturday afternoon, but 513 was still parked on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Creve Coeur Team Track as of late-afternoon. I did see a BioUrja Renewables LLC crew drop empties and pull loads from the South Yard in Peoria.   I made a vain attempt to reach S. Darst Street, hoping 932 was pulling, but then realized it was a short train (probably eleven cars) being shoved from the plant into the yard. The 932 came back, switched to the other siding (TP&W grain cars were on the main Riverside Track) and pulled 14 loads to the plant.  CAPTION: A BioUrja Renewables LLC crew using ADMX 932 pulls 14 corn loads from the South Yard in Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Saturday, November 2, 2024. Earlier, the 932 shoved empties into the South Yard. Incobrasa Industries cars are loaded at Inco Grain Ltd. in Goodland, Indiana.   - David P. Jordan