Iowa Interstate SIPE/PESI, BNSF M-PEIGAL, BioUrja Ind'l Critter 5-24-25

This morning, I learned that the Iowa Interstate was running an SIPE and PESI today, with the former already enroute. So I waited until it was closer to my area and was able to intercept after it had gone through Chillicothe. Short train, but with a little variety, including empty dry bulk fertilizer cars for TZPR (or TP&W) and a scrap metal load that is presumably consigned to Liberty Steel & Wire Co.

CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) is shown late-morning to early-afternoon Saturday, May 24, 2025. Scenes are at Mossville and San Koty on the Peoria Sub, then at the North Limit Yard, Alexander Street and South Street on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Uptown Division. IAIS 150 and IAIS 151 have 33 cars.

 

After getting back into Peoria, radio chatter indicated that BNSF's M-PEIGAL was building a train in the East Peoria Yard, and that it and TZPR's Lead 2 had to look out for the Iowa Interstate train. Sure enough, the BNSF merchandise train departed in mid-afternoon with a healthy train along with five ex-NS units bound for Relco at Albia, Iowa.

 

Among notables in the consist, the empty covered coil steel car must be a misroute "turned" back west. Eight iron oxide loads in BNSF steel hoppers indicate growing traffic from WSP's TP&W-served Clymers, Indiana plant. 

 

(This being the 53rd anniversary of the fatal Maquon head-on, I might have elected to shoot the train there as well, but I wanted to catch the Iowa Interstate's PESI leaving town.) 

CAPTION: BNSF Railway train M-PEIGAL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Galesburg IL) is shown crossing the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Illinois River Bridge into Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Saturday, May 24, 2025. The whole train is shown approaching home rails at S. Darst Street, rolling across W. Farmington Road and then from the new (2023) overpass at Edwards. BNSF 5475 and BNSF 8244 have Albia, Iowa-bound (for Relco) NS 3949, NS 3924, NS 3950, NS 4446 and NS 3932, and 68 cars (40 loads, 28 empties). Note the depressed-center flat car. 

A problem with a derail delayed PESI's departure, but I was (and several other railfans, mostly from Indiana) treated to a movement on BioUrja Renewables LLC's Riverside Track. ADMX 932, unchanged from its former owner, pulled ten TP&W corn loads from South Yard to the distillery. 

 

CAPTION: BioUrja Renewables LLC assumed ownership of Archer Daniels Midland Co's Peoria, Illinois distillery and associated industrial trackage, i. e. the Riverside Track and South Yard. ADMX 932, unchanged from when it worked for its former owner, pulled ten corn loads from South Yard late-afternoon Saturday, May 24, 2025.

 

Finally, in late-afternoon, Iowa Interstate's PESI train left East Peoria, and I chased it to San Koty. 

CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) is shown late-afternoon Saturday, May 24, 2025 crossing the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Illinois River Bridge, then going by Chicago Street, both the old (1900) and new (1967) Rock Island depots and the North Limit Yard in Peoria, Illinois. On home rails at San Koty, the whole train is shown with IAIS 151 and IAIS 150 leading 69 cars (18 loads, 51 empties).

 

- David P. Jordan