TZPR Industry 2, Union Pacific Grain MTs and MPECL 5-9-25

Friday was my birthday so I took a vacation day and spent the day looking for action that I would not normally see. 

 

The Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Industry 2 job soon became the focus of my attention, as evidenced by 32 minutes of footage!

CAPTION: The Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's "Industry 2" Job works the Uptown Division between Bridge Junction and the North Limit Yard in Peoria, Illinois on May 9, 2025. TZPR 1352 left East Peoria with 18 cars - four empty flats for Komatsu America Corp. plant, six corn syrup loads, a sodium gluconate empty and sodium hydroxide solution load for PMP Fermentation Products, two empty alcohol and three possible distillers corn oil empties (or buffer cars) for BioUrja Renewables LLC. A tank car between the last two cars for PMP appears to have used as a buffer. Train pulled one chassis load and an empty BNSF flat car from Komatsu and five corn syrup empties from PMP. Last scene shows the train across the river after switching BioUrja, where six cars were added to make 14 for the return leg. IAIS 719 shows up in Limit Yard scenes.

 

I was aware of other activity in the area, including an empty Union Pacific grain extra at South Pekin that would be heading north sometime in the afternoon. I nearly missed it, and after committing to capturing it on video, I ended up going to just north of Edelstein. This was much further than I intended, but I got it. 

CAPTION: A northbound Union Pacific train of grain empties rolls by W. County Line Road just north of the Edelstein Siding mid-afternoon Friday, May 9, 2025. Bound for Rock River Lumber & Grain at Sterling, Illinois, UP 2666, UP 8422 and UP 7687 have 112 cars.

 

I dont normally see Union Pacific's MPECL due to an earlier call time, but today it was late, departing well after 4:00pm. I captured it at my favorite spot - W. Farmington Road. 

CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by W. Farmington Road near Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Friday, May 9, 2025. UP 5565 and UP 7986 have 36 cars.

 

- David P. Jordan