Peoria Station

Late this morning, I found BNSF's M-GALPEI sitting on the mainline short of Darst Street. I believe it had just arrived, but it did not appear to have a crew aboard. I could be wrong though. It is possible that the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard had no room, and M-GALPEI was waiting for Iowa Interstate's PESI to depart.   I did not stick around to find out, opting instead to chase PESI to a location with decent lighting, but ended up getting it several times between downtown Peoria and Chillicothe.    Today's PESI had a decent variety.    - 12 ADM mash empties - 1 industrial empty alcohol (UN 1170)* - 6 BRIX (Incobrasa Industries) soybean empties - 1 PTEX potash empty - 2 gondolas (CIGX/GBRX) that were likely iron oxide loads - 2 ADMX covered hoppers (probably corn germ or gluten meal empties) - 14 BRIX (Incobrasa Industries) soybean empties - 5 industrial alcohol loads (UN 1170) - 15 (various marks) dry fertilizer loads - 18 AD...

Saturday, I decided to drive along the TP&W as far as Effner, checking on recent infrastructure expansion.  Along the way, I noticed a CSX grain train on the Prairie Central Co-Op loop at Greenfield (just west of Chenoa) and found the three-track rail loop on Incobrasa Industries property extended on the south side, and possibly complete.  Lingering in Gilman, I noticed a westbound moving along the TP&W in the distant north. A closer looked confirmed that it was a run-through train of grain empties from CSX. I wasn't sure if a Hoosierlift crew was going to drop it between Gilman and La Hogue, but when I waited at the latter, it came by me at mainline speed. Good show!  After checking new siding construction on the TP&W at Effner, I returned west and encountered the Chenoa train just past Forrest, turned around and shot video in town.  CAPTION: On Saturday, August 30, 2025, the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway ran both a westbound empty CSX grain tr...

I was forced to work two hours over this afternoon, but this being a Thursday, I decided to hcheck on Union Pacific's MBNAS at Bloomington. The train had apparently departed just before I arrived. Amtrak 318, which MBNAS usually waits to pass before departure was running over an hour late, and had only just left Springfield. I figured the dispatcher instructed MBNAS to leave a little early and take a siding at McLean, Athol (Lincoln) or further south.    Green signal indications, however, told me that a southbound was already lined through Normal and Bloomington, so I headed south of I-55 and exited at McLean where the signal was still dark. That's when I learned of the CN local's activities in Pekin. So to ensure at least some of my time and gas wasn't wasted, I headed west on Rt. 136, and then followed the CN's Peoria Sub as best I could hoping for an encounter.    I ended up going all the way back to Pekin. I stopped at Hanna Drive and thought I saw a headlig...

Peoria Int'l Airport posted record last month! Passenger tally for July 2025 was 80,836, a 26 percent increase over July 2024. It was also the first time PIA handled more than 80,000 passengers in one month. Several local media sites are covering this story, albeit with nearly identical content. A WEEK-TV 25 story came to my attention first. It was no surprise that PIA posted a record in July. But traffic will be down in August due to seasonal cutbacks. It could be the best August ever, but it won't break any records.  That said, I have a challenge to the Metropolitan Airport Aurthority of Peoria: Release the data anyway. You don't have to break a record before providing monthly passenger traffic to the public.  - David P. Jordan 

I checked East Peoria this afternoon and found Norfolk Southern train D49 still in the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad yard building a train. Per radio chatter, the crew grabbed a cut on A-9 and doubled it to A-7 and then built air tested the train on A-27. It finally departed at 1652 hours, which required them to book it before hours of service expired at 1800. It is possible they did not quite make it.    Norfolk Southern's D49 train seems to make an East Peoria turn at least twice a week, though days may vary. Today's train had the usual Caterpillar tractors, wire rod, alcohol, CO2 refrigerated liquid, corn germ and plastic pellets. Not only TZPR, but IMRR, KJRY and likely IAIS (ADM corn germ) traffic is represented.  CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway train D49 (Normal IL to E. Peoria Turn) departs the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad in East Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Tuesday, August 26, 2025 on its return leg to Good Yard in Normal. A short time later, the train i...

I shot these scenes from shortly after 4:00pm to shortly after 5:00pm on Sunday afternoon. This is probably the busiest period of the day for the Peoria International Airport. United Express added a fifth daily Peoria to Chicago-O'Hare roundtrip on August 20 and re-arranged its schedule. Allegiant Air has reduced weekly departures from 28 to 18 this month due to seasonal demand, but should ramp up schedules late this year.  CAPTION: Six airliner operations at the Peoria Int'l Airport late-afternoon Sunday, August 24, 2025. All arrivals and departures used Runway 31. American Eagle Flight 5397 from Charlotte (CRJ900) United Express Flight 4411 to Chicago-O'Hare (CRJ550) United Express Flight 5874 from Chicago-O'Hare (CRJ200) Allegiant Air Flight 1097 to St. Petersburg FL (Airbus A-319) American Eagle Flight 5494 to Dallas/Ft. Worth (CRJ900) American Eagle Flight 5187 to Charlotte (CRJ900) - David P. Jordan 

I checked the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard enroute to the downtown library this afternoon, and came across this train already talking to the dispatcher for instructions.    I never made it to the library.   A section of Wesley Road is closed on either side of the crossing at Wesley East, so the first spot for video was Hilliards. Although a short train with nothing spectacular for power or consist (the usual gluten feed/meal/DDGS/alcohol from Alto Pekin plants), I decided to shoot another scene in downtown Pekin and then check if any local switching needed to be done at Amerhart Ltd. or Hanna Steel Corp.    Turns out, L557 stopped across Hanna Drive to pull three coil steel empties from Hanna Steel. I waited at 5th Street near South Pekin for a third scene.  CAPTION: Canadian National Railway train L557 (Local, E. Peoria IL to Decatur IL) is shown  at Hilliards (Creve Coeur), Illinois  rolling along the Tazewell &...

Past experience told me I had time, but I didn't.   I caught the tail end of an empty northbound Union Pacific grain extra as I drove under Harmon Highway (Rt. 116) Kickapoo Creek Road early this afternoon. I ended up going into town, getting onto westbound I-74 and noticing the train still on the double track either stopped or stalled. So I made my way to Alta Road and then Radnor, only to see it rolling north of Pioneer. I turned around and got to the Alta Road crossing just in time. Wrong side of the tracks, but with the high sun, it probably didn't matter much.  CAPTION: An empty northbound Union Pacific grain extra races across Alta Road on Peoria, Illinois' northwest side early afternoon Sunday, August 17, 2025. UP 5724, UP 6303 and UP 6825 lead 112 Sterling-bound cars. - David P. Jordan

After I left the downtown library, I checked to see if BNSF's M-PEIGAL was in the East Peoria Yard, but could not find it. I did notice a headlight down toward Iowa Junction so I circled back via I-474 and found a couple of orange geeps on the point of a covered hopper train waiting at Kickapoo Yard (with the train stretched into Bartonville). Shortly, the crew asked for permission from Iowa Junction to the East Lead.   The first 28 cars are probably phosphate empties returning to Florida via TP&W and CSX. The 26 loads are some kind of dry bulk fertilizer, possibly urea. These could be going to the Iowa Interstate, TP&W or both.  CAPTION: The Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Lead 2 rolls by Darst Street in Peoria, Illinois early evening Friday, August 15, 2025. TPW 5010 and IMRR 2108 have 54 cars (28 empties/26 loads). Dry fertilizer loads and empties were pulled from Mosaic Crop Nutrition LLC, located south of Bartonville.   - David P. Jordan

Since TP&W pulled an empty herbicide tank car from Fort Transfer at Morton late-Monday night, I figured it might be on Canadian National's L557 today.    It was not.   I doubt TP&W delivered the car to the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad in time for it to make L557's Tuesday run. I could be wrong because I did not see that the CN train that day.   Thursday's train was short, but the empty gondola is encouraging, indicating CN is originating scrap metal for Liberty Steel & Wire Co. again.   CAPTION: Canadian National Railway train L557 (Local, E. Peoria IL to Decatur IL) rolls along the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad double track Pekin main at Hilliards (Creve Coeur), Illinois at sunset Thursday, August 14, 2025. CN 8830, CN 5654, CN 8920 and CN 2313 have eight cars. - David P. Jordan

In July and through the first full week of August, it seemed like Norfolk Southern was running its weekday, Good Yard-based local to East Peoria Tuesdays and either Thursday or Friday. But with this second full week in August, they have operated so far on Monday and Wednesday. If they do it on Friday, I'll start to believe NS is trying to provide service to the TZPR interchange three times a week. Perhaps crews are now available to operate D32 and D36 between Decatur and Normal more frequently?  CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway train D49 (Normal IL to E. Peoria IL Turn) is shown on its return leg to Good Yard in Normal, Illinois late-afternoon Wednesday, August 13, 2025. First scene is at Main Street as it moves from Tazewell & Peoria RR to TP&W property at P&PU Junction in East Peoria. Shortly, it is shown on home rails after ducking under TP&W's Farmdale Trestle. NS 7035 has NS 5194, enroute from Des Moines to Decatur for its 92-day inspection, and 26 cars...

When I exited westbound I-74 toward E. Washington Street this afternoon, I happened to notice Norfolk Southern's D49 local power and cars behind it. I wasn't expecting to see it on Monday, but perhaps more Liberty Steel & Wire traffic is requiring more frequent East Peoria runs.    I hope so.    D49 used to make the East Peoria trip to interchange with the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad five days a week. Of course, Decatur-Normal connecting locals D32/D36 used to cycle daily, but apparently do not anymore for lack of crews.    Today's train had the usual plastic pellet traffic from the Illinois & Midland RR, coiled wire rod, steepwater, alcohol and carbon dioxide refrigerated liquid loads from the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad and coil steel empties from Iowa Interstate. The truck coil springs on the four AEX covered hoppers were open, i. e. empty. Makes me wonder if The Andersons (AEX) Clymers, Indiana ethanol plant is routing DDGS/Mash to t...

The year 2002 marked PIA's return to the top as Central Illinois' busiest passenger air facility. As soon as 2003 dawned, however, threats of service cuts increased as the airline industry reeled from a shaky economy, financial losses, terror threats and new regulations. The year offered a lot of drama, so I'll analyze each carrier's service and end with a bright spot which continues to the present day. AMERICAN CONNECTION (Trans States Airlines) Having been relegated to secondary status (i. e., not part of the American Eagle network), former TW Express carrier Trans States Airlines was limited to providing "American Connection" feeder service to American Airlines' St. Louis hub.  American Airlines' rationale for acquiring TWA was in part to gain a reliever hub to Chicago-O'Hare, which had a cap placed on flights during the tumultuous summer of 2000. American's idea may have worked if not for 9-11 and the subsequent air travel slumps. Cutbacks ...

I left work this afternoon for the downtown library but first checked East Peoria for any rail action. No Norfolk Southern D49, but BNSF's M-PEIGAL was in the yard. I soon heard some radio chatter that told me the Keokuk Junction Railway's Kolbe-East Peoria Turn had been given permission to run the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad from Iowa Junction to East Peoria. But after crossing the river, I saw it about to enter Bridge Junction. Apparently, the train was already enroute or I took longer to get across the river than I thought. Oh well, the train had only six cars.    Not long afterward, I heard the BNSF crew ask for head room to grab cars from Track A-27. That told me I had time to go to the library (and get copies of those articles I posted for today's THIS DAY IN HISTORY). I left the library early to check on the BNSF train. About 1730 hours, the crew asked permission to depart for Darst Street. Minutes laterm the KJRY crew asked to follow the BNSF train. So I crosse...

When I left work this afternoon, I knew Canadian National's L557 local might still be at the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard. So I exited I-474 at Rt. 29 in Creve Coeur and made my way to Wesley Road. I caught the tail end of a northbound at the crossing. I immediately knew this could be the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Industry Job returning from Pekin, and it was. TZPR 1521 had eleven cars - all loads from Alto and one of the CO2 processors.    I could not confirm whether the CN local had left or not. I could not see it from the Cedar Street Extension so I went to the downtown library. I later learned that the CN local was working industries at Pekin before 5:00pm, indicating that it probably left East Peoria after the TZPR local's arrival.  CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad Industry Job has nearly completed its run from Pekin as it passes Wesley East in Creve Coeur, Illinois mid-afternoon Thursday, August 7, 2025. TZPR 1521 has eleve...

I had just parked at the downtown library when I heard the horn, so I got back in my car and investigated. I was surprised to see IMRR 2108 pulled an empty steel coil car and two tank cars. All three had apparently been left at the Limit Yard by a recent Iowa Interstate train.    The TZPR crew had already switched BioUrja's Alcohol Tracks, so it was only a matter of adding the three cars to 17 in the West Yard before crossing the river into East Peoria. But first, they had to wait for a BNSF coal train to cross the river and head toward Crescent Yard.    I've never seen them do it, but I understand ballast cars are loaded on the main between South and Cass streets in Peoria (the last scene in the video). Years ago, probably in 2002, I watched a P&PU switcher with three ballast cars wait at the ADM South Yard while ballast was being loaded. Apparently, the present location was determined sometime after the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad began leasing P&PU...

After striking out last Tuesday, I was able to catch Norfolk Southern's D49 local this afternoon. The empties were STSX (Primient) corn syrup tank cars on the rear.  CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway Train D49 (Normal IL to E. Peoria IL Turn) departs the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad in East Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Tuesday, August 5, 2025. NS 7034 and NS 6923 have 29 cars (22 loads, 7 empties). Note two Caterpillar D10 track-type tractor loads. - David P. Jordan

After leaving the downtown library this evening, I just missed an Illinois & Midland Railroad transfer turn from Powerton. I also noticed that BNSF's M-PEIGAL was in one of the A Yard tracks. Three ex-BNSF GEs, recently NS-owned with KCS letting and sold to Relco of Albia, Iowa, were in the consist. When I learned that Iowa Interstate's SIPE was by Sparland, I decided to go after that before dark. I'm glad I did because I doubt the BNSF train or the IMRR train would have departed before dark.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) rolls along Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Uptown Division at Fairholm Avenue in Peoria, Illinois early evening Monday, August 4, 2025. IAIS 501 and IAIS 150 have 68 cars.   - David P. Jordan

I left work this afternoon with some hope that Norfolk Southern's D49 local would still be in East Peoria. Thursday, I noticed a couple strings of cars in the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's yard that looked like NS outbound traffic (wire rod loads from Liberty Steel & Wire being one clue). Sure enough, when I drove by the north end of the yard, two NS motors were on the point of a healthy-looking train.    Notable traffic included twelve wire rod loads from Liberty Steel & Wire and 17 plastic pellet loads from the Illinois & Midland RR. The four AEX-marked covered hoppers were the empties.  CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway Train D49 (Normal IL to E. Peoria IL Turn) is shown departing the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad in East Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Friday, August 1, 2025. NS 7034 and NS 6923 have 53 cars (49 loads/4 empties). While waiting for the NS train's departure, I kept hearing radio chatter indicating a BNSF freight was in the yard wa...