Peoria Station

When I left work this afternoon, I already knew Norfolk Southern's D49 local had arrived and departed, so I took I-474 to Peoria and went up SW Adams to find BNSF's M-GALPEI, the third turn this week, just getting permission to enter Tazewell & Peoria Railroad property at Darst Street.    Sometime in late-April this year, M-GALPEI/M-PEIGAL changed from a Monday/Thursday pattern to Monday/Friday. There are still two or three days in between runs. No real difference. But I wondered if this new routine might signal a future increase in frequency, i. e., three instead of two weekly cycles. Although BNSF has occasionally operated a third weekly cycle in the past, I see no reason to do so on a regular basis unless there is a significant increase in traffic, or a company-wide change in operations strategy.    I can't confirm whether this week's Wednesday run was the beginning of increased service or a fluke. I did not see the train itself, but BNSF 9100 and BNSF 67...

I heard radio chatter about a Keokuk Junction Railway train, though I could not confirm whether it had just arrived the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard or was about to depart. I did, however, catch Canadian National Railway's L557 local leaving on the south end.    A contractor (L. B. Foster, I think) is replacing crossties on Main 2 at Hilliards, so L557 used Main 1 instead. The conductor rode the steps on the lead unit as it passed track equipment. Given the train's glacial passage, I decided on a second try just south of IC Junction in downtown Pekin.    The train did not stop in town to pick up any local cars for Amerhart or Hanna Steel, though it may have had empties to pull from Hanna Steel, which they might switch on the train's rear end.  CAPTION: Canadian National Railway train L557 (Local, E. Peoria IL to Decatur IL) rolls gingerly on Main 1 of the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Pekin doubletrack at Hilliards (Creve Coeur), I...

No sign of Norfolk Southern's D49 local on any late-afternoon this week. It must be turning early. I assume that it has come up to East Peoria at least once this week. I did, however, catch BNSF 9100 and BNSF 6728 at the north end of the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard, having just dropped an inbound train (M-GALPEI).   I could only glance at the yard as I drove the Cedar Street Extension, but the consist appeared to have been on A-41. Shortly, they received permission to cross W. Washington Street and then run down the Nickel Plate. I did not see whether they tied up on the Creve Coeur Team Track or coupled to M-PEIGAL and went west. When I checked again around 6:00pm, lighting was too blinding to really see much.    We know M-GALPEI/M-PEIGAL already turned here on Monday, and the next regular cycle is usually Friday (unless late, like last week when Friday's train ran just after sunrise on Saturday). Perhaps they had sufficient traffic to run on We...

After work, I made my usual trip to the downtown library, with appropriate detours.   After exiting I-74 in East Peoria, I noticed what I thought might be a Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway train preparing to shove a few tank cars out of the west end of the yard and run Norfolk Southern's Bloomington District to Crandall Junction and then into Morton. Turns out, it was probably just a short train returning from Collier Yard in Bartonville.   Shortly, I heard the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad dispatcher give BNSF's M-GALPEI permission to enter his property at Darst Street when river traffic cleared and the bridge was lowered. That gave me time to get to Krause Avenue in time to capture the train's passage.  CAPTION: BNSF Railway train M-GALPEI (Manifest, Galesburg IL to Peoria IL) has just entered Tazewell & Peoria Railroad property at Darst Street in Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Monday, September 22, 2025. BNSF 7167 and BNSF 6748 have 30 cars for the Eas...

Chris Setti, director for the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council, posted this on Friday . "There are six Class 1 railroads in the United States (defined as having more than a billion dollars in annual revenue). These are the “big guys” that crisscross America, hauling millions of pounds of goods. All six have tracks in Illinois and four are present in greater Peoria (Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, BNSF, and Canadian Pacific). Did you know that only one “shortline” railroad connects all six of them? That shortline is Iowa Interstate Railroad, and we are fortunate to have them helping out farmers and industries right here in our region. In Greater Peoria the Iowa Interstate starts on the northside of the City of Peoria, heads north to Henry, and joins up with their main track that runs all the way to Omaha. I recently had the opportunity to meet with Jim Bowman, their Economic Development Director, to begin exploring how we could develop industrial properties along their ...

I left home earlier than usual Saturday morning. It was fortunate that I did because I came across BNSF's M-GALPEI, which was a day late. A contractor is replacing cross ties on the north end of the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard so the BNSF train pulled down the Pekin double track at Wesley, shoved along Wesley 8 and into yard track A-39. I did not stick around to see if they made up M-PEIGAL and departed but assume that they did.  CAPTION: BNSF Railway train M-GALPEI (Manifest, Galesburg IL to Peoria IL) enters Tazewell & Peoria Railroad property at Darst Street in Peoria, Illinois Saturday morning, September 20, 2025. BNSF 7586 and BNSF 7705 have 43 cars. Shortly after the BNSF train crossed the river, the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's "Lead 2" job dragged 40 cars that were left by the Iowa Interstate at the North Limit Yard (a common practice with East Peoria is full). It too had to pull down the double track main and shove into ...

Most of today's delivery to the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard is for Norfolk Southern, so if I see D49 later this week, I expect to see these cars again... CAPTION: The Keokuk Junction Railway's East Peoria Turn is shown at Sanger Street in Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Tuesday, September 16, 2025. LTEX 6437, PREX 2003 and LTEX 3010 has 25 cars.   - David P. Jordan

I just happened to notice the tail end of Norfolk Southern train D49 at Farmdale Switch in East Peoria, so I turned around and set up at Deer Creek and again at Carlock for video. Notice today's train has the same number of cars (23) as Wednesday's. 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 mid- to late-afternoon Friday, September 12, 2025. Scenes are at Deer Creek and Carlock. NS 4411, NS 7111 and NS 7034 have 23 cars.   - David P. Jordan

I checked the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard this afternoon after work, but did not see Norfolk Southern power anywhere, so after I had crossed the river was suprised to hear them get permission to depart. I was able to get back across the river and set up along Farmdale Road for video.  CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway train D49 (Local, Normal IL to E. Peoria Turn) is shown rolling out of East Peoria, Illinois on the return leg to Good Yard in Normal late-afternoon Wednesday, September 10, 2025. NS 7034 and NS 6972 have 23 cars. Just before hearing the NS crew get permission to depart, the Keokuk Junction Railway local asked for permission to leave. The dispatcher told them they would have to wait on the bridge (and I assume river traffic), so I went after the NS. When I returned to Peoria, I decided to check Collier Yard. No sign of the KJRY. I don't know if they had already left or not, as sometimes they run straight through Bartonville without worki...

I was stuck at work until 3:00pm today but learned that a Norfolk Southern extra (D09) had been called to fetch 53 grain loads from the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad in East Peoria. In late-summer, local grain elevators empty their silos to prepare for the harvest, thus unusual movements like this.     ADM Grain Co's Hilliards (Creve Coeur) elevator loaded these cars during the past week. The elevator can only handle 25 (or so) at a time, so TZPR had to pull one cut and spot more and combine them. I noticed what was probably part of the train sitting on the Nickel Plate on Thursday. Given the train's length, I am assuming it is consigned to an ADM plant in Decatur.  CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Train D09 (Bloomington District Extra) rolls between Deer Creek and Goodfield, Illinois mid-afternoon on September 6, 2025, a rare Saturday run out of East Peoria. NS 7561 and NS 9747 have 53 cars loaded at ADM Grain's Hilliards, Illinois elevator.   - David P. Jorda...

After work, I went into East Peoria hoping to see Norfolk Southern's D49 local leaving for Normal. Before I had a chance to check the TZPR yard, I heard the horn, and saw D49 approaching the E. Washington Street crossing. I decided to set up east of the Farmdale Trestle for video.    I liked the results.  CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway train D49 (Local, Normal IL to E. Peoria IL) rolls under the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway's Farmdale Trestle on the east edge of East Peoria, Illinois on its way back to Good Yard in Normal mid-afternoon Friday, September 5, 2025. NS 4486, NS 6085 and NS 3277 have 46 cars. Shortly after the NS local came into view, I learned that a TP&W eastbound was approaching Washington. I calculated that I had time to bag the NS local and then head east to capture the TP&W train.  CAPTION: The Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway's eastbound M-train, sometimes called "M-EPEF," rolls by Grainland Farmers' Cruger, Illinois ...

I just missed its departure yesterday. How rare is it to be able to capture the same train the next day?   Shortly after arriving home this afternoon, I learned that D49 was still in the Farmdale area. I did not want to risk missing it by driving I-74 or Rt. 150 into East Peoria and then backtracking to Farmdale, I decided to wait at Crandall.   I made the right move. The train came by just before 4:00pm.    After tying up at Farmdale Road due to hours of service by Wednesday evening, I assumed the crew would finish its trip first thing Thursday morning. I'm not sure why they waited until afternoon. It was probably because they either used D32's power to perform local work in Bloomington-Normal this morning, and only had time to work Wednesday's East Peoria train in the afternoon.  CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway local D49 (Normal IL to E. Peoria IL Turn) is shown rolling across the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway's Morton Industrial Spur at Crand...