Peoria Station

I've caught this train ten times since I first noticed Ozinga Cement Co's barge-rail-truck terminal being put up at the lower end of the old Peoria Barge Terminal property in early November. On January 12, I noticed five OZIX empties on M-GALPEI, and started to wonder if these were for the new local facility or Harsco at Powerton.   Here's my reasoning: I saw Norfolk Southern D49 departing East Peoria on July 15, 2025 with a block of eight loaded twin bay covered hoppers - the middle four had OZIX markings - but this was before Ozinga's local terminal opened. Ozinga must be a customer for the granulated slag Harsco processes from coal ash, and it would make sense for the company to supply its own rolling stock for these shipments.   But since the local Ozinga facility opened last November, I've been trying to figure out what commodity(s) is handled, whether traffic is inbound, outbound or both and possible destinations. It became clear since January that BNSF w...

I have no problem with O'Brien Steel Service Co's plans, but I'm curious why it wants to relocate the crane system and steel storage area. Whatever the reason, it ties into the continued disuse of the 550 feet of Kellar Branch the City transferred to the firm in 2023. It appears that no one at these meetings is aware of that recent history. WCBU had a story posted on its website yesterday.  - David P. Jordan

After crossing the river on Interstate 474, I heard the Canadian National local crew get a warrant from IC Junction south (probably to Mount Pulaski). I figured the train had just departed East Peoria, so I turned around. It was passing Hilliards when I got back across the river. Train had a scrap metal load, alcohol loads and some ADM grain product loads from the Iowa Interstate.  CAPTION: Canadian National Railway train L557 (Local, E. Peoria IL to Decatur IL) rolls along the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad as it enters Pekin, Illinois late-afternoon Tuesday, April 7, 2026. CN 3192 left East Peoria with 30 cars, and added three empties from Hanna Steel. Other scenes are at IC Junction in Pekin and at Hanna Drive. Final scene is at Fifth Street near South Pekin.   - David P. Jordan

After work, I caught this TP&W-CN grain extra rolling east through Secor, so I set up at El Paso and again at Gridley.  I had my camera set to "Auto," which unfortunately suffers from an object at the 1080 setting. I usually shoot 4k, so I switched it for the runby at Gridley.    TP&W-served elevators at Cruger (Grainland Farmers) and Chenoa (Prairie Central Cooperative) have loaded unit trains for BNSF, Canadian National, CSX, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific, all with run-through power. With this TP&W-CN train, I've now caught all five.  CAPTION: A Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway crew assembled a grain at Grainland Farmers' Cruger, Illinois elevator mid-afternoon Monday, April 6, 2026 and departed east for Gilman, Illinois where the train will be handed off to Canadian National Railway. Video locations are El Paso and Gridley. CN 2665 and CN 3978 have 113 cars.   - David P. Jordan

I knew it was coming, so I went after it.    First three covered hoppers were loads, gondola empty, four more covered hoppers loaded, another empty gondola, three more loaded covered hoppers, a tank car that was loaded (probably animal fat for TP&W). The first five of the last ten - all covered hoppers - were loaded. The empty gondolas are likely in steel billet service, returning to Norfolk Southern.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) rolls by the Illinois Valley Yacht Club entrance early evening Saturday, April 4, 2026. Shortly, IAIS 517 dropped its 23 cars in the North Limit Yard. Plan was to proceed engine lite across the river to Wesley and grab potash empties after which it will depart as PEDAV (Peoria IL to Davenport IA).   - David P. Jordan