Peoria Station

I finally caught a TZPR local with OZIX twin-bay covered hoppers. All eleven were empty, so they must be spotted at the new Ozinga Cement Co facility here for loading, at least with these.  CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local rolls toward Iowa Junction and Kickapoo Yard late-afternoon Friday, January 30, 2026. TPW 2056 has 13 cars, all but two of which are empty OZIX twin-bay covered hoppers for Ozinga Cement Co's new transfer facility on BioUrja Renewables LLC's Riverside Track.   - 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

I got a surprise on my way to the downtown library this afternoon.   Radio chatter indicated that BNSF's M-GALPEI had arrived, and a string of cars on one of the Long Tracks looked like a good candidate for it. Other radio chatter indicated, however, that another train was asking for permission to depart Iowa Junction (Peoria) for the East Lead in East Peoria, which I later realized was TP&W's EP2 job. But priority was given to Union Pacific's Peoria Wayfreight, or LPD01, which was monstrous at 72 cars. I shot it coming across the river and again as it near home rails at S. Darst Street. One thing for sure, Tuesday's MPECL will be an unusually large train...   (BNSF power tied up on the team track, so M-PEIGAL will grab two more units brought in by NS last week before heading west later, possibly tomorrow morning.) CAPTION: Union Pacific's "Peoria Wayfreight," LPD01, rolls across the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Illinois River Bridge enr...

This afternoon proved to be busy.    When I reached East Peoria, I heard the TZPR 1521 ask permission to leave the diesel shop for the yard as Industry 4. Within minutes, TZPR 1351 received permission from Iowa Junction to the East Peoria Yard. This train, probably Industry 2, left Kickapoo Yard with three scrap metal loads. Only minutes after that, IMRR 43 left the West Yard for East Peoria with a dozen cars (five alcohol loads, the rest corn syrup empties and buffer cars). CAPTION: Two Tazewell & Peoria Railroad locals are shown approaching Bridge Junction in Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Friday, January 17, 2025. TZPR 1351 came first at Sanger Street, and was enroute from Kickapoo Yard to East Peoria with three scrap metal loads. Within minutes, IMRR 43 crossed Leland Street enroute from the West Yard to East Peoria with 12 cars. I heard TZPR 1521 (Industry 4) get permission to leave with 21 loads for ADM Grain Co's Wesley Road dock (still called "CID") bu...

I left work for the downtown library as usual this afternoon, but knew to check on the Iowa Interstate's PESI. The carrier brought SIPE into town late Sunday evening on SD38-2s 150 and 151 so I figured PESI would leave this afternoon.  I was correct. But minutes after the Iowa Interstate crew received permission to depart the West Lead for the North Limit Yard, the Keokuk Junction Railway's local (unofficially the "East Peoria Turn") asked for permission to run from Iowa Junction to East Peoria. I knew I should get the KJRY first.  Looks like most of the train was loaded with corn from Sciota. The two ALAB covered hoppers might contain corn germ for Norfolk Southern or corn screenings for Alto ICP at Pekin.  CAPTION: The Keokuk Junction Railway's East Peoria Turn is shown in Peoria, Illinois rolling along the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad toward the Illinois River Bridge and East Peoria mid-afternoon Monday, January 13, 2025. LTEX 3836, PREX 2003 and LTEX 3010...