Peoria Station

The first trainload of wind farm components for Walnut Ridge Wind Farm in Bureau County arrived East Peoria early Monday. On Tuesday, they were unloaded.  A cut of 18 flat cars still loaded with Vestas wind turbine towers sits on track B-19 at the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard. As evidenced by towers sitting on the ground at left, many others had already been unloaded before I recorded this scene Tuesday afternoon, February 27, 2018.  - David P. Jordan

They're here... After being delayed four days by severe flooding at Watseka, Illinois, Union Pacific delivered a wind turbine components train to TP&W there Sunday evening.  A combined mixed freight and about 34 wind turbine tower loads arrived East Peoria early this morning. The cut of tower loads was still in TP&W’s East Peoria Yard this afternoon. The towers, destined for unloading at the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard, display Vestas markings. Vestas North America manufactures these at a Union Pacific-served plant just south of Pueblo, Colorado so it seems likely where the train originated. - David P. Jordan

For the first time in several years, wind turbine components will be arriving East Peoria by train.  The Walnut Ridge Wind Farm will erect up to 106 towers this fall between in Bureau County, Illinois. The Tazewell & Peoria Railroad (TZPR) is part of the logistics chain that will see components arrive on flat cars.  A large section of railroad property in East Peoria is being prepared for the project. Cranes are on site (see photo) that will be used to unload components from railcars and re-load them to specially-equipped trucks which will haul them to the construction site. In past years, the Toledo Peoria & Western Railway's East Peoria Yard has been used for this purpose. Sister TZPR's facilities must be a better fit for the latest local wind energy project, and a good indication that components will arrive on multiple carriers. UPDATE (Feb. 22) - The first wind turbine components train just departed Villa Grove, Illinois on the Union Paci...

The Pioneer Industrial Railway (PRY) began operations twenty years ago today, February 20.  On February 18, 1998, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Peoria, Ill.-based Pioneer Railcorp assumed the Peoria & Pekin Union Railway's contract with the City of Peoria and Village of Peoria Heights to operate the Peoria, Peoria Heights & Western Railroad.  PRY ran its first train on February 20. It was forced to vacate the line in August 2005 but returned in January 2008 when the federal Surface Transportation Board restored its operating rights. Part I covers the period from 1998 to 2004 when the City began its efforts to convert most of the PPH&W, or "Kellar Branch," into a recreational trail. When I get time to create it, Part II will focus on the legal fight with the City in 2004-2005 and the failure of rail service in 2006-2007 that led to PRY's restoration. Update (March 14, 2018):  I have sufficient material for three parts. Part III will conclude...

Last Friday evening, Union Pacific ran an MMCPR (Manifest, Mason City IA to Proviso IL) down the Peoria Subdivision. It ran an MMTPR (Manifest, Marshalltown IA to Proviso IL) last evening and another MMCPR this Friday evening. All three were enroute to the Alton & Southern Railway's Gateway Yard in East St. Louis, which is probably where these trains' traffic ends up anyway. I caught the latter two, and just after sunset managed to capture video of the latest MMCPR rolling under BNSF's Mendota Sub near Buda. UP motors 5374-5812-2475-5494-6792-5868 had 75 cars of agricultural traffic. Train stopped briefly for dispatcher radio chatter then resumed its journey. MPECL waited at Edelstein Siding for MMCPR's passage.    Word is that Union Pacific is experiencing a traffic meltdown at Proviso Yard (near Chicago), and is detouring or re-routing many trains to unplug the mess. I doubt the problem is anywhere close to being solved so expect more such ...

UPDATE: It has come to my attention, that United Suppliers sold its Henry plant to Unity Envirotech LLC last September. Changes to the post below reflect that information.  First the news the Peoria Journal Star didn't report... In October 2015, Arden Hills, Minnesota-based Land O'Lakes Inc. and Ames, Iowa-based United Suppliers combined their fertilizer and seed business. Two years later, on October 1, 2017, the combined business was re-branded as "Winfield United Crop Nutrients." Around September 21, United Suppliers sold its Henry plant to Unity Envirotech, LLC .  At least Peoria's "newspaper of advertisements, crime, politics, sports (and occasional records)" is reporting the expansion of Unity's Henry, Illinois plant and conversion from granular fertilizer manufacturing to ammonium nitrate production. In more good news, AgriSulfur LLC may build a sulfuric acid plant adjacent to the expanding Unity facility. That plant, if built,...

Time for more Transportation Q & A! Expect another PIA - A History post in the next couple of weeks. It will cover the 1973-1974 energy crisis and its effect on local airline service. Of course, there was aother drama, and that will be covered as well. Until then, feel free to post your questions in the comments section on any transportation topic. If I don't have an answer, I'll find one. - David P. Jordan