Peoria Station

When I saw Union Pacific's MPECL was gone from its usual spot adjacent Adams Street Yard in Peoria this afternoon, I figured it had already departed. Rather, I quickly learned that the short train was sitting further up the Low Line in a convenient spot for the crew to board.  But a Texas-bound BNSF corn shuttle loaded at Grainland Co-Operative's Cruger elevator just west of Eureka was making its way west out of town, so I waited for it at West Farmington Road. It sure is good to see so many Cascade Green cars! CAPTION:  A BNSF grain shuttle rolls by W. Farmington Road near Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Tuesday, January 31, 2023. BNSF 9127 has 112 corn loads from TP&W-served Grainland Co-op at Cruger. BNSF 6947 and GECX 4782 bring up the rear. Twenty minutes later, the Union Pacific train showed up. Disappointingly short, but why miss it when you're already on location? Of course, it almost looked like Norfolk Southern local D49 wanted to explore the west... CAPTION: ...

I  didn't have to wait long for MPECL's departure this afternoon. When I swung by Adams Street Yard, I could tell the crew was already aboard and the EOT already flashing.  Today's train had a block of ten boxcars near the head end, and two more near the rear. All twelve are likely loaded with locomotive wheels from Amsted Industries' Griffin Wheel Div. at Keokuk, Iowa. A couple of TILX-marked covered hoppers were unusual.  CAPTION: Union Pacific MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls under Rt. 116/Harmon Highway shortly after departing Adams Street Yard in Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Friday, January 27, 2023. UP 7828 has 41 cars.   - David P. Jordan

I've now captured movements of all nine active common carriers in the area.  Canadian National Railway's L556 local apparently hog-lawed well before reaching Pekin last night. IC 1000 and FXE 4042 were on the point of a loaded feed train for BNSF, however, and power tied up on the Creve Coeur Team Track. So late this morning, CN's L557 crew went on duty to finish up L556's work, grab the feed train power and take the outbound train south.  The southbound train had typical traffic, though two loaded tank cars lacking haz-mat placards have me scratching my head. Both marked MTFX (Midwest Railcar), they have white ends. Three BIMX hoppers on the rear were scrap metal empties from Liberty Steel & Wire.  CAPTION: Canadian National Railway local L557 (E. Peoria IL to Decatur IL) rolls along the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Pekin mainline late afternoon Tuesday, January 24, 2023. GTW 5937, CN 5622, FXE 4042 and IC 1000 have 36 cars. Locations are at Hilliards (Cre...

While waiting for the Union Pacific's MPECL to depart, I caught the Keokuk Junction Railway's East Peoria Turn rolling by. it was my first encounter for the year. The gondola was loaded, and could be for the Iowa Interstate.  CAPTION: The Keokuk Junction Railway's Kolbe-East Peoria Turn is shown running on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Southern Division at Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Friday, January 20, 2023. CEFX 2014 and CEFX 2022 have twelve cars for TZPR's East Peoria Yard. I was abe to capture the Union Pacific train a short time later. The train had alcohol loads, carbon dioxide refrigerated liquid, wire rod, wheels and a few other commodities. A train of mostly empties should not have had the problem climbing Pioneer Hill. Strangely, a lot of empties were placed on the head end, with some of the heaviest loads near the rear.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL rolls by Milepost 80 minutes after leaving Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Friday, Janua...

I tried a slightly different location for the first scene. I think it works best without overcast, but is definitely an afternoon shot.  Today's train had nothing out of the unusual, and was disappointingly short, but did have some variety. Placarded tank cars were two industrial alcohols (UN 1170), three beverage alcohols (UN 3065) and one industrial alcohol bringing (UN 1170) up the rear. CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) is shown rolling under Harmon Highway (Rt. 116) shortly after leaving Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Tuesday, January 17, 2023. Minutes later, it entered the double track at Pottstown. UP 8324 and UP 6271 have 27 cars.   - David P. Jordan

Better late than never... Sunday afternoon, I sat by BNSF's Chillicothe Sub and short video of eight of the ten trains I saw in a two-hour period.  Although this line doesn't serve the Peoria-Pekin Industrial District, it does pass through the metro area, and has been the region's busiest line for well over a century. So it is definitely included in local rail operations and history.  CAPTION: Eight trains in two hours at Princeville, Illinois on BNSF Railway's Chillicothe Subdivision, early afternoon Sunday, January 15, 2023. Highlights include a westbound vehicle train, Union Pacific's Z-G4CI and a westbound BNSF baretable train. - David P. Jordan

I missed SIPE this morning, but was already downtown when I received a heads up that PESI had left East Peoria.  It was good to finally see the IAIS running some big trains to or from Peoria. Two alcohol loads on the rear; except for maybe one covered hopper, all others were empty - ADM mash, Cargill soybean oil, potash cars, etc.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) rolls along the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad through downtown Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Saturday, January 14, 2023. IAIS 715 and IAIS 702 lead 111 cars. - David P. Jordan