Peoria Station

Union Pacific's MPECL left Adams Street Yard before 4:00pm this afternoon, so I didn't waste time waiting for it like on some days. I mixed up locations a little and shot scenes at the old Molitor Junction area (MP 80) and Pottstown, barely making it in time.    CAPTION:   Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls along the Peoria Subdivision shortly after leaving Adams Street Yard in Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Friday, September 22, 2023. Later, it enters the double track at Pottstown. UP 8084 has 41 cars.   While a friend and his two sons who were also waiting at Pottstown, we initially thought they heard the horn blast at W. Farmington Road of an empty coal train expected out of Crescent (MP 89.2). The faint noise repeated several times in a short span, which meant it couldn't be on the Union Pacific. They suggested it could be Iowa Interstate's PESI train, since SIPE came in several hours earlier. I decided to investigate. Sure enough...

Still experimenting with settings. Given the overcast and low light conditions, I think I did pretty well. The second time it passed me, I noted that the three cartbon dioxide refrigerated liquid tank cars' truck coil springs appeared open, i. e., they were empty. Normally, these cars are loaded in this direction.  CAPTION: A short Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local is shown on its run from Pekin back to the East Peoria Yard, early-evening Thursday, September 21, 2023. TZPR 1351 has four cars.   David P. Jordan

I didn't go after Union Pacific's MPECL today as I had scheduled an oil change just after work. I think the train left too early anyway. Fortunately, Norfolk Southern local D49 was making its East Peoria turn later than usual, and did not depart TZPR until well after 3:00pm! I caught it rolling by the TP&W diamond at Crandall around 4:15pm.  CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway local D49 (Normal IL to East Peoria IL turn) is shown on its eastbound leg at Crandall Junction, just outside of Morton, Illinois late-afternoon Tuesday, September 19, 2023. NS 6975 and NS 7014 have 35 cars, including a Caterpillar D10T tractor load.     David P. Jordan

A Breeze Airways turnaround from Richmond, VA is shown at the Cincinnati/N. Kentucky Int'l Airport on Monday, June 26, 2023. N116BZ, an Embraer 190, can seat 108 passengers.   Breeze Airways is adding Springfield's Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in early December with twice-weekly nonstops to both Orlando and Tampa.  WAND-TV reports that the airline will be starting Orlando flights December 1 and Tampa on December 4. Airbus A220-300 twinjets will be used on both routes. - David P. Jordan

I went into Peoria after workthis afternoon intending to spend some at the downtown library... ...until I heard an Iowa Interstate crew talking told his dispatcher they needed to do an air test before departing the West Lead. Change of plans! Before I could confirm PESI's actual location, I noticed that BNSF's M-GALPEI was sitting on the main short of S. Darst Street waiting for instructions. Turns out, it was actually waiting on a Tazewell & Peoria Railroad Industry Job coming out of Kickapoo Yard. Enroute to East Peoria, it ducked onto BioUrja Renewables LLC's Riverside Track to switch one of the two asphalt terminals at the other end of the South Yard.  CAPTION: BNSF Railway M-GALPEI (Manifest, Galesburg IL to Peoria IL) enters Tazewell & Peoria Railroad territory at S. Darst Street in Peoria, Illinois for the last leg of its journey to East Peoria late-afternoon Monday, September 18, 2023. BNSF 1436 and BNSF 3013 have 44 cars.   After M-GALPEI got clear, the TZ...

I felt like Wile E. Coyote with the storm following me and the train... When I arrived South Pekin, the train was sitting on the main track waiting for the crew to arrive. So I went to the local Casey's, used the facilities and bought a snack. Shortly after returning trackside, the crew arrived and it started to rain. I had to shoot from my car at Townline Road.  I thought I had a chance of getting it again at Allen Station, so I waited out a heavier downpour before the train's arrival. It was still raining when it rolled by, so again I shot from my car. The first scene was done with my phone, the second with my new camera. Overcast and inclement weather aren't the best conditions for getting used to a camera.  CAPTION: A southbound Union Pacific train of ballast empties (mostly) departs South Pekin, Illinois mid-afternoon Sunday, September 17, 2023. Later, the train rolls by Encompass Grain & Rail's Allen Station grain elevator. UP 8976 has 61 cars, a few of which...

My old Canon SX410 IS is getting long in the tooth. Among its issues, - autofocus machine noises and the battery sometimes quits unexpectedly (and doesn't last as longer as it used to). I've had it since June 2016 so after seven years, it was time for a replacement. After viewing several Youtube videos showing zoom tests on various cameras, I settled on the Canon SX740 HS. Although slight blurring is noticeable when I'm retracting the zoom, it is tolerable. I set it for 4k but will probably do 1080p from now on.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by W. Farmington Road mid-afternoon Friday, September 15, 2023. UP 6024 has 50 cars.   David P. Jordan