Peoria Station

Today's Union Pacific MPECL appeared ready to depart when I drove by Adams Street Yard this afternoon around 1540 hours. But the train did not leave for probably 30 minutes. It was by W. Farmington Road at 1627 hours.    Although the train had but 20 cars, there was a decent variety of traffic (loads and empties) from the Keokuk Junction Railway, Tazewell & Peoria Railroad and Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway.        CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by W. Farmington Road shortly after leaving Adams Street Yard in Peoria, Illinois. UP 6873 has 20 cars.   David P. Jordan

Monday afternoon and evening was busy. I saw five trains in as many hours, and four of them were movements on BNSF's Peoria Subdivision!   I'm not sure what is going on with BNSF's manifest trains M-GALPEI and M-PEIGAL. The schedule may be messed up at times due to crew availability. I don't know if the trains ran on July 22 or 25, but they did on July 27 and July 28, respectively. They did this the prior Saturday/Sunday, July 20/21, as well. M-GALPEI reportedly had 112 cars on Saturday. I've been told that M-PEIGAL ran on Sunday around midday, with an estimated 40 to 50 cars.  CAPTION: BNSF Railway train M-GALPEI (Manifest, Galesburg IL to Peoria IL) enters the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad at S. Darst Street in Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Monday, July 29, 2024 on its final leg to East Peoria. BNSF 7834 and BNSF 1077 have 28 cars. CAPTION: A BNSF Railway unit coal train enters the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad at S. Darst Street in Peoria, Illinois late-afte...

I got the blues...all three of them!   The Iowa Interstate's SIPE arrived early Wednesday morning with HZRX 5003, an ex-Hudson Bay Railway SD50, for interchange to Norfolk Southern. It was parked on the Creve Coeur Team Track, and still there as of this evening.   After snapping a pics from the Wesley Road crossing, I crossed the river and heard the Keokuk Junction Railway local ask the St. Albans Dispatcher for permission to enter the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad at Iowa Junction for head room. When I arrived, they shoved a boxcar into Collier Yard and then proceeded eastward.    I didn't get much time at the downtown library, but did linger in the area long enough to capture the Keokuk Junction Railway local on its return leg to Mapleton.  The boxcar on the head end is unusual, but it is either a storage car or perhaps Amsted Rail/Griffin Wheel Div. in Keokuk is routing locomotive wheels to a non-UP destination.  CAPTION:   The Keokuk Juncti...

When I drove by Adams Street Yard after work Tuesday afternoon, I found it empty. Based on recent encounters, I quickly headed to W. Farmington Road where the northbound signal displayed green. So I hoped MPECL was hiding behind the thick woods around Peoria Junction.   Turns out, a train of Powerton coal empties rolled by shortly. I still hoped MPECL was waiting for that train's passage, so I lingered in the area for awhile. But not MPECL. At least I got something for my time and effort.  CAPTION: A northbound Union Pacific train of Powerton coal empties rolls by W. Farmington Road mid-afternoon Tuesday, July 23, 2024. UP 8424 and UP 8207 were on the point; UP 5479 is DPU. - David P. Jordan

I made a haul today.    I was planning on going to the Monticello Railway Museum's book, model and paper items sale early, but received word that Iowa Interstate train PESI had received a track warrant to head north from Peoria.    So I went after it.    I caught it just before Rome, where I parked and shot video of its passage.  CAPTION:   Iowa Interstate Railroad manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) rolls by Rome, Illinois late-morning Saturday, July 20, 2024. IAIS 518 and IAIS 151 have 76 cars.   I also knew that a Tazewell & Peoria RR crew was hauling the potash train Iowa Interstate potash train from Friday evening along the Kickapoo Main (Southern Division), which was in the opposite direction. Good thing for Rt. 6 and I-474, because I made it to Mendenhall Road, the TZPR potash train stopped short of the Union Pacific mainline connection waiting for passage of a Powerton-bound coal train.  CAPTION: A Union Pacific ...

Early this evening, I received a heads up that an Iowa Interstate potash train was making its way toward Peoria.  Naturally, I went after it.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad train DAVPE (Davenport IA to Peoria IL) rolls through Mossville, Illinois early evening Friday, July 19, 2024. IAIS 518 and IAIS 151 have 105 potash loads for Mosaic Crop Nutrition LLC via the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad.   - David P. Jordan

I had my scanner set to the Union Pacific Peoria Sub channel when I left home, so when I heard radio chatter at exactly 1530 hours, I knew I was in business! But when I checked Adams Street Yard, the Low Line was already empty! When I turned around, I could see MPECL's tail end sitting on the Low Line, waiting for dispartcher's instructions to move north from Peoria Junction.    I drove past the old Molitor Junction area just south of Harmon Highway, I could see the approaching train, so I went to W. Farmington Road and waited. Sure enough, the train came by in just a few minutes.    Friday's train had a good mix of Illinois & Midland Railroad, Keokuk Junction Railway, Tazewell & Peoria Railroad and Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway traffic, including zinc oxide, wheels and alcohol loads.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by W. Farmington Road shortly after departure from Adams Street Yard in Peoria, I...