Peoria Station

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...

When I head to the downtown library on Saturday morning, I usually check East Peoria for possible rail movements. This morning, I knew that Iowa Interstate power (513 and 153) would take NS 5281 on PESI later in the day, and decided to check its status. I existed I-474 at Creve Coeur and drove Wesley Road, noticing the yellow signal indication at Wesley East and also toward the Illinois River Bridge. I figured an empty BNSF coal train or loaded BNSF gluten feed train might be lined up. Turns out, it a Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local from Pekin.  CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local, enroute from Pekin to East Peoria, Illinois, rolls along the double track at Hilliards and later at Wesley late-morning Saturday, January 11, 2025. TZPR 1521 and 21 cars pulled toward the bridge so it could back into the East Peoria Yard's south end. The Iowa Interstate units were still resting on the Creve Coeur Team Track, so I headed for the downtown library. I finished up a roll...

I left work early for an appointment but had an hour to kill. Amazingly, this train was already approaching W. Farmington Road when I found it, and barely had time to set up at Pottstown...   Since this train has an earlier call time (probably noon) the past two months, I won't be seeing it much. I expect to have a few chances by spring and into the summer on MCLPE if it runs early on some Wednesdays and Sundays.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL rolls by Pottstown, Illinois early-afternoon Tuesday, January 7, 2025. UP 7226 has 49 cars. After the appointment was taken care of, I went into East Peoria and found Norfolk Southern local D49 leaving the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard. The first sixteen cars are for sure from the Keokuk Junction Railway, which ran a East Peoria turn Monday afternoon.  CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway train D49 rolls under the TP&W's Farmdale Trestle on the outskirts of East Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Tuesda...

After work, enroute to the downtown library, I stopped in East Peoria for gas and then drove by the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard to check if Norfolk Southern D49 was still in town. I saw nothing of it, though I spotted KJRY power preparing to couple onto an outbound train.   So I crossed the river on the Cedar Street Bridge, glanced toward my left and noticed a headlight which I quickly concluded was a BNSF train awaiting dispatcher's instructions. Sure enough, I heard the TZPR dispatcher giving M-GALPEI permission from Darst Street to "the hump." They were to drop the train on A-39 and pickup the outbound (M-PEIGAL) on A-22.  CAPTION: BNSF Railway train M-GALPEI (Manifest, Galesburg IL to Peoria IL) has just entered Tazewell & Peoria Railroad property at S. Darst Street in Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Monday, January 6, 2025. BNSF 5809 and BNSF 5016 have 26 cars. - David P. Jordan

I missed M-GALPEI's arrival this morning before 10:00, but it appears to have been made up of 27 tank cars, possibly all TP&W-bound nitrogen fertilizer solution loads from Koch Nitrogen (OCI Iowa Fertilizer Co.) at Wever, Iowa. I did stick around to see M-PEIGAL though.    I don't know if this was a third cycle for the week, or if it was operated late due to New Year's Eve/New Year's Day. Normally, M-GALPEI/M-PEIGAL cycle on Mondays and Thursdays with a third cycle as needed on Saturday (usually) or Sunday.  CAPTION: BNSF Railway train M-PEIGAL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Galesburg IL) crosses the Illinois River mid-afternoon Saturday, January 4, 2025. Later, the whole train is shown crossing Sanger Street a short distance away. BNSF 3973 and BNSF 4085 have 25 cars. - David P. Jordan

After a wild goose chase thinking a late-MPECL might be climbing through Pottstown toward Pioneer on the double track, I learned that Iowa Interstate PESI had permission to depart East Peoria.    Typical of recent PESIs, seven scrap metal loads bring up the rear. There were also two industrial alcohol (UN 1170) loads, probably two gluten feed or meal loads, and an empty tank car with ADM markings. The rest were likely mash empties, though the Mississippi River is on its seasonal shut down (probably from Keokuk north) so gluten feed empties are possible as well.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) rolls by Morton Street in Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Friday, January 3, 2025. Running on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Uptown Division, IAIS 707 and IAIS 153 have 68 cars.   - David P. Jordan