Peoria Station

When I learned D49 had permission to depart the Nickel Plate this afternoon, I decided to head it off at Farmdale Trestle area, got impatient and was on the wrong side of the Farmdale Road crossing in East Peoria when I saw it. I had to use I-74 to Goodfield to make sure I did not miss it again. Looks like I missed a CN monster L557 though... I can't complain. It is good to see that heavy Iowa Interstate interchange (mostly ADM) swelling consists. NS is delivering both steel coils and steel billets to IAIS, so regular loads are interchanged in both directions! Btw, when I first saw the train in East Peoria, about 1532, radio chatter mentioned D47. That train, as far as I know, has been an extra job for years. First I've heard it in awhile. With Rivian Automotive introducing the R2 model along with a new, dedicated assembly building on the main plant's east side (former test track), perhaps an afternoon job has been established to finish D49's work?  CAPTION: Norfolk ...

Had Facebook been better at allowing me to see posts from the Peoria group, I would probably have caught Norfolk Southern D49 after work. I also wish I had checked Adams Street Yard, but I assumed MPECL had already left. For the third time in a row, the train left late.  But I did get one local movement on Tuesday. I heard the chatter and encountered the train at Hilliards, so I turned around and waited for it at Wesley. The flat car loaded with leftover dunnage from wind turbine components was interesting. I missed its departure because I did not expect it to flip so soon.  CAPTION: An Illinois & Midland Railroad Powerton Roadswitcher delivered interchange to the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad late-afternoon Tuesday, May 26, 2026. The train is shown at Wesley minutes before entering the East Peoria Yard. CFE 3316 and TPW 5015 have 14 cars. - David P. Jordan

I searched and can't find a prior post on this, so I'll do one now.  I found a WGLT 89.1 FM web article on CIRA's 2025 performance. It was posted on February 13 .  Director Carl Olson told WGLT's Charlie Schlenker that his facility handled about 325,000 passengers last year. This is a slight decline from 2024 (329,648) and 2023 (334,888).  But at the time of Olson's interview, CIRA's future looked bright, and that recent airline service announcements pointed to growth. He cited strong load factores in the upper 80s and lower 90s, and hoped new service for the spring of 2026 - Allegiant Air to Phoenix-Mesa, a 3rd daily Atlanta frequency on Delta Connection and new service by United Express (four daily Chicago-O'Hare roundtrips) - would keep fares down.  Unfortunately, the Federal Aviation Administration's decision to cap Chicago-O'Hare flights from May 17 through October 23 this year will stunt CIRA's growth in 2026. It may grow, but not as much. ...

I caught a little action at Peoria Int'l Airport this evening. I arrived my spot with just seconds to spare for the Allegiant Air 737 MAX-8. The American Eagle retrojet returned, and I stayed awhile to record more action, including the MAX-8's departure. Judging by the passenger terminal parking lot, business is good at PIA! CAPTION: Five commercial airliner movements are shown at Gen. Wayne A. Downing Peoria Int'l Airport Monday evening, May 25, 2026.  -Allegiant Air Flt 2904, Boeing 737 MAX-8 from Orlando-Sanford -SkyWest Airlines (United Express) Flt 6047, CRJ200 from Chicago-O'Hare -Envoy Airlines (American Eagle) Flt 3740, Embraer 170 to Chicago-O'Hare -PSA Airlines (American Eagle) Flt 5340, CRJ900 to Dallas/Ft. Worth -Allegiant Air Flt 2920, Boeing 737 MAX-8 to Orlando-Sanford - David P. Jordan

I caught a little action at Peoria Int'l Airport this morning. I missed its arrival on Runway 22 but did not expect to see the American Eagle retrojet, so I went back to see its departure. (I may go back this evening to get an Allegiant Air Boeing 737 MAX 8 scheduled from Orlando-Sanford.) CAPTION: Five commercial airliner movements are shown at Gen. Wayne A. Downing Peoria Int'l Airport Monday morning, May 25, 2026. -SkyWest Airlines (United Express) Flt 4780, CRJ200 to Chicago-O'Hare -Allegiant Air Flt 2465, Airbus A320-200 from Punta Gorda -SkyWest Airlines (United Express) Flt 5455, Embraer 175 to Denver -Allegiant Air Flt 2484, Airbus A320-200 to Punta Gorda -Envoy Airlines (American Eagle) Flt 3741, Embraer 170 to Chicago-O'Hare - David P. Jordan

I was in town for another reason, but happened across this TZPR local. It was waiting by BioUrja for boat traffic. The bridge was lowered and it moved toward the junction only to pause for a red signal. It had to wait on IMRR 43 coming up from Pekin engine lite. Finally, IMRR 43 came to the bridge, reversed into the West Lead and IMRR 2108 finished its trip to East Peoria.    The first two tank cars, pulled from PMP Fermentation Products, were loaded. The second one was very likely a liquid sodium gluconate load. The first perhaps the same, but the more dilapidated appearance makes me wonder if PMP uses it to ship wastewater on occasion. Two empty flat cars and four flat cars loaded with Komatsu truck chasses.    CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local crosses the Illinois River after working the Uptown Sub, mid-afternoon Saturday, May 23, 2026. IMRR 2108 has 12 cars. - David P. Jordan