Peoria Station

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

I took a half day from work, knowing Union Pacific's MPECL was going to be unusually big. Turns out, it wasn't called until mid-afternoon! At least I caught BNSF's inbound freight in advance. The 47-car consist included five empty flat cars on the head end (as opposed to the rear for better weight distribution (perhaps it doesn't matter so much on the Peoria Sub?), and ten more brand-new covered hoppers being delivered to Incobrasa Industries via TP&W.  CAPTION: BNSF Railway M-GALPEI (Manifest, Galesburg IL to Peoria IL) enters Tazewell & Peoria Railroad at Peoria, Illinois shortly before crossing the river into East Peoria mid-afternoon Friday, May 22, 2026. Later, counterpart, M-PEIGAL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Galesburg IL) rolls by W. Farmington Road. BNSF 7722 and BNSF 9081 arrived with 47 cars and departed with 21. The Union Pacific crew had troubles with their locomotive. It kept dumping the air. Finally, they got going and even made it up Pioneer Hill d...

On a whim, I decided to head to Bloomington-Normal to catch Norfolk Southern's D36 train, which typically leaves Good Yard by late-afternoon or early evening. The EOT on the rear car was flashing when I arrived, so I knew it would depart shortly. I had time to check on Union Pacific's MBNAS. Normally, it would have left by now, but turns out it had just left the yard but was paused just to the south. I crossed the Springfield Sub at 6 Points Road and then heard the horn. I immediately turned around. With no time to park and set up, I just shot the train through my windshield. Better than nothing (or chasing it, and missing the NS train!) CAPTION: Union Pacific MBNAS (Manifest, Bloomington IL to Alton & Southern) rolls across 6 Points Road on Bloomington, Illinois' southwest side early evening Thursday, May 21, 2026. UP 2184 and UP 2205 have 37 cars. D36 forwards D49 traffic out of East Peoria to Bement (setout for an eastbound manifest) and Decatur (for classification)...

Not sure what is with CSXT units leading local freight trains, but I don't mind. Notably, CSXT 775 was involved in that near-collision April 2 in Bushnell Florida. It was leading the train that scraped the rear of a school bus after the bus driver decided to cross in front of it. She was fired and arrested for her stupidity.  CAPTION: Canadian National Railway train L557 (Local, E. Peoria IL to Decatur IL) rolls along the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Pekin mainline late-afternoon Tuesday, May 19, 2026. CSXT 775 and CN 3192 have 40 cars. CSX coil steel car is for Hanna Steel. Two FSR gondolas are loaded with scrap metal from KJRY-served Hitchcock Scrap Yard in Canton. Tuesday was one of those rare occasions that Union Pacific's MPECL is called late, and I can see it. I actually stumbled on it accidentally, and by chance got it after missing its departure. Consist is surprisingly short since Friday's train reportedly was made up of just 49 empty plastic pellet covere...