Posts

Iowa Interstate ZENO-E and PESI 9-5-26

Image
Despite the heat and humidity, I went out this morning after learning an an Iowa Interstate ZENO-E train was due into Peoria. At San Koty (a few miles north of Peoria), I made a right from Rt. 29 across the track and parked by the Firefighter training center with seconds to spare before I heard the horn. The train had a block of manifest cars on the head end. I can confirm that there were 23 as they were set out at the North Limit Yard, and the empty coil steel car was last. Sometime in early afternoon, the rest of the train crossed the river and left it on Main 2 at Hilliards, breaking it at the elevator access road crossing.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate train ZENO-E (Grain, Atlantic IA to Peoria IL) rolls by San Koty, Illinois a few miles from the North Limit Yard in Peoria, Illinois, where 23 manifest cars on the head end were set out. The 111 grain loads will go to the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Pekin double track main. IAIS 501 and IAIS 506 have 134 cars. In mid-afternoon,...
Post a Comment
Read more

Peoria Int'l Airport Traffic -5% in 2026 vs. 2025. UPDATED

Image
The story hasn't been posted online yet, but WMBD TV-31 (Peoria) ran a story on Thursday's 6:00pm broadcast on air travel during the upcoming Labor Day weekend.  Most noteworthy is that Peoria International Airport's Director of Operations, Gene Olson, told the station that passenger volume has been running five percent below last year , though he notes that these second place numbers are still pretty good. If this trend continues, then 2026 passenger traffic will probably be about 40,000 less than 2025's record 812,396, or about 772,000. I expected this because the airport has not posted anything publicly on monthly passenger numbers this year. They are quick to do that when there is a record month. If there is no record month, only the full year's stats are released by mid- to late-January in the following year. It should not be this way. Monthly passenger and cargo statistics should be released regardless, and faithfully reported by local print and television med...
Post a Comment
Read more

Union Pacific MCLPE 9-2-26

Image
After work today, I planning to check out Bartlett Grain Co's recently-completed "El Camino" (Sheffield) elevator on Union Pacific's Peoria Subdivision, but when I saw the green signal indication for a southbound at Edelstein, I decided to follow the line closely in hopes of catching a train movement.  Tall corn can obstruct trains where there are no parallel roads, so my progress was slow. On Sundays and Wednesdays, there is always a possibility that MCLPE will run early, and this Wednesday it did. Turns out, had I gone to El Camino first thing, I would have gotten both, and in better lighting. Train consist is typical. Notables are four salt boxcars for TP&W and five corn syrup loads (one as first car, used as a buffer for an empty alcohol tank car) consigned to TZPR-served PMP Fermentation. A lone empty Ozinga (OZIX) 2-bay covered hopper indicates Union Pacific is getting some outbound cement materials (slag and coal ash) business. CAPTION: Union Pacific trai...
Post a Comment
Read more

Iowa Interstate PESI, TP&W Powerton Turn 8-30-26

Image
I learned that an Iowa Interstate PESI was at East Peoria this morning, and later was able to shoot video of it at San Koty, a few miles out of the North Limit Yard. This train of 92 cars may have had only ten loads. The last six cars of the second block of covered hoppers were loaded. Two denatured alcohol (UN 1987), an iron oxide load (CIGX gondola) and a coil steel load (NS coil care car) were the others. NOTE: IAIS 152 was coupled to a PEDAV (potash empties) this morning and afternoon, but I saw no sign of a crew, probably tomorrow.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) rolls along home rails at San Koty, Illinois late-morning Sunday, August 30, 2026. IAIS 503 has 92 cars. Incobrasa Industries' massive expansion at Gilman, and purchase of the American Milling Co. feed mill and barge dock at Crescent (Pekin) has created sufficient volume for the TP&W to run East Peoria-Powerton turns for direct interchange with the Illinois & Midl...
Post a Comment
Read more

TP&W M-Train 8-24-26

Image
The TP&W ran an eastbound "M-Train" for the second late-afternoon/evening in a row today.    I don't know if it was some kind of extra movement to handle "hot" cars, but most were loads - five nitrogen fertilizer solution loads and at least one bag dust load from BNSF (via TZPR); two denatured alcohol, two beverage alcohol and one industrial alcohol load from TZPR and two salt boxcars and five phosphoric acid tank cars from Union Pacific.  CAPTION: An eastbound Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway M-Train, sometimes known as M-EPEF (Manifest, E. Peoria IL to Effner IL), rolls through El Paso, Illinois early evening Monday, August 24, 2026. This was the second such train two days in a row. IORY 5007, TPW 5015 and TPW 5009 have 26 cars. - David P. Jordan
Post a Comment
Read more

TP&W M-Train 8-23-26

Image
I had finished mowing my yard Sunday afternoon when I was given a heads up that a TP&W freight had departed East Peoria for the east. I figured I could intercept it and catch it at Cruger. Sure enough, the train's glacial speed through Washington and to Cruger proved me correct. I ended up chasing it and getting a second video at El Paso. The first 49 cars were soybean loads for Incobrasa Industries' Gilman plant.  CAPTION: An eastbound Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway manifest, sometimes known as M-EPEF (Manifest, E. Peoria IL to Effner IL), rolls by Grainland Farmers' Cruger elevator late-afternoon Sunday, August 23, 2026. Later, it rolls through El Paso at reduced speed. TPW 3386, TPW 5010, TPW 5008 and IORY 5014 have 78 cars. - David P. Jordan
Post a Comment
Read more

Iowa Interstate PESI 8-18-26

Image
I worked until 5pm again today, and thought I'd miss 510 leading PESI out of town. By the time I left work, however, I saw nothing on PESI, so I hoped it had not left yet. I went into East Peoria and heard the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad Manager of Operations (MOP)  tell them they could "blast off."  I missed it crossing the river, so I settled for Chicago Street by BioUrja Renewables LLC's Peoria distillery. I chased it to Mossville, getting another full runby at San Koty and a short video at Mossville.  The vast majority of PESI's consist was made up of empties, lasting containing mash (from ADM), corn (probably from Alto-Pekin?), potash (probably from TP&W?), etc., but there were also a dozen (eight- and four-car blocks) of gondolas that are probably iron oxide loads from TP&W.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) rolls by BioUrja Renewables LLC's Peoria, Illinois distillery late-afternoon Tuesday, Augus...
Post a Comment
Read more