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

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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...
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TP&W M-Train 8-24-26

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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
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TP&W M-Train 8-23-26

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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
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Iowa Interstate PESI 8-18-26

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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...
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Tazewell & Peoria RR Local, Norfolk Southern D47

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 List, I was in the right place at the right time this afternoon to catch this movement. I found the first clearing with good lighting and took it. The tank cars were empty, so they are probably going to be spotted for loading at soybean oil tanks ("Cargill Oil Storage") adjacent MacroSource's North Pekin fertilizer mixing facility. The 18 covered hoppers are grain mash loads for ADM Grain Co's Hilliards (Creve Coeur) dock. I did not hear the train designation, but it might be Lead 3. I heard IMRR 43 as "Industry 4" enroute to Pekin a short time later.  CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local rolls down Main 2 through Wesley East enroute to Hilliards with cars for Cargill Oil Storage (c/o MacroSource) and ADM Grain Co. TPW 5008 has 20 cars. I actually went into East Peoria because of this.    Norfolk Southern train D47 arrived the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard late Monday afternoon. Normally, D49 handles this business in ...
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Iowa Interstate PESI 8-16-26

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  Like two weeks ago, this one has some variety.  It is good to see the eight loaded gondolas on the rear. I lacked a vantage point to see what was in them, but reporting marks match the cars used for iron oxide shipments from TP&W-served Waelz Sustainable Products' Clymers, Indiana plant. This traffic moved on a TPW-TZPR-IAIS-CPKC routing for about a year starting in March 2025.  The four Incobrasa covered hoppers must be needed to complete a trainset? The PESI which ran two weeks ago had but five of these cars. Usually, IAIS-served elevators load 25 at a time.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) rolls through downtown Peoria, Illinois midday Sunday, August 16, 2026. Later, it is shown on home rails at San Koty, a few miles north of Peoria. IAIS 508 has 58 cars. - David P. Jordan
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TP&W EB Grain Extra 8-10-26

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On the 139th anniversary of the Chatsworth Wreck, we have a mystery.    I can confirm from another railfan's video that this was the same set of grain empties that Canadian National Railway delivered to the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Pekin double track Sunday morning, August 2. Iowa Interstate moved it out of town with lone SD38-2 IAIS 153 on Monday morning. The train returned loaded this morning behind IAIS 506 and IAIS 511. Late this afternoon, a TP&W crew took it from the TZPR double track and rolled it through East Peoria and Washington to Cruger where it was left on the main track by Grainland Farmers elevator. The crew cut off all six locomotives. Last I saw them, they were on the adjacent siding.    Grain trains co-loaded at various Iowa Interstate-served elevators in central and western Iowa were moving frequently to CN via Peoria since January. I believe the last loaded train was interchanged to CN in mid-June. CN delivered the empties as G889 ...
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