Peoria Station

After work this afternoon, I checked to see if Iowa Interstate train PESI was ready to leave.   Sure enough, IAIS 152 was on the point of the train, parked on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's West Lead and stretched into the East Peoria Yard. I didn't know how long it had been there so I headed for the downtown library. But radio chatter confirmed that a Tazewell & Peoria Railroad crew had received permission to depart the East Peoria Yard for the TP&W yard.   I immediately headed for a bridge and set up at E. Washington Street. I nearly missed it due to impatience, but then I didn't hear a horn at N. Main Street. Fortunately, E. Camp Street has a convenient U-turn as well as a place to park trackside.  CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad yard job rolls under Interstate 74 in East Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Monday, December 30, 2024. TZPR 1351 has 20 cars (19 grain empties, one alcohol load) for the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway. ...

I was already up north moments from my parked car when I heard the horn, either at Alta Road or Ridgeview Road (Pioneer) further south. W. Farmington Road seemed like the best place to get this one, and it arrived barely a minute after I parked.  CAPTION: A Union Pacific coal train is shown at W. Farmington Road near Peoria, Illinois early afternoon Sunday, December 29, 2024. UP 5886 and UP 8618 have 135 loads with UP 6256 as DPU. Later, the train rolls by Cilco Lane at Sommer, shortly before entering Crescent Junction at the Illinois & Midland Railroad's Crescent Yard at Powerton. I kind of expected this one to be in the area today, after being loaded at Prairie Central Co-Operative's Greenfield (Chenoa) rail loop. A TP&W crew took it all the way to Pekin on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroads double track where a UP crew waited.  CAPTION: A Union Pacific grain train rolls along the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's double track main in Pekin, Illinois early-a...

Run-through IAIS power on P&PU/TZPR dates to the late-1980s. In fact, a first, vague memory of IAIS power was in downtown Peoria in 1989. I saw a geep on the riverfront line from one of the intersections at SW Washington Street. I probably knew about the IAIS already due to the June 1989 "Regionals in Review" TRAINS article. CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad crew runs a train of potash empties through Peoria, Illinois early afternoon Saturday, December 28, 2024. Train came out of Mosaic Crop Nutrition LLC south of Bartonville and was handed off to the Iowa Interstate Railroad at the North Limit Yard. Shown between S. Darst Street and Krause Avenue, IAIS 707 and IAIS 718 have 105 cars.    The usual Friday run of MPECL was annulled, probably due to crew issues. It seems that either the LPD01 local crew or MPECL's crew assisted with CGMBV's attack up Pioneer Hill. After that, an empty grain from for TP&W moved from Edelstein to the Low Line and park...

I left work early when I learned that Union Pacific was running a loaded, northbound coal train on the Peoria Sub!   And when it appeared nothing was running smoothly, I wonder if I could have seen this train anyway had a I not left work early.   The first delay was a GFL garbage truck hitting the truss bridge over Rt. 29 at Pekin. Union Pacific had to send out someone to inspect the bridge for damage. Fortunately, there was no damage to the track structure, and the train was cleared to depart South Pekin.    Next, soggy weather and wet rails are a problem for loaded, northbound coal trains, but distributed power assisted the train's attack up Pioneer Hill, preventing a stall.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train CGMBV (Coal, Gateway Mine IL to Beverly IA) rolls by W. Farmington Road mid-afternoon Friday, December 27, 2024. Later, after fighting Pioneer Hill, the train runs past Akron Services Inc. at Akron. UP 7891 and UP 6198 on the point, 134 coal loads and UP 6246...

When I swung by Adams Street Yard for second time today just before 3:00pm, and saw that Union Pacific's MPECL had already departed. So I turned around and headed up I-474 and then Rt. 6, jogged US 150 and up Rt. 91.  I decided to check the signal on Alta Road. It is normally green for southbounds, but today it was dark. Hoping the train hadn't yet made it to this location, I went to Ridgeview Road and parked by Pioneer. Not a minute later, I hear MPECL coming up the hill...   Today's train must have been called for 2:00pm and departed Adams Street Yard about 30 to 40 minutes later. Given the single unit and relatively lengthy train (though mostly empties), I'd guess it took nearly 50 minutes to reach this location.    New Year's Eve should be another opportunity to see this train.  CAPTION: Union Pacific MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) crests Pioneer Hill on Peoria, Illinois' northwest side mid-afternoon Tuesday, December 24, 2024. UP 7226 has ...

After work, I caught two area train movements. First, was this Tazewell & Peoria Railroad Lead/Yard Job bound for ADM Grain Co. at Hilliards. All were loads, but I'm unsure if these contain distillers dried grain ("mash") or gluten feed pellets.   Mash moves year-round but it is that time of year for the latter, though the short cut suggests that traffic isn't moving down here on the Iowa Interstate (or any carrier), at least not yet.   Usually, feed pellets from ADM in Cedar Rapids and Clinton, Iowa move to the Hilliards barge loadout and terminal elevator when the U. S. Army Corps. of Engineers closes the Mississippi River to commercial shipping for three months from Keokuk north, starting in early December.  CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad Lead/Yard Job pulls out of the East Peoria Yard and through Wesley East enroute to ADM Grain Co. at Hilliards (Creve Coeur), Illinois mid-afternoon Monday, December 23, 2024. TZPR 1352 has 21 cars. I knew a...

After work this afternoon, I headed toward the downtown library as usual, but radio chatter lured me to my first of three encounters.   A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad Industry Job was at BioUrja Renewables' South Yard (crews and dispatchers still call it "ADM South Yard") asking permission to shove back out to Bridge Junction and then cross the river. A problem with a switch, signal, or some hardware was delaying this movement momentarily, which enabled me to get into position just in time.    Libery Steel & Wire Co's temporary (hopefully) suspension of operations most certainly has decreased business handled by the old "Kickapoo Job." Alter Metal Recycling has been sending processed scrap metal to new markets, though, in place of short-haul switch movements. Most of this seems to be moving via the Iowa Interstate to a consignee in the Chicago area.    The TZPR local train was probably switching one of the asphalt terminals (Interstate Asphalt Co...

An Embraer 175 in the old colors on final approach to Chicago-O'Hare Intl Airport May 26, 2023 Central Illinois residents will soon be able to connect through Denver year-round. United Express will resume nonstop daily service between Peoria and Denver on March 30, 2025. The last time the carrier played this market was in early 2015.  This WEEK-TV News 25 article and video has good details. Departure to Denver will be at 0850. The return flight will arrive back here at 2050. The single-daily roundtrip will be operated on a 76-seat jet, most likely an Embraer 175 operated by SkyWest Airlines. A burning question is what will Allegiant Air and Frontier Airlines do? The former offers seasonal service between Peoria and Denver on Mondays and Fridays. The airline is offering Saturday flights on December 21 and 28, and January 4 as well. Flights cater to the local market, and mostly budget-conscious leisure travelers. So United Express' daily service might have but a minor effect on ...

Monday afternoon, I saw Union Pacific's MPECL parked on the Low Line adjacent Adams Street Yard and decided to check in case it might be late. No luck on that but the Keokuk Junction Railway's East Peoria turn was waiting at Iowa Junction to enter Tazewell & Peoria Railroad property. Short train, but always a nice one to catch.  CAPTION: The Keokuk Junction Railway's East Peoria Turn rolls along the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad at Krause Avenue in Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Tuesday, December 17, 2024. LTEX 6437, PREX 2003 and LTEX 3836 have 15 cars for TZPR's East Peoria Yard.   - David P. Jordan

Just before leaving work this afternoon, I received a heads up that BNSF Railway's M-GALPEI was heading through Yates City and then Elmwood a short time later. So I decided to intercept it.  I swung around Kickapoo Creek Road with Harmon Highway in view and sure enough, and me and the train met moments later. I had to wait awhile for it to receive permission to enter Tazewell & Peoria Railroad property at S. Darst Street.  CAPTION: BNSF Railway train M-GALPEI (Manifest, Galesburg IL to Peoria IL) enters the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad at S. Darst Street in Peoria, Illinois for the final leg to East Peoria late-afternoon Monday, December 16, 2024. BNSF 8287 and BNSF 3813 have 19 cars. Local railroads were busy tonight. Once M-GALPEI got clear in the yard, a Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local with TZPR 1351 had permission from the East Lead (in East Peoria) to Iowa Junction, presumably a PM Yard/Lead Job with cars for Alter scrap yards, and perhaps Peoria River Ter...

My motto is still intact - If you get a chance to see a TP&W manifest, take it!   I learned that a westbound was by Chatsworth at 12:44 this afternoon, so I decided to head east and intercept. As soon as I turned left onto a north-south road on Gridley's west edge, the flashers activated and the gates lowered. Today's train was unusually short - 15 corn loads for Peoria or Pekin processors, and a plastic empty. Perhaps they needed the power here for the next eastbound? CAPTION:   Toledo, Peoria & Western train M-EFEP (Manifest, Effner IL to E. Peoria IL) rolls through and near several towns Sunday afternoon, December 15, 2024. Locations at west of Gridley, at El Paso, Secor, west of Secor, Cruger, Washington and Ernest Street, just southwest of Washington. TPW 5010, TPW 5008 and TPW 3441 have 16 cars.    - David P. Jordan

Recently, I noticed Incobrasa Industries covered hoppers at Alto Pekin LLC's wet corn mill elevator, indicating TP&W is borrowing these cars for general service to online elevators or Inco Grain Ltd. is loading for for Alto at its Goodland, Indiana elevator.  CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local from Pekin is shown at Wesley (Creve Coeur), Illinois moments from arriving the East Peoria Yard on a cold and soggy mid-afternoon Saturday, December 14, 2024. TZPR 1352 has 16 cars. I received a heads up on BNSF's M-GALPEI too late to see it arrive Peoria, but was able to catch M-PEIGAL's run back west. I don't know if this was a third cycle for the week, or if Thursday's train was delayed until Saturday. Either are possible.  CAPTION: After crossing the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Illinois River Bridge, BNSF Railway train M-PEIGAL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Galesburg IL) curves toward Sanger Street in Peoria, Illinois on a cold and soggy mid-aft...

Peoria is getting a new industry. Even better, a new rail user. In a press release dated November 25 , Viridis Chemical Co. confirms its plan to move an ethyl acetate plant from Columbus, Nebraska to Peoria.  The new Peoria site, situated on the Illinois River, offers key logistical advantages. In addition to the adjacency to BioUrja, the location includes access to all major rail lines and barge-navigable routes connecting to the Mississippi River. The site’s proximity to Viridis’ core ethyl acetate customers in the Midwest and Northeast, combined with its superior logistics and storage capabilities, will position Viridis for enhanced operational efficiency and customer service. Yesterday, the Peoria City Council approved Viridis' plan after it agreed to certain conditions. The  reason to move  was that that the existing plant had been supplied ethanol from BioUrja Renewables LLC's Peoria plant for two years, so it made sense to be closer to its supplier.  The new ...

As I left the downtown library this evening, I heard the horn blowing through riverfront crossings. I had a feeling it was Iowa Interstate's PESI, and I quickly comfimed that I was correct. Though dark and cold, I knew there was one spot with a bright street lamp - Morton Street!   I attempted night video at this spot some months ago with SIPE but the bright street lamps turned off just as a the train approached!   Tonight's train has about eight potash cars (not sure if empty or loaded), the usual ADM mash empties, perhaps a few Alto mash or gluten feed or meal loads, and some alcohol and scrap metal loads. CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) rolls through the Morton Street crossing on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad in Peoria, Illinois early evening Wednesday, December 11, 2024. IAIS 152 has 45 cars.   - David P. Jordan

After work, I was able to capture a short TP&W eastbound manifest leave the East Peoria Yard. After getting it a second time at Ernest Street near Washington, I decided it would be too dark to follow any further.  CAPTION:  Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway train M-EPEF (Manifest, E. Peoria IL to Effner IL) departs the East Peoria Yard mid-afternoon Friday, December 6, 2024. TPW 3440, TPW 5008 and TPW 5010 have 30 cars. Later, it rolls across Ernest Street before climbing into Washington. :   - David P. Jordan

For the second Sunday in a row, I received a heads up that a westbound TP&W was moving. This time, M-EFEP was reported by Piper City, Illinois at 1430 hours.  CAPTION: Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway train M-EFEP (Manifest, Effner IL to E. Peoria IL) nears its stop at Meadows, Illinois to drop grain empties for loading late-afternoon Sunday, December 1, 2024. TPW 5009, MQT 3407, TPW 5010 and TPW 3443 have 46 cars.    - David P. Jordan