Iowa Interstate PESI, BNSF G-PEISMR 2-8-26

It is unusual for PESI to have more loads than empties, but 15 iron oxide loads from TP&W, three gondolas from NS which appear to contain steel billets (based on another railfan's video at Putnam), two tank cars containing beverage alcohol and all loaded covered hoppers contain ADM grain products (probably from CN). Those NS cars are NW 190350, CR 582421 and NS 187590.

CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) crosses the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Illinois River Bridge into Peoria, Illinois late-morning Sunday, February 8, 2026. Later, power runbys at the Ft. of Main Street in downtown on the TZPR and on home rails at Peoria Heights, and the whole train at San Koty and Mossville. IAIS 502, IAIS 705 and IAIS 712 have 87 cars (48 loads, 39 empties).

 

CN and BNSF seemed to have suspended the Decatur (IL) to Summerfield (TX) gluten feed trains for awhile, but today, the carriers swapped empties and loads. The last one I shot was a little more than a year ago on January 25, 2025!

CAPTION: BNSF Railway gluten feed pellet train G-PEISMR (Grain, Peoria IL to Summerfield TX) rolls by W. Farmington Road shortly after leaving Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Sunday, February 8, 2026. This train was loaded by Archer Daniels Midland Co's Decatur wet corn mill and routed to the Tazewell & Peoria RR Pekin double track via Canadian National. BNSF 5746 and BNSF 7310 have 100 cars.

 

- David P. Jordan