Keokuk Junction Rwy. 2-9-26

I haven't chased a westbound Keokuk Junction Rwy. local to Bushnell since October 19, 2023, more than two years. When I arrived Bushnell, I was thinking the ADM soy protein plant had already closed, yet there were two cars on spot and three loads on the stub ready to be spotted. Guess what? Monday's train switched out one empty, re-spotted the load and spotted one of three loads from the stub. The plant will close this year, so I probably saw it get switched for once, but probably my only time. 
 
I noted quite a bit of track work in places, such as crosstie replacement and surfacing with much ballast poured (but not yet surfaced) on the stretch from the Spoon River Bridge to a point past the Marietta Road overpass, but the train never moved at more than 10mph. I left the chase just west of Bushnell about 4:00pm. At those speeds, the train would have reached La Harpe after dark (if it made it at all). I may try again when the days are longer in late-spring/early-summer. 
 
Also noteworthy, those four gondolas on Friday's East Peoria turn were the only loads on Monday's run west from Mapleton. And they were kept on the head end for good reason for they contained scrap railroad wheels. That these were shipped in TZPR- and COER-marked gondolas usually assigned to Liberty Steel & Wire Co., I wonder how the shipper (possibly Alter Metal Recycling, either the Bartonville facility or the W. Clarke Street facility) obtained these wheels? Alliance Wheel Services LLC at Washington and Wheelworx North LLC at Pekin mount axles and wheels and conduct reconditioning operations, and they probably find they have to scrap some of these components. You can see the contents of these four gondolas in the scene from the Marietta Road overpass. Destination is almost certain Amsted Rail's Griffin Wheel Division on BNSF's Mooar Line in Keokuk, Iowa for remelting. 


CAPTION: On February 9, 2026, the Keokuk Junction Railway ran its local westbound from Mapleton, switching storage cars at Rawalts, dropping five empty boxcars at UE Siding and switching the soon-to-close ADM soy protein plant at Bushnell. LTEX 3836, LNW 3806, LNW 3807 and LTEX 6437 left Mapleton with 34 cars, added 25 more at Rawalts, setout five at UE siding, and maintained 54 after leaving Bushnell.
 
- David P. Jordan

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