Iowa Interstate SIPE/PESI Grain Extra 9-23-26

Cool temperatures, overcast, stay home after work weather...until I learned of an interesting Iowa Interstate movement. 

 

I caught SIPE just south of Mossville, and shot video at San Koty then again as it entered the North Limit Yard. The train stopped briefly for the conductor to detrain. When I left it around 1830 hours, the train was preparing to shove into the North Limit Yard. When finished, both units would run engine lite through Peoria and across the river to fetch a LOADED grain train received Canadian National. 

CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) rolls by San Koty, Illinois early evening Wednesday, September 23, 2026. Later, the train enters the North Limit Yard and Tazewell & Peoria Railroad property. IAIS 151 and IAIS 511 have 44 cars.

I decided to go back into Peoria to see if I could capture IAIS units pull that loaded grain train from CN through one of the brightly-lit street crossings in downtown Peoria. But when I started out, I could hear the train receive instructions from the IAIS dispatcher, so I knew the train was already past my preferred spot. I tried to capture the train in Peoria Heights. The lighting was decent, but obstructions and shadows were many, so I opted for Chillicothe. 

CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. grain extra PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) is first shown at the E. Linnet Street crossing in Peoria Heights, Illinois. Later, the whole train is shown at the W. Chestnut Street crossing in Chillicothe. IAIS 511 and IAIS 151 have 94 grain loads received from Canadian National (via TZPR).

- David P. Jordan