Norfolk Southern D49 11-6/7/26

Just when you think you have it all figured out, this happens. We learned on Friday that Norfolk Southern called D47 for 1300 hours. Cool...they'll probably make an East Peoria turn later in the afternoon. No one reported seeing the train, and I had plans by evening, so I did not see anything. 

Then, on my way home on eastbound I-74, a little after 2300 hours, I noticed a headlight at Farmdale Switch. I quickly exited onto E. Washington Street to investigate. When I got close enough to investigate, I noticed the conductor walking toward the switch. Three Norfolk Southern locomotives were easily identifiable, even in darkness.
 
I heard no radio chatter, so the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad dispatcher had already given the train permission to run from Farmdale to P&PU Junction. I waited at W. Washington Street for the best lighting. The train paused briefly short of the crossing, asked for a signal, and got it within seconds. After the train cleared into the yard by 2340, I went home. 

I did not have to work on Saturday so I decided to head back to East Peoria about 0100 hours I arrived in time to see D49 building its outbound across W. Washington. I did not have to wait long for its departure. 

It seems that D47 had too much other work to do, so D49 made the East Peoria turn late-Friday PM/early-Saturday AM. I wonder if D36 will leave Good Yard today?


CAPTION: Norfolk Southern train D49 (Normal IL to E. Peoria IL turn) rolls into the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard shortly before midnight Friday, November 6, 2026. NS 7011, NS 6401 and NS 6968 arrived with 25 cars. NS 6968, NS 6401 and NS 7011 departed before 1:30 am Saturday with 41, including four Caterpillar tractor loads (three D10s and one D9).

- David P. Jordan

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