Peoria Station

Early Sunday afternoon, I learned that the TP&W was handling a grain extra out of Chenoa for Union Pacific at Peoria. This was the second train in as many days, one had been pulled from Grainland Farmers' Cruger elevator on Saturday. I did not see it, but understand it was also delivered to Union Pacific at Adams Street Yard. Apparently, the two carriers have decided to shift their interchange point for grain trains from Crescent/Powerton near Pekin or the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's double track mainline to Adams Street Yard/Low Line in Peoria. Saturday's Cruger train is reportedly bound for Mexico via Eagle Pass, Texas, and Sunday's Chenoa train is probably going to Mexico as well.  CAPTION: The Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway ran this grain extra from Prairie Central Coop's Greenfield (Chenoa), Illinois rail loop Sunday afternoon, October 4, 2026. UP 5731, UP 8785 and UP 5640 were on the point of 115 loads. Train is shown at Cruger, Washington, Ea...

I went to the Decatur Train Fair today. Shortly after my arrival, I was able to capture Canadian National Railway's daily manifest leaving for Memphis, Tennessee. Even better, the consist include two or three cars (and maybe more) that came off L557 from East Peoria!    Car 23 - UTLX 63090 is an empty tank car, and last contained sodium hydroxide solution (UN 1824). It was pulled from PMP Fermentation Products in Peoria.    Car 24 - TZPR 321848 is a loaded gondola, containing scrap metal. It was pulled from Alter Metal Recycling, probably the Clarke Street facility (Alter also operates a yard for Liberty Steel & Wire).    Car 71 - CNA 415800 is an empty boxcar. I haven't seen boxcars at Amerhart Ltd's Pekin warehouse for awhile, so I'm thinking this car could have last contained zinc ingots. If so, it was pulled from Liberty Steel & Wire Co. at Bartonville. The zinc boxcars ten to be hi-cubes, however. (CN's Peoria and Gilman Subs, which co...

Based on Thursday's TZPR interchange receipt and what was already at Adams Street Yard (from KJRY and TP&W), I knew Union Pacific's MPECL would be decent-sized on Friday. I left work two hours early, and caught a rollby at the old Molitor Junction (MP 80). I then decided to head up I-474 and Rt. 6. Despite the glacial speeds due to construction activity, I actually beat MPECL by at least ten minutes! That lone rebuilt CM44AC was struggling with 80 cars as it crested the hill, but made it!  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by MP 80 shortly after leaving Adams Street Yard in Peoria, Illinois early afternoon Friday, June 5, 2026. Later, the train has conquered Pioneer Hill on the northwest side of town. UP 7284 has 80 cars. I missed it on Tuesday, but after chasing Union Pacific's MPECL, I encountered the Keokuk Junction Railway local Friday afternoon, capturing it in both directions. PREX 2003 and PREX 2035 are newly painted in...

Like earlier this year (February 8-9), six TZPR gondolas up front on this afternoon's KJRY local returning to Mapleton from East Peoria likely contain scrap railroad wheels for Amsted Rail's Griffin Wheel Div. at Keokuk, Iowa.    I have not been able to confirm the origin of these scrap wheel loads, but TZPR-marked gondolas confirm thart they were loaded locally, probably at Alter Metal Recycling's W. Clarke Street processing facility or Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard. The TZPR's RIP facility there and two local firms which refurbish, assembly and supply railcar wheels - Alliance Wheel Services at Washington and Wheelworx North LLC at Pekin - seem likely sources for these wheels.  CAPTION: The Keokuk Junction Railway's "East Peoria turn" is shown on its westbound (return) leg at Cilco Lane south of Bartonville and at Mapleton early-evening Friday, April 24, 2026. LTEX 3836-3010-3837-6437 have 20 cars. Train reportedly had 12 car...

I only caught the local at Bridge Junction, so it may have set out cars for Union Pacific at Collier Yard, but did not make a pickup on the way back to Mapleton. If this carrier is only cycling into and out of the area once per week, you would think interchange with Union Pacific would be a stop both ways every time. (TP&W interchange, mostly eastbound grain, seems to move via the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad now.)   CAPTION: The Keokuk Junction Railway's East Peoria turn crosses BioUrja Renewables LLC Riverside Track shortly before entering the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Illinois River Bridge late-afternoon Thursday, October 30, 2025. LTEX 6437-3837-3836 have nine cars. Later, LTEX 3836-3837-6437 have ten cars at Bartonville on the Union Pacific-owned, TP&W-controlled ex-Peoria Terminal Co. line.   - David P. Jordan

After work, I usually head to downtown library, but I did not make it on Friday afternoon because there were too many trains.    I just barely caught the Keokuk Junction Railway's local operating an East Peoria turn. I shot it the last place I could - the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Illinois River bridge.    CAPTION: The Keokuk Junction Railway's weekly East Peoria turn is shown in both directions on Friday afternoon, October 24, 2025. LTEX 6437, LTEX 3837 and LTEX 3836 have 17 cars for interchange with connections via the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad. LTEX 3836, LTEX 3837 and LTEX 6437 left East Peoria with 14 cars. Driving the Cedar Street Bridge into Peoria, I saw the Keokuk Junction Railway local entering the Bridge Junction wye at Sanger Street, but also a distant headlight that was clearly a BNSF train. My hopes were fulfilled when I reached Darst Street to find a short M-GALPEI ready to follow the Keokuk Junction Railway across the river.  ...

I was heading into Peoria on the Cedar Street Bridge, looked toward the southwest and noticed the tail end of a train having just crossed the river. I caught it eventually and determined that it was probably a TP&W train, so I headed for Sanitation Road in Bartonville and waited.  CAPTION: A Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway local, probably EP2, negotiates the through truss bridge spanning Kickapoo Creek in Bartonville, Illinois shortly after entering the Union Pacific-owned ex-Peoria Terminal Co. line mid-afternoon Tuesday, October 21, 2025. TPW 2056 has six cars, likely all phosphate loads consigned to Growmark at Mapleton.   - David P. Jordan

I was at the downtown library when I learned of this train's southbound movement. I decided to head to Mendenhall Road south of Bartonville. Sure enough, the train was already approaching when I arrived. It must have been just seconds behind me when I passed under the mainline at Bartonville.  CAPTION: A southbound Union Pacific grain extra, probably from Sterling, rolls by Mendenhall Road near Sommer (Bartonville), Illinois late-afternoon Saturday, October 11, 2025. UP 7410 and UP 6860 were on the point of the 115-car train. UP 6804 was DPU. - David P. Jordan

When I drove by the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard, I caught a glimpse of BNSF's M-GALPEI (a day late), but figured it would turn back west later as M-PEIGAL. Then I heard the TZPR dispatcher give the Keokuk Junction Railway local permission to depart for Iowa Junction. I caught it crossing the river and again at S. Darst Street. Later, I got it south of Bartonville, after catching the UP grain extra.  CAPTION: The Keokuk Junction Railway's East Peoria turn is shown on its return leg west mid- to late-afternoon Friday, April 11, 2025. LTEX 3010, PREX 2003 and LTEX 3836 have 25 cars. The crew skipped the usual stop at Collier Yard in Bartonville to pull TP&W and/or Union Pacific interchange. While waiting for the KJRY local to depart, radio chatter indicated action on Union Pacific's Peoria Sub. I drove south on US 24 and noticed a southbound grain train on the High Line. A long stop light nearly prevented me from getting to Cilco Lane in time to ...

The eastbound had permission from Iowa Junction onto Tazewell & Peoria Railroad property before I could get there, and I only learned of its presence after the fact. So after leaving the downtown library, I drove to Bartonville to find the train heading back to Mapleton (or further), picking up Union Pacific interchange at Collier Yard.  CAPTION: The Keokuk Junction Railway's East Peoria Turn is shown rolling south out of Bartonville, Illinois early evening Thursday, March 13, 2025. Having just picked up Union Pacific interchange at Collier Yard, LTEX 3010, PREX 2003 and LTEX 3836 have 61 cars.   - David P. Jordan

Busy morning.    I bagged three and missed one. I knew that a loaded Powerton-bound coal train was racing down the Peoria Sub, so I pulled off I-474 at Bartonville, headed down US 24 and set up at Mendenhall Road. The train showed up minutes later.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train CNRPW (Coal, N. Rochelle Mine WY to Powerton IL) rolls by Mendenhall Road south of Bartonville, Illinois late-morning Sunday, March 2, 2025. UP 8139 and UP 6239 were on the point, with UP 6730 bringing up the rear as DPU.   While the UP Powerton coal train approached, I heard a locomotive horn, but in the other direction. I figured a TP&W train was running along the parallel ex-Peoria Terminal Co. line. Sure enough, shortly after the UP coal train cleared my position, a TP&W local out of Mapleton rolled by. It stopped at Collier Yard to pick up two zinc oxide empties from the Union Pacific. This gave me time to shoot video of a monster 270-car train of coal empties that Union Pacif...

Union Pacific's LPD01 job leaves and departs Adams Street Yard in Peoria on July 1, 2024.   I hope the judge makes an example of these two clowns!   Union Pacific's LPD01 job was either going to or returning from Collier Yard to work the Keokuk Junction Railway and Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway interchanges. Damage to the locomotive explains why Adams Street Yard and the adjacent Low Line are still full of cars.    Peoria County Sheriff's Office Facebook Page:    Train Derailment Arrests Peoria County Incident #24-7190   (Peoria County, IL) - On Monday, November 18th, 2024, at approximately 3:00 pm, Peoria County Sheriff's Deputies were notified by the Bartonville Police Department of an incident where BPD officers had two males detained for derailing a train near the train crossing on Sanitation Rd (100 block) just outside of Bartonville. The Union Pacific Locomotive Engineer saw the males near the derailing device and called Bartonvil...

I just missed the arriving train, which appeared to be heavy, thus four units. Barely an hour after departure, the local departed East Peoria back west with four cars.  CAPTION: The Keokuk Junction Railway East Peoria turn is shown running the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad in Peoria, Illinois on its return leg to Mapleton late-afternoon Friday, October 11, 2024. Later, it is running on the Union Pacific's ex-Peoria Terminal Company line south of Bartonville. LTEX 3010, PREX 2047, PREX 2003 and LTEX 6437 have four cars.   - David P. Jordan

Shorter days of October mean fewer encounters with local rail action, but I have come across two trains, four days apart, in the same location in East Peoria.    Sunday afternoon, I was driving eastbound Interstate 74 when I encountered an empty Union Pacific grain train (with TP&W crew). On Thursday afternoon, I exited eastbound Interstate 74 onto southbound N. Main Street when I heard a locomotive horn and saw the flashers activitate. Fortunately, I was able to turn left after the train cleared and shot video the same place I did the TP&W-UP train on Sunday. CAPTION: A Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway East Peoria Switcher (EP3?) rolls by E. Washington Street shortly before entering the yard late-afternoon Thursday, October 10, 2024. TZPR 2133 has six cars there were picked up at Collier Yard in Bartonville. - David P. Jordan

One of the few things left to draw fans to the Peoria railscene is a switching and terminal line which rosters end cab switchers. The Tazewell & Peoria Railroad put two of its own and one from sister Illinois & Midland Railroad on the point of an Iowa Interstate unit potash train this morning for the trip across the river and then down to Mosaic Crop Nutrition.  I didn't stick around to see it, but I know the units returned to East Peoria engine lite.  CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad unit potash train rolls by Mendenhall Road just south of Bartonville, Illinois shortly after entering the Union Pacific's Peoria Subdivision to reach Mosaic Crop Nutrition midday Saturday, June 22, 2024. TZPR 1351, IMRR 43 and TZPR 1521 were on the point. Train arrived the area as the Iowa Interstate Railroad's DAVPE (Davenport IA to Peoria IL).   David P. Jordan

I hadn't planned on going anywhere today, but received a heads up that Union Pacific was running an empty ballast train southbound on the Peoria Sub. While I intended to shoot it at W. Farmington Road, the train was making time faster than I expected. No sooner did I pulled onto Kickapoo Creek Road and ducked under the UP High Line in Bartonville, it glanced through the trees to see familiar ballast hoppers. I quickly turned around and just beat it to Cilco Lane. CAPTION: A southbound Union Pacific train of ballast empties rolls by Cilco Lane at Sommer, Illinois late-afternoon Monday, May 27, 2024. UP 8631, UP 7030, UP 8635 and UP 8930 have 41 cars.   - David P. Jordan

When I left work, I learned that the Keokuk Junction Railway local was picking up the two F-7As (BUGX 401 and BUGX 402) before heading to East Peoria. Those former Gettysburg & Northern F-units have been at Kolbe since October 18, reportedly for mechanical work. They were enroute to the Blackwell Northern Gateway Railroad in Kansas but that carrier was shutdown by the Federal Railroad Administration earlier this month for a number of violations. Whether these units are still enroute or if they have a new destination is unknown at this time. Note that they had been on the KJRY since October but arrived the area (separately) on Norfolk Southern in late-August.  As I waited for the KJRY to move, I learned that BNSF's M-PEIGAL had permission to depart the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard. Given the great afternoon sunlight, I decided to capture the train crossing the river and again at my favorite Darst Street perch. I figured I had time to get it one more time...

I missed Union Pacific's MPECL because it left Adams Street Yard earlier than usual. But I did see the Keokuk Junction Railway's East Peoria Turn on its return leg to Kolbe/Mapleton. I waited until if pulled Union Pacific interchange from Collier Yard. Today's run had a good mix of cars.  CAPTION: The Keokuk Junction Railway's East Peoria turn is shown on its return leg after pulling Union Pacific interchange at Collier Yard late-afternoon Tuesday, October 3, 2023. LTEX 6437 and LTEX 3848 have 41 cars.   David P. Jordan

I caught the Union Pacific freight as I usually do on Tuesday after work. Usual traffic, but at least a decent-sized train of 60 cars from IMRR (via TZPR), KJRY, TP&W and TZPR itself.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls across W. Farmington Road shortly after departing Adams Street in Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Tuesday, July 25, 2023. UP 7432 has 60 cars.   I knew the CN local was reported at Hilliards around the time I saw the UP freight, so I headed that way, and down Rt. 29 where I passed the local. I set up by the old C&IM depot at Pekin for video. The train came by a short time later. The two RISX-marked covered hoppers are curious, but I were empty so I doubt they had anything to do to with Waelz Sustainable Products plant at Clymers, Indiana. Cars displaying these markings are among those regularly routed TPW-Peoria-UP from that plant.  I should also note that this train had an empty sodium hydroxide solution ...

I missed the Keokuk Junction Railway's local coming into the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard. I probably couldn't have caught it anyway, but they did something unusual.  The two GP20Ds - CEFX 2022 and CEFX 2014 - were delivered here for eventual interchange (reportedly CN) as their time with KJRY is done. LTEX 6437 cut off and left them on the Creve Coeur Team Track and then returned to the other two units. The train left with only three cars.  CAPTION: The Keokuk Junction Railway's East Peoria Turn runs its return leg to Kolbe (Mapleton), Illinois late-afternoon and early-evening Monday, July 17, 2023. LTEX 3848, PREX 2018 and LTEX 6437 left the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad with just three cars. After waiting for a TP&W local to switch out Union Pacific interchange for them at Collier Yard, seven more cars were added. The train is shown crossing the Illinois River and at Darst Street in Peoria, and at Sanitation Road in Bartonville, and again s...