Peoria Station

Shocked, shocked I tell you, on this latest development.  WEEK TV-25 posted a story yesterday tell us that,   "Members of the Peoria Park District Board of Trustees are siding with Friends of Riverfront Park against the sale of land near the Detweiller Marina."   Obviously, local activists are always in need of a cause, and have found one. They are the usual suspects which agitated for years to get the Peoria, Peoria Heights & Western Railroad (aka "Kellar Branch") abandoned in favor of a recreational trail.  I still wonder why O'Brien Steel wants to relocate its crane system and steel storage area. It would seem they need the existing space for expansion of operations, but I've not seen any announcements.  The firm is a distributor for steel products like I-beams and pilings, and fabrication, welding, heat treating and processing. It has four steel service centers and four processing facilities (Peoria does both) in Illinois and Wisconsin.  Relocating...

Looking north from NE Adams and Cornhill streets in Peoria, Illinois, Sunday, February 12, 2023 Here's some notes and thoughts on "AB-1056 (SUB-NO. 1X) PIONEER INDUSTRIAL RAILWAY CO. LLC - Discontinuance of Trackage Rights Exemption - In Peoria County, Ill.," a filing to the Surface Transportation Board last week and entered into the public record Wednesday, February 15, 2023.  (1) The carrier asks the STB to authorize PIRY to "terminate its trackage rights over approximately 1.07 miles of line (a portion of the Kellar Branch) located between milepost 1.71 and 2.78 (the 'Line') in the City of Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois." (2) As of January 1, 2023, the carrier is legally known as "Pioneer Industrial Railway Co. LLC." (3) PIRY's filing is part of the City's railroad service plan, discontinuing long out of service trackage rights over the south end of the old Kellar Branch.  (4) Board approval will free up the City of Peoria to 550 fe...

I finally had a chance to create the third and final part of my Pioneer Industrial Railway documentary.  I intended to create this in April, but didn't have time due to a Florida trip and adjusting to a job change. As with the other two, I provide narration over photos and video. Part I Part II - David P. Jordan

As it turns out, I had sufficient material for far more than I expected. This will be the second of a three-part documentary, which covers more of the Central Illinois Railroad Co's Peoria Division than Pioneer. You've already seen the video, but most of the stills you haven't. Looking for feedback. Part 3 will be posted when I have time to create it. - David P. Jordan