Peoria Station

The Iowa Interstate Railroad, for the fourth time since 2014, has provided a crew and a train to run excursions out of Chillicothe, Illinois. Ticket revenue from these trips is donated to local volunteer firefighters. As usual, the event attracted a large crowd and most if not all seats were sold out.  In September 2014 and September 2016, diesels hauled former Montreal commuter coaches between Henry and Chillicothe. In May 2019, QJ 6988 led trips out of Chillicothe with a diesel on the return leg. These trips used P70 commuter coaches build for the Pennsylvania Railroad. Diesels bracketed the cars on today's trips. CAPTION: On Saturday, June 3, 2023, the Iowa Interstate Railroad provided a crew and a train for the "Ride the Rails" passenger excursions out of Chillicothe, Illinois. Sponsored by the Fred Meister Chillicothe Community Firefighters Association, four trips operated north to near Sparland and return. Iowa Interstate GP38-2s 702 and 701 bracketed five, 72-seat...

Monday morning, April 13, 2020, I caught the Iowa Interstate Railroad's PESI (Manifest, Peoria IL to Silvis IL) at Chillicothe, Illinois. I even got an unexpected "over-and-under" scene! The train, led by Iowa Interstate 514, an ES44AC, and Norfolk Southern 5054, a GP38-2, had 61 cars. Mostly empties, but three coil steel loads and several alcohol tank cars were present. Adding to the show was eastbound BNSF Railway autorack train running on the Chillicothe Subdivision!  - David P. Jordan

According to this message by Chillicothe, Illinois mayor Don White , posted Friday, January 18, public rail excursions between Chillicothe and Henry return May 18.  The Iowa Interstate Railroad operated four roundtrip excursions for the public between the two points in both 2014 and 2016. Proceeds go to volunteer firefighters.  I rode the train and shot video trackside both times. See videos below.  Saturday, September 13, 2014. Saturday, September 10, 2016 Some patrons complained of the glazed windows on the ex-Montreal (Quebec) commuter coaches used for these excursions. Fortunately, former Pennsylvania Railroad P70 coaches, with clear windows, were acquired recently. I recorded them being used firefighter fundrasing trips in 2017 and 2018. See below. West Liberty/Durant, Iowa, September 30, 2017 Mitchellville/Altoona, Iowa, Saturday, August 18, 2018 (behind steam!) Grinnell, Iowa and then trips out of Brooklyn, Sunday, August 19, ...

BNSF Railway's Chillicothe Subdivision is the busy railroad (by far) in the Peoria area. It doesn't serve the city directly, rather it passes through the northern fringes of Peoria County, serving Chillicothe, Edelstein and Princeville. Only one industry - Seneca Foods at Princeville - is served. So the line's value is to serve as a link between Chicago, Kansas City and markets south and west.  Sunday afternoon, December 16, 2018, I spent about three hours trackside (mostly Blue Ridge Road, just west of Chillicothe) and captured some amazing action! Recorded in this 16 minute, 38 second video are two meets - one between two intermodal trains and a second between two manifests. Final scenes record a chase I made on a westbound freight which left the Chillicothe Yard.  - David P. Jordan