Peoria Station

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...

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 ...

I was already up north moments from my parked car when I heard the horn, either at Alta Road or Ridgeview Road (Pioneer) further south. W. Farmington Road seemed like the best place to get this one, and it arrived barely a minute after I parked.  CAPTION: A Union Pacific coal train is shown at W. Farmington Road near Peoria, Illinois early afternoon Sunday, December 29, 2024. UP 5886 and UP 8618 have 135 loads with UP 6256 as DPU. Later, the train rolls by Cilco Lane at Sommer, shortly before entering Crescent Junction at the Illinois & Midland Railroad's Crescent Yard at Powerton. I kind of expected this one to be in the area today, after being loaded at Prairie Central Co-Operative's Greenfield (Chenoa) rail loop. A TP&W crew took it all the way to Pekin on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroads double track where a UP crew waited.  CAPTION: A Union Pacific grain train rolls along the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's double track main in Pekin, Illinois early-a...