Peoria Station

I went to the Wesley Road crossing at Hilliards, and the flashers and gates activated briefly then went back up. I looked both ways and just saw a feed train cut at crossing. No sign of L557. I headed south on Rt. 29. The CN-IAIS grain train (not sure if loaded or empty) was at Pekin. I went into Pekin, got gas at Circle K (40 cents off 4-7pm this evening!) and headed back north. I encountered L557 at Grove so I turned around and found a spot at IC Junction. Lighting was poor, but can't have everything...   I should note that the CSX coil steel car was brought up to the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard by last night's L556 and left with the two units on the Creve Coeur Team Track. They seem to be doing this with cars for local industries (Hanna Steel, Amerhart) instead of leaving them at that siding in Pekin.    The empty hydrochloric acid tank car is interesting. Perhaps the Iowa Interstate Railroad received this car when loaded and it has returned ...

I nearly missed the first one.   I got word that an Eastern Airlines LLC 777-200 had arrived Peoria on a military charter from El Paso, Texas. Flightaware.com provided the departure time to Victorville, California so I waited at the airport for departure. Afterward, I headed for downtown Peoria, but somehow missed it going by me (a geep and an RDC can hide, but I assumed I'd hear horn action). So I turned back and found out the train had already passed through downtown. I barely made it in time to Bridge Junction to capture the first scene.  CAPTION: An Iowa Interstate geometry train, consisting of IAIS 707 and CN 1501, a converted Rail Diesel Car (RDC), is shown late-afternoon Saturday April 12, 2025 on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad crossing the Illinois River and then shoving into the Creve Coeur Team Track.   I normally don't wait for a train at night, but Iowa Interstate is an exception. Downtown street lamps are bright, which enables me to get decent video...

I checked the Creve Coeur Team Track this afternoon after work and noticed IAIS 150 and IAIS 153 sitting with no sign of a crew. So I spent some time at the downtown library, intending to return and check for activity. When I left the library at the usual time, I heard the TZPR St. Albans Dispatcher give IAIS 150 permission from the West Lead at East Peoria to the North Limit Yard.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) is shown several times as rolls along the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad in Peoria, Illinois early-evening Thursday, April 10, 2025. IAIS 150 and IAIS 153 have 81 cars. Locations are the Illinois River Bridge, Chicago Street, Rock Island's old (1900) and new (1967) depots and the whole train at Fairholm Avenue.   - David P. Jordan