Peoria Station

I went looking for a loaded TP&W-UP grain extra coming out of Cruger this afternoon, but never found it, but I did notice the green signal indication at W. Farmington Road before 5:00pm. About 30 minutes or so later, this comes by...   (Loads tend to run via St. Louis.) CAPTION: Union Pacific train SPESJ (Special, Peoria IL to South Junction CO) rolls by W. Farmington Road after departing Crescent, Illinois late-afternoon Saturday, October 3, 2026. UP 9799 and UP 6552 have 72 empty wind turbine flats. Empties came from Havana via the Illinois & Midland Railroad. - David P. Jordan

I learned that an Iowa Interstate PESI was at East Peoria this morning, and later was able to shoot video of it at San Koty, a few miles out of the North Limit Yard. This train of 92 cars may have had only ten loads. The last six cars of the second block of covered hoppers were loaded. Two denatured alcohol (UN 1987), an iron oxide load (CIGX gondola) and a coil steel load (NS coil care car) were the others. NOTE: IAIS 152 was coupled to a PEDAV (potash empties) this morning and afternoon, but I saw no sign of a crew, probably tomorrow.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) rolls along home rails at San Koty, Illinois late-morning Sunday, August 30, 2026. IAIS 503 has 92 cars. Incobrasa Industries' massive expansion at Gilman, and purchase of the American Milling Co. feed mill and barge dock at Crescent (Pekin) has created sufficient volume for the TP&W to run East Peoria-Powerton turns for direct interchange with the Illinois & Midl...

Today marked my first encounter with an Illinois & Midland Railroad local on its "Springfield Main" since April 19, 2020, also a Sunday. I've seen them on East Peoria turns and I've seen wind turbine tower and blade trains on the Springfield Main. The locals are pretty random, and catching them is a treat.    I first noticed the two locomotives in the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Pekin Yard adjacent Alto Pekin LLC's wet corn mill in mid-afternoon. I had an appointment for an oil change so after that was done, I returned to Pekin to hear the dispatcher give permission to depart Powerton south. I finally found the train near County Road 11000 North with just one covered hopper (CVHX 896100, plastic load).    I stepped out of my air conditioned car and the camera lens fogged up. I kept wiping it, only to have it fog up again, so that is the explanation for the first scene.    CAPTION: A southbound Illinois & Midland Railroad local out of Pow...

List, Driving westbound on I-74, I heard radio chatter which took several glances to confirm it was the NS road channel (161.145mhz). I was able to turn around at Pinecrest.   It seemed that D49 was getting a track warrant from Farmdale to MP 379 (Good Yard), but as I neared N. Main Street with a clear view of the Bloomington District , I noticed the train was already rolling by Crandall and the TP&W crossing.   An attempt to beat the train to Deer Creek failed, so I elected to get back on I-74 at Goodfield and get ahead of it at Carlock. As you can see, my plan succeeded.    Today's train was heavy, and probably the first since Thursday. Besides the four Caterpillar track-type tractor loads, we have the usual ADM traffic (two blocks) off the Iowa Interstate, plastic pellets off the Illinois & Midland, and alcohol, carbon dioxide refrigerated liquid and coiled wire rod loads from Tazewell & Peoria Railroad-served industries. CAPTION: Norfolk Southe...

Had Facebook been better at allowing me to see posts from the Peoria group, I would probably have caught Norfolk Southern D49 after work. I also wish I had checked Adams Street Yard, but I assumed MPECL had already left. For the third time in a row, the train left late.  But I did get one local movement on Tuesday. I heard the chatter and encountered the train at Hilliards, so I turned around and waited for it at Wesley. The flat car loaded with leftover dunnage from wind turbine components was interesting. I missed its departure because I did not expect it to flip so soon.  CAPTION: An Illinois & Midland Railroad Powerton Roadswitcher delivered interchange to the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad late-afternoon Tuesday, May 26, 2026. The train is shown at Wesley minutes before entering the East Peoria Yard. CFE 3316 and TPW 5015 have 14 cars. - David P. Jordan

I'm not sure the last time Norfolk Southern D49 ran before today, but it must have been awhile. Monday's return trip had 89 cars! Besides five Caterpillar D10 tractor loads, the train had seven plastic loads from the Illinois & Midland, 24 ADM grain product loads from Iowa Interstate, 10 corn syrup tanks from the Keokuk Junction Railway and possibly some other interchange business.    I came home from work unaware if the train had left, then received a tip, and headed out. I decided to try to capture the train rolling across the Mackinaw River east of Goodfield. Turns out, I should have just waited for it at Goodfield, and then gone on to Carlock. But I missed it at Yuton as I did not want to risk construction delays on I-74 east of Carlock. Fortunately, the D36 crew had already arrived and took the train on east after adding 43 more cars.   Recent reports have D32 (Decatur to Normal) running Sunday during the day (a wide window) and Monday through Friday during ...

I learned that two end cab switchers were on an East Peoria-Powerton turn, and knew I needed to capture it somewhere. I was coming from the downtown Peoria library so I barely got to my spot in time. We see the usual dry sorbent loads for NRG Energy at Powerton and zinc oxide loads for CPKC at Springfield mixed with a few liquid feed, plastic and slag empties. CAPTION: Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's "Industry 4" job rolls across N. 2nd Street in Pekin, Illinois late-afternoon Friday, May 1, 2026 with transfer business for the Illinois & Midland Railroad at Powerton. TZPR 1352 and TZPR 1351 have 27 cars.   - David P. Jordan

While hoping to see CN's local, I happened upon the Illinois & Midland RR local on its return leg from East Peoria to Powerton. The tank car was loaded, though I'm not sure with what. I'm guessing soybean oil for Agridyne LLC at Crescent. Then we have 14 loaded covered hoppers. As there are no ADM markings, I figure these are DDG loads from The Andersons at Clymers, Indiana that had come off the TP&W. These are followed by eleven zinc oxide loads for which IMRR acts as a bridge route between TP&W (East Peoria/TZPR) and CPKC (Springfield). A denatured alcohol load and empty bathtub coal car bring up the rear.  CAPTION: An Illinois & Midland Railroad Powerton Roadswitcher rolls along the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad at Hilliards (Creve Coeur), Illinois late-afternoon Tuesday, March 17, 2026. HESR 2107 and IMRR 2108 have 28 cars.   After capturing the Illinois & Midland RR local, I saw that the CN local had already departed, but figured it was still ...

This afternoon, I went to check Tremont Grain Barge & Rail in Pekin as 16 loads are in place for unloading, or to be pulled by TZPR. I decided to check the TZPR along Rt. 29 and make my way toward East Peoria where I noticed an IMRR interchange delivery on the Nickel Plate. The train's power was already on the outbound when I arrived.    Lots of activity on TZPR today, including IMRR 43 working Kickapoo Yard and TP&W working a Collier Turn with three motors (IORY 3472 was leader). The TP&W crew obviously had delivered corn loads to BioUrja's South Yard because that distillery's critter came out to grabbed them, asking TZPR permission to cross its line at Bridge Junction going down there and returning to the plant.    While waiting for the IMRR train to depart, a TZPR local from Pekin came up the line.  CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local from Pekin rolls by Hilliards and Wesley mid-afternoon Sunday, January 4, 2026. TZPR 1352 has f...

While out Sunday afternoon, I decided to check on a few things. Nothing new to report on Ozinga Cement Co. or Viridis Chemical, but I did happen to see a Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local building a train at Kickapoo Yard. Shortly, it received instructions to East Peoria and I caught it at two locations.   Coiled wire rod loads are from Liberty Steel & Wire and scrap metal is from Alter Metal Recycling (Clarke Street facility and/or or the one on Liberty property in Bartonville). A gondola or two in between might have been loaded with steel billets. The tank cars were asphalt empties pulled from Interstate Asphalt Corp's Peoria River Terminal and the covered hoppers were likely DDGS loads from BioUrja South Yard.  CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local, indicated to be "Lead 2" by radio chatter, runs from Kickapoo Yard to East Peoria, mid-afternoon Sunday, November 23, 2025. Shown working upgrade toward Darst Street and again crossing the river, TZPR ...

After work, I made my usual trip to the downtown library, with appropriate detours.   After exiting I-74 in East Peoria, I noticed what I thought might be a Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway train preparing to shove a few tank cars out of the west end of the yard and run Norfolk Southern's Bloomington District to Crandall Junction and then into Morton. Turns out, it was probably just a short train returning from Collier Yard in Bartonville.   Shortly, I heard the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad dispatcher give BNSF's M-GALPEI permission to enter his property at Darst Street when river traffic cleared and the bridge was lowered. That gave me time to get to Krause Avenue in time to capture the train's passage.  CAPTION: BNSF Railway train M-GALPEI (Manifest, Galesburg IL to Peoria IL) has just entered Tazewell & Peoria Railroad property at Darst Street in Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Monday, September 22, 2025. BNSF 7167 and BNSF 6748 have 30 cars for the Eas...

When I exited westbound I-74 toward E. Washington Street this afternoon, I happened to notice Norfolk Southern's D49 local power and cars behind it. I wasn't expecting to see it on Monday, but perhaps more Liberty Steel & Wire traffic is requiring more frequent East Peoria runs.    I hope so.    D49 used to make the East Peoria trip to interchange with the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad five days a week. Of course, Decatur-Normal connecting locals D32/D36 used to cycle daily, but apparently do not anymore for lack of crews.    Today's train had the usual plastic pellet traffic from the Illinois & Midland RR, coiled wire rod, steepwater, alcohol and carbon dioxide refrigerated liquid loads from the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad and coil steel empties from Iowa Interstate. The truck coil springs on the four AEX covered hoppers were open, i. e. empty. Makes me wonder if The Andersons (AEX) Clymers, Indiana ethanol plant is routing DDGS/Mash to t...

I happened to see the train on the TP&W "Peoria Sub" (West Main) preparing for departure, so I waited near W. Washington Street. Sure enough, the crew asked for permission to deliver to the "hump." I decided to return home to change clothes and get something to eat, and when I returned to East Peoria, I caught the tail end of the return trip, which had grabbed those 25 cars off the Nickel Plate from yesterday.    I missed this move, expecting it to take longer. Hopefully, it will become a regular deal. I can confirm that the 25 cars were loaded at Western Grain Marketing's Atterberry elevator, and pulled Friday. That TP&W grabbed them and took them to its home terminal in East Peoria tells me they will head east soon on the "M-train" with a Gilman destination.   Most likely, the cars contain soybeans for Incobrasa Industries. WGM-Atterberry is likely to send corn to Alto Pekin. If not trucked (or shipped by rail) to the Peoria-Pekin area fo...

I usually get the Illinois & Midland transfers to East Peoria on the return southbound leg, but I finally encountered it early this afternoon on the northbound leg.    I was suprised to see that the 25 TP&W covered hoppers on the head end were loaded. Western Grain Marketing's Atterberry elevator probably loaded soybeans for Incobrasa Industries at Gilman. The crew pulled to the north end of the TZPR yard, broke these off and doubled them over to the Nickel Plate. I assume a TP&W switch crew will grab them soon (they had not as of 1600 hours this afternoon). The only other possibility is that soybeans were transferred from barges to railcars at Incobrasa Industries' ex-American Milling Co. facility on Crystal Lake, just southwest of Pekin. But the tracks there are usually filled up with DDGS cars from the Iowa Interstate. So I'm leaning toward the former theory... CAPTION: An Illinois & Midland Railroad Powerton Roadswitcher pulls through Wesley (Creve C...

It took long enough for Liberty Steel & Wire to begin shipping coiled wire rod by rail. Workers were recalled to both the steel and rod mills and wire mills in March. Maybe regular rod traffic will prompt NS to improve service on the Bloomington District? My last encounter with a D49 handling coiled wire rod was slightly more than a year ago, on July 1, 2024!    I heard two weeks ago that Norfolk Southern did not run a D36 (Normal to Decatur) for three days in a row! Decatur's yard has been a mess for years now, and crew shortages continue. In the past, Norfolk Southern has bounced back from either a self-inflicted traffic meltdown (post Conrail split in 1999) or loss of business due to recession (2008-2009), but business seems to have stagnated and then dropped off the past six years.   Although D49 is carded to run Monday thru Friday, an East Peoria turn may happen at most three times a week. Unpredictable service, higher pricing, and lack of crews to run trains...

I was able to capture Union Pacific's MPECL early this afternoon.    The long cut of tank cars look like what I saw on the Low Line since last Thursday. Friday's train had only four cars, so perhaps they mostly empties for today's run? Basic make-up:   SIX corn syrup empties THREE industrial alcohol (UN 1170) loads TWO steepwater loads ONE denatured alcohol (UN 1987) load ONE industrial alcohol (UN 1170) load ONE plastic pellet empty THREE corn syrup empties ONE corn gluten meal/feed/DDGS? load THREE plastic pellet empties  ONE scrap metal empty ONE beverage alcohol (UN 3065) load THREE corn syrup empties  ONE industrial alcohol (UN 1170) load ONE beverage alcohol (UN 3065) load ONE corn gluten meal/feed/DDGS load? ONE plastic pellet empty TWO beverage alcohol (UN 3065) loads TWENTY-NINE trona (dry sorbent) empties THIRTEEN grain product empties   Origins are Alto Ingredients, BioUrja Renewables, Alter Metal Recycling/Liberty Steel ...

On my way to the downtown library early this afternoon I checked out the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria and noticed an Illinois & Midland RR transfer that had just arrived. I stuck around for signs that it would return south shortly, and it did.  CAPTION: An Illinois & Midland Railroad Powerton Roadswitcher is shown on its return trip from sister Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard early afternoon Saturday, May 17, 2025. Locations are Wesley, Hilliards and Pekin, Illinois. A fourth scene shows a runby of the train's power at Distillery Road in Pekin. IORY 5014 and IMRR 2108 have 43 cars.   I missed BNSF's M-GALPEI Friday afternoon, and assumed that when the crew parked their power on the Creve Coeur Team Track, a relief crew might take it M-PEIGAL west later in the evening. Turns out, M-PEIGAL ran Saurday afternoon. I was at the downtown library when it departed, but since I knew it could not be too far west, searched for and enc...

I found this just minutes after it pulled up to S. Darst Street in Peoria. Shortly, the TZPR dispatcher gave the crew instructions to depart Darst Street for IC Junction at Pekin. The sun angle was poor, so I elected to try across the river at Hilliards, but that was bad too. I settled on the N. 2nd Street crossing in Pekin, but after the second pause, I moved to a location just south of IC Junction. I make limited use of my tri-pod due to frequent dissatisfaction with the results. Unfortunately, I had moments to set up on the last scene. Train took about eleven minutes to get by my position.  CAPTION: A BNSF Railway coal train is shown crossing N. 2nd Street in Pekin, Illinois early afternoon Saturday, February 22, 2025. Later, the whole train is shown rolling along Rt. 29 toward Illinois & Midland Railroad's Crescent Yard at Powerton. Bound for Kincaid Power Station, BNSF 5884, BNSF 9113 and BNSF 9073 were on the point. BNSF 9087 brought up the rear as DPU.   - Dav...

Driving I-474 westbound this afternoon, I heard brief chatter on BNSF's Peoria Sub frequency, but could not hear any specifics. Turns out, an empty Kincaid coal train was leaving town. I caught up to it after coming off Harmon Highway onto Kickapoo Creek Road. I could not beat it to Pottstown but managed to capture it near the West Siding Switch at Edwards.  CAPTION: A BNSF Railway train of coal empties rolls westbound through Edwards, Illinois late-afternoon Tuesday, February 11, 2025. Train came from the Kincaid Power Plant on the Illinois & Midland RR. BNSF 8444 and BNSF 9145 have 129 cars. BNSF 6606 and BNSF 6266 bring up the rear as Distributed Power Units. - David P. Jordan

I was able to set up at W. Farmington Road just minutes before this loaded, Powerton-bound coal train rolled by.  CAPTION: A Union Pacific coal train rolls by W. Farmington Road near Peoria, Illinois late-morning Sunday, February 9, 2025. UP 5613 and UP 2610 have 135 loads for NRG Energy's Powerton Station on the Illinois & Midland RR. UP 6284 is DPU.   While lingering on the east side of the river, I heard chatter indicating a Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local was moving on the Peoria side. So I checked it out and found this empty potash train heading toward Bridge Junction. A loaded potash train arrived Friday evening, and this was probably the one sitting along Wesley Road today.  CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local pulls a train of potash empties at Sanger Street in Peoria, Illinois late-morning Sunday, February 9, 2025. Train is enroute from Mosaic Crop Nutrition LLC south of Bartonville to the TZPR Pekin Main at Grove. TZPR 1352 and IMRR 43 have...