Peoria Station

It seems that the Kolbe Local (EP1) ran through to East Peoria this afternoon. Can't confirm 100%. Normally, it makes a Collier turn and swaps traffic with EP2. Earlier, I noticed three tank cars on the south end of the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard, at the Creve Coeur end, actually.    That this local left 17 cars from Mapleton industries at the TZPR yard instead of taking them first to the TP&W yard demonstrates efficient operation when two shortlines are under common control.  CAPTION: A Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway local, probably EP1 out of Kolbe (Mapleton), Illinois, bangs the BioUrja Renewables LLC Riverside Track in Peoria, moments before entering the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Illinois River Bridge late-afternoon Thursday, October 16, 2025. TPW 2056 has 19 cars. After setting out 17 at the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad, and grabbing three more, the five-car train rolls by N. Main Street in East Peoria. - David P. Jor...

I left work this afternoon for the downtown library but first checked East Peoria for any rail action. No Norfolk Southern D49, but BNSF's M-PEIGAL was in the yard. I soon heard some radio chatter that told me the Keokuk Junction Railway's Kolbe-East Peoria Turn had been given permission to run the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad from Iowa Junction to East Peoria. But after crossing the river, I saw it about to enter Bridge Junction. Apparently, the train was already enroute or I took longer to get across the river than I thought. Oh well, the train had only six cars.    Not long afterward, I heard the BNSF crew ask for head room to grab cars from Track A-27. That told me I had time to go to the library (and get copies of those articles I posted for today's THIS DAY IN HISTORY). I left the library early to check on the BNSF train. About 1730 hours, the crew asked permission to depart for Darst Street. Minutes laterm the KJRY crew asked to follow the BNSF train. So I crosse...

Enroute to the downtown library this afternoon, I picked up some radio chatter on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad yard channel. I couldn't make out much of what was said, so I had to investigate. Turns out, the Keokuk Junction Railways East Peoria turn was building its outbound train in the East Peoria Yard. I went ahead to the library, but left a little early, figuring I could shoot video of it after pulling Union Pacific interchange at Collier Yard.  I should have left earlier for that, because I found the train crossing Cilco Lane at Sommer. Notably, the train had 19 boxcars dominating a 26-car pickup from UP.  The train headed west a short time later, reported going through Canton at 2050 hours.  CAPTION: The Keokuk Junction Railway's Mapleton-E. Peoria Turn is shown  on its return leg at the Route 9 crossing near Hollis, Illinois early-evening Wednesday, March 27, 2024. A short time later, it is shown at Kolbe (Mapleton) where it stops for switching before h...

I happened to catch this local early evening leaving Kolbe for Colllier Yard. Given the late hour, I wonder if it an extra EPX1 rather than the usual EP1 symbol?  Cars appear to be either tallow empties from Evonik, corn syrup empties and sorbitol loads from Ingredion, and an "environmentally hazard liquid" empty (UN 3082) on the rear, which I'm guessing is from Evonik. Not since I saw a southbound the local the evening of July 18, 2023 have I seen any indication of foundry sand traffic moving to Caterpillar's foundry. I'd like to know what is going on with that.  CAPTION: A Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway local runs along the Keokuk Junction Railway as it departs the Kolbe (Mapleton), Illinois area early-evening Monday, March 18, 2024. TZPR 2133 has 15 cars for Collier Yard at Bartonville...and beyond.   David P. Jordan

Well...I caught another TP&W train running through from Kolbe (Mapleton) to East Peoria.  The three units apparently brought a cut of phosphate loads (in CSX covered hoppers) to Growmark early Sunday evening, so it makes sense that they'd take some cars back with them to the home terminal.  CAPTION: A Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway local, enroute from the Kolbe Industrial Spur near Mapleton to East Peoria, rolls by W. Washington Street shortly before the end of its run late-afternoon Monday, August 21, 2023. TPW 5015, HESR 3485 and TPW 5009 - all running long-hood forward - have 20 cars. David P. Jordan

I rarely capture the East Peoria-bound KJRY local before it sets out TP&W and/or UP interchange at Collier Yard in Bartonville. I got lucky Wednesday! The first 15 cars - a mix of covered hoppers displaying PREX and ALAB markings - were loaded. I figure they contained soybeans loaded at Sciota and are consigned to Incobrasa industries at Gilman, Illinois. Thus, they were set out at Collier Yard. There were eleven loaded boxcars for UP at Collier Yard, and these appear to be mixed in with cars for TZPR, requiring some extra switching at Collier Yard. Most if not all of the tank cars were corn syrup loads for Norfolk Southern. Two empty covered hoppers on the rear came from ADM's Bushnell plant, and last contained soybean flour. They are returning to Decatur via Canadian National.  CAPTION: The Keokuk Junction Railway's Kolbe-East Peoria Turn is shown at Mapleton from the US 24 overpass as it departs for East Peoria. Later, the whole train is shown at Hollis and again as it ...

I had to work two hours overtime but caught the KJRY on its return run back to Kolbe early this evening. The eastbound arrived Kolbe just after midnight. They may run west to LaHarpe Thursday and perhaps back east Friday before this holiday weekend.  CAPTION: The Keokuk Junction Railway's East Peoria Turn is shown early evening Wednesday, May 24, 2023 just south of Bartonville, Illinois on its return leg to Kolbe. LTEX 3848, PREX 2003 and LTEX 6437 have 22 cars. - David P. Jordan 

Although I'd first check on Union Pacific train MPECL as usual on Friday, I headed into Peoria this afternoon knowing the Keokuk Junction Railway's East Peoria turn had left Kolbe. I was able to capture MPECL under than Harman Highway overpass a short time later.  I expected the twelve zinc oxide loads (see Note 1) on the head end of Tuesday's TP&W road train to be on Friday's MPECL. Although it had seven zinc oxide loads (see Note 2), none matched those on the TP&W train. You would think sufficient time had passed for TP&W to deliver to Union Pacific. I did notice two cars (not together) were left at Adams Street Yard, I don't think any were among the twelve arriving from East Peoria Tuesday evening.  NOTE 1 - SRIX 57102, SRIX 525002, RISX 1037, RISX 3073, RISX 3046, SRIX 525062, SRIX 57259, RISX 3059, RISX 3077, RISX 3037, RISX 3071, RISX 3070 NOTE 2 - RISX 1036, RISX 1031, RISX 3044, SRIX 525111, RISX 3035, RISX 3074, RISX 1035 CAPTION: Union Pacific...

I saw the crew classifying Friday's M-EFEP late this morning, but missed the TZPR transfer sometime in early afternoon while at the downtown library. I did, however, see them leave with 34 cars for Kolbe (Mapleton). Most are phosphate loads off CSX in Indiana, but the scrap metal-laden CSX gondola on the head end is likely for KJRY, consigned to Hitchcock Scrap Yard's Canton transload.  CAPTION: A Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway extra makes a run from East Peoria to Kolbe (Mapleton), Illinois mid-afternoon Saturday, October 29, 2022. TPW 3046, HESR 2107 and TPW 3441 have 34 cars. Scenes are at N. Main Street in East Peoria and crossing the river into Peoria, both of which are on Tazewell & Peoria Railroad (TZPR) territory.  - David P. Jordan