Peoria Station

A number of TP&W manifests of late have had short consists when departing East Peoria. Days of operations still seem to vary, but short consists either mean more frequent runs or a lull in business. That lull, if a factor, is probably seasonal.    I learned of the train's departure from East Peoria around midday Saturday. It was a short consist, and eleven of the cars and one locomotive (IORY 3492) were on that transfer I caught Friday afternoon. But I decided to chase starting at Washington. After that, I cured an empty stomach and caught up to the train again at Secor. I usually bid adieu at El Paso, but knew pickups were planned at both Gridley and Meadows. These may be the first times I've seen TP&W pickup eastbound soybean loads at these local elevators that are consigned to Incobrasa Industries in Gilman.    I included video of the Gridley pickup. I stayed at Chenoa to watch a southbound Union Pacific intermodal train and Amtrak's San Antonio-bound ...

This train had a reported 142 cars before it set out 57 at Grainland Farmers's Cruger elevator. The three units and consist starting with the covered hopper just ahead of the second set of gondolas is what I tried to get departing TZPR's East Peoria Yard late-Sunday, but darkness fell and I had plans for the evening.  CAPTION: The Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway ran an eastbound "M-Train" Monday afternoon, January 5, 2026. After setting out grain empties at Cruger, the now shorter train rolled through Eureka, Illinois. IORY 3472, RCPE 3481 and IORY 5007 have 85 cars.   - David P. Jordan

I caught this at Ernest Street, just southwest of Washington, with sufficient lighting. Then I shot the power crossing the recently-painted bridge over Peoria Road in Washington.    Consist was mostly typical: 15 TP&W grain empties, 20 Incobrasa grain empties, five empty covered hoppers (one AEX-marked car suggests these are DDGS empties heading for The Andersons in Clymers, Indiana), two ethyl alcohol (UN 1170) and one beverage alcohol (UN 3065) loads, two boxcars containing bagged salt and 11 more empty covered hoppers (possibly DDGS empties for The Andersons as well).  CAPTION: The Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway ran this eastbound Manifest train, sometimes called "M-EPEF," or Manifest, E. Peoria IL to Effner IL), late-afternoon Saturday, December 6, 2025. The entire train is shown at Ernest Street, just southwest of Washington, Illinois, and later, a brief runby in town. IORY 3472 and HESR 2107 have 56 cars.   - David P. Jordan

Minutes after arriving home from work, I got a heads up that a TP&W eastbound received permission from East Peoria to Milepost 30, which is just west of LaHogue. So I decided to head to Washington, where I had just a few minutes to spare before it arrived.  The EP2X crew was in charge of today's decent-sized train.  CAPTION: The Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway's eastbound M-Train rolls through Washington, Illinois late-afternoon Friday, June 13, 2025. TPW 5010, HESR 2107, TPW 3443 and TPW 3440 have 88 cars. - David P. Jordan

After work, I was able to capture a short TP&W eastbound manifest leave the East Peoria Yard. After getting it a second time at Ernest Street near Washington, I decided it would be too dark to follow any further.  CAPTION:  Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway train M-EPEF (Manifest, E. Peoria IL to Effner IL) departs the East Peoria Yard mid-afternoon Friday, December 6, 2024. TPW 3440, TPW 5008 and TPW 5010 have 30 cars. Later, it rolls across Ernest Street before climbing into Washington. :   - David P. Jordan

I did not have to wait for very long this afternoon for my most frequent encounter. Short train today, but that is okay.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by W. Farmington Road shortly after departing Adams Street Yard in Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Friday, August 23, 2024. UP 8841 has 28 cars. UPDATE: While at the downtown library this afternoon, I learned that an eastbound TP&W road freight was approaching Washington. Given the speed restriction to Cruger, I figured I could get ahead of it, which I did.  CAPTION: Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway train M-EPEF (Manifest, E. Peoria IL to Effner IL) rolls by Cruger, Illinois early-evening Friday, August 23, 2024. HESR 3485, IORY 5013, TPW 5010 and TPW 3440 have 44 cars. - David P. Jordan

I kept my rule this afternoon: If I can catch a TP&W road freight, do it!  Comparing Tuesday's M-EFEP and today's M-EPEF, ten cars were on both trains! Seven PMRX hoppers arrived Tuesday with crushed limestone consigned to East Peoria Materials/The Rogers Group. All seven were on today's eastbound. Three CRDX covered hoppers behind the limestone empties were also on both trains, but empty both ways. They must have been pulled as empties somewhere, hauled west and then "turned" at East Peoria for some reason.  CAPTION: Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway train M-EPEF (Manifest, E. Peoria IL to Effner IL) rolls by Ernest Street on the southwest edge of Washington, Illinois late-afternoon Thursday, March 14, 2024. HESR 3485, TPW 2105, TPW 5015, TPW 5010 and TPW 3443 have 144 cars. At Cruger, the train set out the block of 26 Incobrasa Industries covered hoppers for loading at Grainland Cooperative, reducing length to 118 cars as it rolled by N. Main Street in E...

I received a heads up early Sunday afternoon that a southbound Iowa Interstate freight had passed Mossville. So I headed into Peoria and encountered it near the Komatsu plant. I backtracked to the RiverPlex parking lot downtown and waited a few minutes before the train showed up. PMP Fermentation Products sure makes a good backdrop!   T oday's train was short. The GEVOs were split up with 518 coupled to an empty potash train (PEDAV) at Wesley. The 506 took PESI out of town, probably after dark.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) rolls by PMP Fermentation Products in downtown Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Sunday, October 22, 2023. Later, it is at South Street just before crossing the river. Both scenes are on Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Uptown Division. IAIS 518 and IAIS 506 have 26 cars.   Earlier, I noticed a TP&W crew putting together a rather lengthy manifest in the East Peoria Yard. I figured an extra switch crew was on duty an...

I took a ("use it or lose it") floating holiday today, so I'm attempting to capture what I normally miss. My first success was Norfolk Southern's arriving local, D49. I went across the river shortly for lunch. When I returned less than an hour later, NS power was nowhere to be seen. Apparently, TZPR hadn't any cars for them, which seems odd for a Friday.  This afternoon's Union Pacific train MPECL will likely be a monster as Adams Street Yard is full of cars. I hope they leave before the storms hit... CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway train D49 (Normal IL to E. Peoria IL turn) is shown late-morning Friday, March 31, 2023 shortly before arriving the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard. NS 6122 and NS 6108 had 20 cars. Power apparently left engine lite less than an hour later. I chose between this one and Union Pacific's MPECL. TP&W operations are much less predictable, so I'm glad I got this. Turns out, I shot it in the last place...