Peoria Station

Just before 1:00 this afternoon, I learned that a TP&W job was leaving East Peoria for Crandall and then Morton. So I headed out to Crandall and waited. The TPW 5009 and a single tank car (which I assume was a herbicide load, though the coil springs weren't pressed as one would expect for a load) stopped, the conductor detrained.   The usual routine is to pull up to Crandall on Norfolk Southern's Bloomington District, pull past the switch, then the conductor lines it for the train and the train shoves into the siding. After that, they line the switch into the connection, pull onto the TP&W's Morton Industrial Spur, and then shove toward Morton.    Something must have been wrong with the mainline switch. The crew shoved west of it and waited for awhile. By mid-afternoon, the crew shoved the train back to Farmdale and into the East Peoria Yard.   At least I saw the train come as far as Crandall, and a rare instance of shoving back to East Peoria on the NS...

No Caterpillar loads on this Monday. The first 13 cars (maybe 14, but that car is empty) were from Friday's Keokuk Junction Railway delivery. Ten cars near the end are likely ADM corn germ/meal, etc. from the Iowa Interstate.  CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway train D49 (Local, Normal IL to E. Peoria turn) is shown on its return leg to Good Yard at Normal, Illinois mid-afternoon Monday, June 29, 2026. First scene is at N. Main Street in Morton's outskirts and then again at Deer Creek with a slow order. NS 3228, NS 7021 and NS 5116 (Des Moines unit via IAIS) have 45 cars. - David P. Jordan

I learned that Norfolk Southern's D49 local left East Peoria around 3:00pm, just as I was leaving work. So I went home, grabbed my camera and set up at N. Main Street. I did not have to wait for long. I decided to grab another shot at Deer Creek, but by then it was raining so I switched to my phone camera.    Today's train was nothing special, other than having the GoRail unit (NS 6963) a second unit.  CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway train D49 (Normal IL to E. Peoria IL turn) is shown on its return leg back to Good Yard in Normal, Illinois mid-afternoon Monday, November 24, 2025. Scenes are at N. Main Street in Morton and again at Deer Creek. NS 7021 and NS 6963 have 17 cars.   - David P. Jordan

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...

As usual, I only hear the TP&W leaving town.   Recent movements indicate the emptied tank car(s) are fetched within 7-8 days, maybe a bit longer.  CAPTION: On National Train Day, May 10, 2025, late-afternoon Saturday, a Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway crew dropped off a single tank car for Fort Transfer Company in Morton, Illinois. TPW 2105 is shown on its lite engine run out of town to Crandall Junction and then on Norfolk Southern Railway's Bloomington District at the N. Main Street crossing. In the final scene, UTLX 671550 is shown on spot for unloading.   - David P. Jordan

I don't think D49 ran on Friday, so two days' worth of traffic plus Keokuk Junction Railway interchange  blocked on the head end explains why Monday's return trip to Good Yard swelled to an unusually heavy 58 cars.  I was hoping that there would be at least one Caterpillar tractor load (common on Monday), and that wire rod shipments from Liberty Steel & Wire Co. would have resumed by now on this train.  CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway train D49 (Normal IL to E. Peoria IL turn) is shown mid- to late-afternoon Monday, May 5, 2025 on its return leg from East Peoria, Illinois to Good Yard in Normal. First scene shows the train leaving the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad at N. Main Street in East Peoria following by the train attacking the hill at N. Main Street in Morton, rolling along the flat prairie at Deer Creek and finally crossing the Mackinaw River just east of Goodfield. NS 6401, NS 6420 and NS 6968 have 58 cars, all loads. - David P. Jordan

Like usual, I went to Peoria after work. Enroute to the downtown library, I hoped to see the Keokuk Junction Railway's East Peoria turn. With no sign of it, I crossed the river and found CN 2541 and CN 8892 on the Creve Coeur Team Track. A couple of vehicles parked nearby indicated the L557 crew had arrived.   About that time, I learned the Norfolk Southern local D49 had already been cleared to depart the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad, and that the TP&W would follow with a lite engine move to Crandall and then Morton to fetch the tank car spotted at Fort Transfer on March 8.    I knew I was too late to see the NS, but I never miss a chance to catch a train where I live!   Intrerestingly, as I waited along the NS at N. Main Street, just outside of Morton, for the TP&W train heading back to East Peoria, I learned that the KJRY local had been cleared to enter Tazewell & Peoria Railroad property at Iowa Junction...   ...and as I drove I-474, I c...

The TP&W delivered two herbicide tank cars to Fort Transfer Company in Morton around 9:30pm last Monday, January 27. I heard the horn, but knew the train was leaving then. I would not have reached a crossing with a good street lamp in time anyway. I hoped to catch the TP&W pulling the empties.    And I did. Of course, I was in East Peoria when I learned that a TP&W job was at Crandall Junction heading toward Morton engine lite. I knew BNSF's M-GALPEI was in town and hoped to catch M-PEIGAL going west. But when I was in East Peoria a little after 1530 hours, M-GALPEI was already crawling the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad yard's Long Tracks. Apparently, it had to wait awhile at Darst Street before receiving permission to enter TZPR property.   I snapped a couple of images of the BNSF train from Columbia Street, but knew M-PEIGAL would not leave until after dark. Then I received a notification that the TP&W was heading to Morton. Priorities. Priorities. ...

Before leaving work, I learned that Norfolk Southern local D49 was in East Peoria, and the GoRail unit (NS 6963) was leading. I figured a chance to see it just after work, which is what I did. Five cars on the head end are plastic loads, likely storage-in-transit business from Equistar Chemicals LP on the Illinois & Midland RR.  CAPTION:   Norfolk Southern Railway train D49 (Normal IL to E. Peoria IL Turn) is shown on its return leg mid-afternoon Thursday, October 31, 2024. NS 6963, the "GoRail" unit, and NS 6923, have 20 cars for Good Yard in Normal. Scene is at N. Main Street in Morton. :     - David P. Jordan

I awoke earlier than usual this morning, and was glad that I did.   I thought I heard a faint horn sound to the northeast, which made me think a Morton-bound TP&W local was in the Crandall Junction area. So I left my house and headed in that direction. When I crossed Harding Road, I saw the train in the distance, shoving my way!   (Usually, I hear the train at Jefferson Street when it is leaving town.)   As usual, the crew delivered another liquid herbicide load to Fort Transfer Company. Today's encounter was routine until the TP&W power departed engine lite. Crossing Jefferson Street, a driver in a Toyota pickup ignore the flashers and passed right in front of TPW 3440, with a mere split second to spare!  CAPTION: A Toledo, Peoria & Western East Peoria Extra switch crew shoves along the Morton Industrial Spur Sunday morning, September 29, 2024. Note at 4:05 as the power crosses Jefferson Street, a Toyota clears with but a split second to spare! T...

I left work two hours early for an appointment, but had over an hour to kill, so with the knowledge that Norfolk Southern's D49 local was already on the east end of the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard around noon, I decided to check it out.    I arrived East Peoria on Interstate 74, got off on East Washington Street and made a left onto East Camp. But as I approached the North Main Street crossing, preparing to turn left, there it was.   The Norfolk Southern local was rolling through the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Farm Creek through truss/plate girder bridge, and I had to wait what seemed like an hour (actually five minutes) to make my turn. I decided it best to backtrack on the Interstate and wait for D49 at North Main Street near Morton.    My decision was a good one, as I could hear D49 attacking the hill minutes after my arrival. After it had passed, I decided to try again, managing to capture another runby at Dee-Mack Road, jus...

What I could not get Friday, I got today.   Norfok Southern train D49 arrived East Peoria early this afternoon with NS 7014 and NS 6963, the "GoRail" unit, giving me a chance to see its departure after work. Adding to the delay, the NS crew pulled NS 3033 from the Creve Coeur Team Track and turned the consist before building the outbound from two A Yard short tracks.    And typical for a Monday, the second car was a Caterpillar tractor load (a D11)! CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway train D49 (Normal IL to E. Peoria IL turn) departs the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard in East Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Monday, August 12, 2024. NS 6963 ("GoRail") and NS 7014 have NS 3033 (from Des Moines via the Iowa Interstate) and 38 cars. Later, at N. Main Street outside of Morton, the train attacks the hill toward Crandall Junction.   - David P. Jordan

After church, I went trackside to BNSF Railway's Chillicothe Subdivision, and found some action almost immediately. CAPTION: Action at N. Rice Road (just east of Princeville, Illinois) early afternoon Sunday, August 11, 2024. A eastbound BNSF intermodal, westbound manifest (probably H-IHBGAL) and an eastbound autorack train passed my location in a 20-minute period (1235 to 1255 hours). I left just in time to miss another eastbound BNSF intermodal and Union Pacific Z-G4CI, which met at Edelstein! Mid-afternoon Saturday, I noticed while driving eastbound Interstate 74 through East Peoria that a locomotive and tank car were parked at the west end of the TP&W yard. So I knew a train was coming to Morton soon.   Turns out, it was just afternoon noon on Sunday.   I wasn't home until after 2:00pm, when the train was already in town. And as usual, I didn't hear the horn until it was leaving (probably Jackson Street, as I found it coupling to the empty tank car already pull...

Late-morning/early-afternoon Monday proved productive. I know that I missed a TP&W eastbound road freight (M-EPEF), but managed to capture Tazewell & Peoria RR, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern action. A westbound TP&W-UP grain train is making its way west from ADM Grain Co's Clymers, Indiana terminal as well, though I do not know how far it will get today.  CAPTION: The Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's "Industry 3" job rolls by Krause Ave./S. Darst Street in Peoria, Illinois late-morning Monday, July 1, 2024. TZPR 1352 has 30 cars for Kickapoo Yard, including 12 scrap metal loads, 16 coiled wire rod empties and two molten petroleum asphalt loads.   CAPTION:   Union Pacific train LPD01 (Peoria Wayfreight) is shown late-morning Monday, July 1, 2024  pulling a transfer out of Adams Street Yard in Peoria, Illinois. It is shown returning a short time later. UP 7791 and UP 8013 have 31 cars for TZPR; UP 8013 and UP 7791 returned with 39 cars.   CAPTION...

The tank car TP&W delivered to Fort Transfer Company in Morton on February 28 was pulled Tuesday, April 2. This morning, they delivered one car to Fort Transfer and returned to East Peoria engine lite.  As usual, I didn't hear it until it blew for the crossings on the way out of town... CAPTION: A Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway crew used IORY 5007 to deliver a single tank car to Fort Transfer Company in Morton, Illinois late-morning Saturday, April 6, 2024. I couldn't hear the horn blowing until it departed engine lite. Various scenes at Nebraska Ave in Morton, and at Harding Road, Crandall Junction and along Norfolk Southern's Bloomington District at N. Main Street. Final view shows the tank car at Fort Transfer.   - David P. Jordan

The three-unit lashup sure made for an interesting scene when the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway delivered its first carload of liquid herbicide to Fort Transfer Company this evening. Not one six-axle unit but two!  CAPTION: The Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway made a run to Morton Wednesday evening, February 28, 2024 to deliver one herbicide load to Fort Transfer Company. MQT 3407, IMRR 2108 and TPW 3441 provided an interesting lashup for a single carload on a little-used industrial lead! Most action takes place at Crandall where the TP&W switches from Norfolk Southern's Bloomington District (used to and from East Peoria) to the Morton Industrial Spur, a remnant of Santa Fe's Pekin District.   - David P. Jordan

I guess this movement is no longer rare... I caught it November 11, November 19 and now today, December 3. The TP&W crew had IMRR 2108, which I may have seen earlier switching tank cars at the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria "B" Yard. I can't confirm this this as it was too far away.  I have, however, seen a TP&W crew return to East Peoria from Morton with a few tank cars, grab a covered hopper and deliver to TZPR directly. So it wouldn't be a stretch to have them run over to TZPR engine lite, grab a loaded tank car and then make the Morton trip directly from there. Fort Transfer Company now has five tank cars, all delivered since November 11 (three that day, and one each the other days). That makes nine for the whole year - a 900% increase over 2022! At least I got to use my new SD card!   CAPTION: The Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway made yet another run to Morton, Illinois early-afternoon Sunday, December 3, 2023. IMRR 2108 delivered a ...

I exited I-74 this morning onto E. Washington Street to find two locomotives and a tank car had backed out of the TP&W's East Peoria Yard. It could only mean that another run to Morton was imminent! I'm glad I happened upon this movement because it marked the first time I'd seen it use six-axle power. The only other time it is known to have happened was on March 2, 2023 when MQT dropped two tank cars for Fort Transfer. I don't believe Santa Fe ever used six-axle power on its Pekin District.  CAPTION: The Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway ran "Morton Job" Sunday morning, November 19, 2023. TPW 5015 and MQT 3407 rolled down Norfolk Southern's Bloomington District to Crandall and then the Morton Industrial Spur to deliver a lone tank car to Fort Transfer Company. Scenes are at Farmdale, Crandall and Morton, with final scenes showing power leaving engine lite.  - David P. Jordan