Peoria Station

I worked until 5pm again today, and thought I'd miss 510 leading PESI out of town. By the time I left work, however, I saw nothing on PESI, so I hoped it had not left yet. I went into East Peoria and heard the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad Manager of Operations (MOP)  tell them they could "blast off."  I missed it crossing the river, so I settled for Chicago Street by BioUrja Renewables LLC's Peoria distillery. I chased it to Mossville, getting another full runby at San Koty and a short video at Mossville.  The vast majority of PESI's consist was made up of empties, lasting containing mash (from ADM), corn (probably from Alto-Pekin?), potash (probably from TP&W?), etc., but there were also a dozen (eight- and four-car blocks) of gondolas that are probably iron oxide loads from TP&W.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) rolls by BioUrja Renewables LLC's Peoria, Illinois distillery late-afternoon Tuesday, Augus...

It is unusual for PESI to have more loads than empties, but 15 iron oxide loads from TP&W, three gondolas from NS which appear to contain steel billets (based on another railfan's video at Putnam), two tank cars containing beverage alcohol and all loaded covered hoppers contain ADM grain products (probably from CN). Those NS cars are NW 190350, CR 582421 and NS 187590. CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) crosses the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Illinois River Bridge into Peoria, Illinois late-morning Sunday, February 8, 2026. Later, power runbys at the Ft. of Main Street in downtown on the TZPR and on home rails at Peoria Heights, and the whole train at San Koty and Mossville. IAIS 502, IAIS 705 and IAIS 712 have 87 cars (48 loads, 39 empties).   CN and BNSF seemed to have suspended the Decatur (IL) to Summerfield (TX) gluten feed trains for awhile, but today, the carriers swapped empties and loads. The last one I shot was ...

Despite this morning's cold, I headed into town and then north because I knew Iowa Interstate was running an SIPE. I encountered it just north of Mossville. Short train but good variety. Although strangely there was no long block of "mash" loads (and/or gluten feed pellets, which should be moving this time of year), scattered ADM/leaser covered hoppers probably contain corn germ and/or other corn processing by-products. The lone IAIS covered hopper could contain "organic grain" (non-GMO) for an NS destination. Two gondolas on the rear are iron oxide empties for TP&W. All five scenes shot from the comfort of my car...   CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) rolls by Mossville, San Koty and Peoria Heights, Illinois on home rails, and at Peoria twice on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Uptown Sub midday Saturday, January 24, 2026. IAIS 509 has 26 cars.   When I parked at the old NE Adams Street McDonald's...

When driving southbound on Rt. 6 around noon today, I turned on my scanner and happened to hear the Iowa Interstate dispatcher giving the railgrinder a track warrant from Yard Limits Peoria to Bureau Junction. Naturally, I turned around and headed for the IAIS.  CAPTION: An Iowa Interstate crew runs a Loram Railgrinder northbound on the Peoria Subdivision early-afternoon Sunday, October 19, 2025. Equipment is reportedly heading to Silvis, Illinois for storage. Locations at San Koty, Mossville (twice), Rome and Chillicothe. - David P. Jordan

Before I left home this morning for the downtown library, I learned that an Iowa Interstate manifest was making its way from Bureau Junction to Peoria. The train had apparently been planned for Thursday evening, and again on Friday evening, but finally made it Saturday morning. That delay enabled a daylight chase of not only SIPE but also counterpart PESI. Other than five empty tank cars, a CIGX gondola is the only notable other than loaded and empty covered hoppers. That gondola is empty likely last contained iron oxide, and is returning to Waelz Sustainable Products at Clymers, Indiana on the TP&W.    CAPTION: Iowa Interstate manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) rolls along the Peoria Subdivision late morning Saturday, October 4, 2025. Scenes of the whole train at three locations - San Koty on IAIS's Peoria Sub, entering the North Limit Yard on the Tazewell & Peoria RR and in downtown Peoria. IAIS 513 and IAIS 703 had NS 7111 and 93 cars. After the Iowa Inter...

Late this morning, I found BNSF's M-GALPEI sitting on the mainline short of Darst Street. I believe it had just arrived, but it did not appear to have a crew aboard. I could be wrong though. It is possible that the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard had no room, and M-GALPEI was waiting for Iowa Interstate's PESI to depart.   I did not stick around to find out, opting instead to chase PESI to a location with decent lighting, but ended up getting it several times between downtown Peoria and Chillicothe.    Today's PESI had a decent variety.    - 12 ADM mash empties - 1 industrial empty alcohol (UN 1170)* - 6 BRIX (Incobrasa Industries) soybean empties - 1 PTEX potash empty - 2 gondolas (CIGX/GBRX) that were likely iron oxide loads - 2 ADMX covered hoppers (probably corn germ or gluten meal empties) - 14 BRIX (Incobrasa Industries) soybean empties - 5 industrial alcohol loads (UN 1170) - 15 (various marks) dry fertilizer loads - 18 AD...

Due to working a lot of overtime last month, I missed some local action, including some Iowa Interstate trains. My last encounter was on May 24 when I saw both SIPE and PESI trains.    Today's SIPE was made up of mostly ADM grain products (DDGS, or "mash") out of Cedar Rapids, but also an empty industrial alcohol tank car and three empty STSX corn syrup tank cars, which are owned by Primient (formerly Tate & Lyle Americas, nee A. E. Staley Mfg. Co.). I can only guess they were used by ADM out of Cedar Rapids and may now be returning to their owner at Decatur, Illinois. CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) rolls by Mossville, Illinois early evening Thursday, July 10, 2025. Shortly, the train is shown at San Koty, a few miles from entering Tazewell & Peoria Railroad property. IAIS 151 and IAIS 716 have 55 cars.   - David P. Jordan

I heard the dispatcher give it permission to head north on the Peoria Subdivision, so when it took awhile to catch up to it, I figured it had to be short.    It was.    Kind of a neat one though. Behind the ES44AC were two empty covered hoppers and five loaded tank cars, all placarded as UN 3065, or "alcoholic beverage." I'll dub this one the "Vodka Special." Don't know if the five cars came from BioUrja in Peoria or Alto Pekin LLC or Alto ICP in Pekin.   I'm curious about their destination. Typically, they are consigned to a distillery that is resuming operations after a maintenance shutdown or to a liquor blending and packaging facility. Although the cars are likely to be handled all the way to Silvis, I suspect they will moving back east on manifest CRBI (Cedar Rapids IA to Blue Island IL) to a Chicago connection.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) rolls along the Peoria Subdivision through Mossville, Ro...

While at work, I learned that a TP&W westbound was on the move, so I hoped to see it after work. I was able to capture it at Cruger and at Ernest Street just southwest of Washington. Unlike recent encounters, today's was a long train.  CAPTION: A Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway westbound road freight, sometimes called "M-EFEP" (Manifest, Effner IL to E. Peoria IL), rolls by the first Union Pacific-bound grain train to be loaded at Grainland Co-Op's Cruger, Illinois elevator late-afternoon Wednesday, April 16, 2025. Later, the train is seen at Ernest Street just southwest of Washington. IORY 5013, HESR 2107 and RCPE 3481 have 95 cars (the first seven were pulled from Piper City).   I was hoping to capture Iowa Interstate's next PESI. As I hoped, the two iron oxide loads that were on Sunday's TP&W westbound into East Peoria were on it. Look for the 71st and 72nd cars in the video.   A dozen scrap metal loads on the rear are also notable.   ...

Today marks the 45th anniversary of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad's last day as a common carrier. How appropriate to capture an Iowa Interstate train running on former Rock Island track! CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. train PEDAV (Peoria IL to Davenport IA) is shown on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad passing the new (1967) Rock Island depot at Morton Street in Peoria, Illinois and then Fairholm Avenue as it enters the North Limit Yard late-afternoon Monday, March 31, 2025. Later, the train is shown at Peoria Heights on home rails. Further up the Peoria Sub, the whole train is shown twice - at San Koty and then at Mossville. All scenes are on the former Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, which made its final runs as a common carrier 45 years ago today! IAIS 153 has 105 potash empties for Canadian Pacific Kansas City. - David P. Jordan

Just as I thought, the Iowa Interstate ran PESI on Sunday.    The only oddity was an empty tank car placarded UN 1993, which is for diesel/petroleum distillates. CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) rolls by BioUrja Renewables LLC and both former Rock Island depots on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad in Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Sunday, March 16, 2025. Later, the whole train is shown at San Koty and again at Mossville on home territory. IAIS 510 has 75 cars.   - David P. Jordan

Today's train was reported to have 45 cars (30 loads/15 empties) when it left Silvis. By the time it headed south from Bureau Junction, it had 43 cars.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) is first shown at Mossville, Illinois late-afternoon Monday, March 3, 2025. Additional runbys are at San Koty and on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad at Alexander Avenue in Peoria. IAIS 150 has NS 5194 and 43 cars.   - David P. Jordan

Iowa Interstate ran its SIPE during daylight Saturday afternoon with a surprise - NS 5823 was leading! Normally, these units are revenue freight, handled for Norfolk Southern from Des Moines to Peoria (and vice-versa) for 92-day inspections at Decatur.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) rolls by several locations mid-afternoon Saturday, January 18, 2025. Locations are Chillicothe, Rome, Mossville and San Koty. NS 5823 and IAIS 152 have just 16 cars. I can recall only one other time that an NS geep was leading. It was NS 5177 on SIPE the afternoon of October 4, 2020. David P. Jordan

When I head to the downtown library on Saturday morning, I usually check East Peoria for possible rail movements. This morning, I knew that Iowa Interstate power (513 and 153) would take NS 5281 on PESI later in the day, and decided to check its status. I existed I-474 at Creve Coeur and drove Wesley Road, noticing the yellow signal indication at Wesley East and also toward the Illinois River Bridge. I figured an empty BNSF coal train or loaded BNSF gluten feed train might be lined up. Turns out, it a Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local from Pekin.  CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local, enroute from Pekin to East Peoria, Illinois, rolls along the double track at Hilliards and later at Wesley late-morning Saturday, January 11, 2025. TZPR 1521 and 21 cars pulled toward the bridge so it could back into the East Peoria Yard's south end. The Iowa Interstate units were still resting on the Creve Coeur Team Track, so I headed for the downtown library. I finished up a roll...

I knew it was coming so I left the downtown library early. Turns out, I could have stayed until closure.    I found the train just before it reached Mossville, but it paused in town for a crew change. At least I got it...   The train left Silvis with a second unit - 715 - but probably set it out at Bureau Junction.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) rolls out of Mossville after a crew change early evening Thursday, August 8, 2024. Later, it moves through San Koty. IAIS 511 has 29 cars.   David P. Jordan

Early this evening, I received a heads up that an Iowa Interstate potash train was making its way toward Peoria.  Naturally, I went after it.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad train DAVPE (Davenport IA to Peoria IL) rolls through Mossville, Illinois early evening Friday, July 19, 2024. IAIS 518 and IAIS 151 have 105 potash loads for Mosaic Crop Nutrition LLC via the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad.   - David P. Jordan

I left the library this evening know that Iowa Interstate train SIPE had departed Silvis a little after 1330 this afternoon. I figured I could stay until closing and then drive north on Rt. 29. Sure enough, I found the train rolling south of Chillicothe. A shot video at two locations and then heading through town to intercept a Keokuk Junction Railway local I learned had just departed East Peoria when I head north... CAPTION: Iowa Interstate manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) rolls through Mossville, Illinois early evening Wednesday, April 10, 2024. Later, it is shown at the old San Koty station area as it nears Peoria. IAIS 503 and IAIS 718 have 34 cars (21 loads, 13 empties).   I caught up to the Keokuk Junction Railway local as it crossed CILCO Lane near Sommer. I figured I had time to make a left from US 24 onto Rt. 29, turned around and then park off road on northbound US 24. I didn't have to wait but a few minutes before the train was in view. The second unit, an ex-CN G...

I learned about this one when still in Morton, so I had to hustle. Turns out, dog catch crew change took place at Rench Road in Mossville, across Rt. 29 from Caterpillar's Mossville complex. I decided to film this in 4k, so I had to get home before uploading it.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate train PEDAV (Peoria IL to Davenport IA) resumes its run after stopping at Rench Road in Mossville, Illinois for a crew change late-afternoon Thursday, November 16, 2023. IAIS 714 and IAIS 715 have 105 potash empties for Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) at Davenport, Iowa.    - David P. Jordan

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...

Just before leaving work this afternoon, I found out that an Iowa Interstate freight had received permission to leave the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard. So I intended to drive up I-74, turn right on NE Adams and head north on Rt. 29 until I caught up to it.  But I heard "Pottstown" on my scanner, and I realized I had a chance to see Union Pacific's MPECL train like I usually do on Friday.  I never found the UP train, so I went into town, decided it best to use I-74 and Route 6 to get north as fast as possible. Sure enough, as I waited to turn left onto Rt. 29, I saw the headlight of an approaching train!  I didn't think my first attempt at video in Mossville was completely satisfactory, so I did it again (this time with my phone) at Rome. I simply combined both videos, raw and unedited. I like the Rome one best, but both are good.  While most of today's PESI was made up of distillers' dried grain (mash) empties, there were quite a few s...