Peoria Station

I knew it was coming, so I went after it.    First three covered hoppers were loads, gondola empty, four more covered hoppers loaded, another empty gondola, three more loaded covered hoppers, a tank car that was loaded (probably animal fat for TP&W). The first five of the last ten - all covered hoppers - were loaded. The empty gondolas are likely in steel billet service, returning to Norfolk Southern.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) rolls by the Illinois Valley Yacht Club entrance early evening Saturday, April 4, 2026. Shortly, IAIS 517 dropped its 23 cars in the North Limit Yard. Plan was to proceed engine lite across the river to Wesley and grab potash empties after which it will depart as PEDAV (Peoria IL to Davenport IA).   - David P. Jordan

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

I usually try to capture the longer trains somewhere in 25-mph territory, but learned of this one too late. I found it at the North Limit Yard after setting out a GP38-2 (711) and some gondolas and tank cars before heading to Main 2 on the Pekin double track along Wesley Road. The Tazewell & Peoria Railroad will deliver it to Mosaic Crop Nutrition LLC south of Bartonville.    CAPTION: Iowa Interstate potash train DAVPE (Davenport IA to Peoria IL) rolls by the Fairholm Avenue crossing in Peoria, Illinois after setting out IAIS 711 and some manifest cars at the North Limit Yard late-afternoon Wednesday, March 12, 2025. Later, the train is shown in downtown Peoria. Finally, the whole train passes the BioUrja Renewables LLC distillery. IAIS 150 and IAIS 504 were on the point. - David P. Jordan

I had to work today so I missed a meet between two Iowa Interstate trains. A northbound, PEDAV, was handled by a TZPR crew from Mosaic Crop Nutrition LLC and handed off to the Iowa Interstate crew at the North Limit Yard. A manifest, SIPE, was coming out of Silvis.  I believe they met at the siding south of Henry.    I did get SIPE. Today's train included a Norfolk Southern geep moving out of Des Moines to Decatur for its 92-day inspection. I'm surprised IAIS 712 wasn't set out at Bureau Junction. Perhaps the next PESI set it out there? It will definitely run sometime on Sunday.    Today's train had potash and mash and/or feed pellet loads and empty gondolas and tank cars. A block of covered hoppers on the head end ahead of the potash cars appeared empty.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) rolls into Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Saturday, February 15, 2025. Three scenes on Tazewell & Peoria Railroad proper...

Norfolk Southern's D49 was reported westbound at Deer Creek around 1300 hours Wednesday, so I knew there was a chance to see it in the other direction after work.   I first went to check the TZPR diesel shop area where IAIS 151 was on the Creve Coeur Team Track and a PESI-like train was positioned on the West Lead (I later learned that the actual PESI had departure a short time prior to my arrival; 151 took a potash train from Wesley later in the afternoon).   I then backtracked to the Cedar Street Extension and found the NS local in the A Yard short tracks. With no radio chatter indicating that its departure was imminent, I crossed the river.    I found BNSF's M-GALPEI waiting at Darst Street for intructions from the TZPR dispatcher. Shortly, I heard the NS local get permission to depart. As I prepared to leave my spot and cross the river, the BNSF crew asked the TZPR for permission to enter the property. Fortunately, the dispatcher told them to wait, givi...

I was waiting for the green light at N. Morton Ave. and Jackson Street in Morton this afternoon when I heard the Iowa Interstate dispatcher confirm that a southbound had cleared its track warrant from Bureau Junction to Peoria. I was heading for downtown Peoria anyway, so it was pretty convenient to check on this train. After crossing the river, I went to the RiverPlex parking lot and waited. It didn't take but a few minutes to hear the train blowing for the Caroline, Spring and Morton Street crossings.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad train DAVPE (Davenport IA to Peoria IL) rolls by the PMP Fermentation Products Inc. plant in downtown Peoria, Illinois while running on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Uptown Division mid-afternoon Wednesday, December 27, 2023. IAIS 511, IAIS 712 and IAIS 718 have potash loads for TZPR-served Mosaic Crop Nutrition.    - David P. Jordan

After work Tuesday, I was successful in getting Union Pacific's MPECL. The crew radioed the dispatcher at exactly 1530 hours, and began moving a short time later. The short consist was actually in the yard itself rather than parked on the Low Line.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by Milepost 80 shortly after departing Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Tuesday, December 5, 2023. UP 8080 has 19 cars.   Earlier, I glanced from Interstate 474 to see the flashing EOT of Iowa Interstate's PEDAV potash empties, so I knew it too would depart shortly. After getting the UP train I headed through town, then turned right onto SW Washington Street in hopes of intercepting PEDAV. I made a left onto the Cedar Street Bridge only to notice the train about to pass the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's West Yard. So I quickly turned around, went back across the river and set up off SW Water Street by the "old" (1900) Rock Island depot.  CAP...

I had scheduled an appointment for my car at the dealership this morning, so when I learned this train was heading through downtown Peoria around the time I left, I knew what my plans were for the next hour or so... CAPTION: Iowa Interstate train PEDAV (Peoria IL to Davenport IA) rolls through Rome, Illinois shortly after noon Wednesday, August 30, 2023. IAIS 708, IAIS 701 and IAIS 707 have 105 potash empties for CPKC at Davenport, Iowa.   David P. Jordan

This may have been the first PESI since before the July 4 holiday.  When I went to Bloomington/Normal July 4 to see ALS 2204 lead Union Pacific MBNAS, I noticed Norfolk Southern D32 sitting in Good Yard unclassified. There were probably nine coil steel loads embedded in the short consist. I would bet that these arrived TZPR on Wednesday and seven of these are only now moving towards the consignee in Perry, Iowa via transload at Altoona. The number of empty grain mash cars would make up two PESIs!  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) is shown crossing the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Illinois River Bridge shortly after leaving East Peoria, Illinois mid-day Saturday, July 8, 2023. IAIS 513 leads NS 5242 and 124 cars. Later, the train crawls by the new (1967) Rock Island depot at Morton Street, and finally, rolls along home rails at San Koty. At the North Limit Yard, the crew moved the first covered hopper ahead of the steel coil loads. ...

I woke up this morning at 0900 to find a Facebook post telling me that Iowa Interstate unit potash train DAVPE (Davenport IA to Peoria IL) had passed Mossville, Illinois at 0855 hours. I figured I could make intercept the train before it slowed to 10mph as it neared Peoria, and I did. It didn't hurt that it stopped near Detweiller Park, several miles south of Mossville. This enabled me to capture the train at one of my favorite spots - a side road near Quality Metal Products in the old San Koty station area.  Video shows it rolling by the San Koty (Peoria Heights), Illinois area late morning Saturday, January 15, 2022. IAIS 508-718-152 have 104 cars for interchange to the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad The crew was expected to return to Silvis engine lite as there is no PEDAV or PESI to take with them. - David P. Jordan