Peoria Station

I learned that an Iowa Interstate PESI was at East Peoria this morning, and later was able to shoot video of it at San Koty, a few miles out of the North Limit Yard. This train of 92 cars may have had only ten loads. The last six cars of the second block of covered hoppers were loaded. Two denatured alcohol (UN 1987), an iron oxide load (CIGX gondola) and a coil steel load (NS coil care car) were the others. NOTE: IAIS 152 was coupled to a PEDAV (potash empties) this morning and afternoon, but I saw no sign of a crew, probably tomorrow.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) rolls along home rails at San Koty, Illinois late-morning Sunday, August 30, 2026. IAIS 503 has 92 cars. Incobrasa Industries' massive expansion at Gilman, and purchase of the American Milling Co. feed mill and barge dock at Crescent (Pekin) has created sufficient volume for the TP&W to run East Peoria-Powerton turns for direct interchange with the Illinois & Midl...

I saw a Facebook group message about this train just as I was leaving work at 5:00 this afternoon, so I decided to go for it. I caught it in Chillicothe, and was able to capture the first scene at the W. Moffitt Street crossing. I wanted another shot, so I settled on Sparland, which turned out very well! Notables include a loaded GBRX gondola (steel billets?) and three dry bulk fertilizer (urea, phosphate, etc.) loads (cars 22-24), possibly for the Growmark facility at Stuart, Iowa.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate manifest PESI rolls by W. Moffitt in Chillicothe, Illinois late-afternoon Thursday, June 18, 2026. Shortly in early-evening, it was rolling through Sparland. IAIS 700 and IAIS 153 have NS 5281, and 43 cars. After capturing the IAIS train at Sparland, I crossed the river into Lacon and took Rt. 26 to East Peoria, hoping the CN local had not yet departed. I arrived with radio chatter indicating they were still in the TZPR yard. I sat at Wesley for a little while, but after dozin...

I went to the Wesley Road crossing at Hilliards, and the flashers and gates activated briefly then went back up. I looked both ways and just saw a feed train cut at crossing. No sign of L557. I headed south on Rt. 29. The CN-IAIS grain train (not sure if loaded or empty) was at Pekin. I went into Pekin, got gas at Circle K (40 cents off 4-7pm this evening!) and headed back north. I encountered L557 at Grove so I turned around and found a spot at IC Junction. Lighting was poor, but can't have everything...   I should note that the CSX coil steel car was brought up to the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard by last night's L556 and left with the two units on the Creve Coeur Team Track. They seem to be doing this with cars for local industries (Hanna Steel, Amerhart) instead of leaving them at that siding in Pekin.    The empty hydrochloric acid tank car is interesting. Perhaps the Iowa Interstate Railroad received this car when loaded and it has returned ...

I learned that two end cab switchers were on an East Peoria-Powerton turn, and knew I needed to capture it somewhere. I was coming from the downtown Peoria library so I barely got to my spot in time. We see the usual dry sorbent loads for NRG Energy at Powerton and zinc oxide loads for CPKC at Springfield mixed with a few liquid feed, plastic and slag empties. CAPTION: Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's "Industry 4" job rolls across N. 2nd Street in Pekin, Illinois late-afternoon Friday, May 1, 2026 with transfer business for the Illinois & Midland Railroad at Powerton. TZPR 1352 and TZPR 1351 have 27 cars.   - David P. Jordan

Canadian National's Peoria Sub was busy today. An empty grain train was delivered to Iowa Interstate, local L557 worked south as usual on Thursday, and a weed sprayer train ran north, entered the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad at IC Junction in Pekin, turned at Wesley and headed back south to home rails this afternoon.  CAPTION: A Canadian National weed spray train is shown mid- to late-afternoon Thursday, April 23, 2026 rolling along the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad at Hilliards (Creve Coeur), Illinois. Later, it is shown on home rails at IC Junction in downtown Pekin, at 5th Street near South Pekin, and again at the intersection with Main Street in South Pekin. CN 5289, an SD40-2W, has six cars.   - David P. Jordan

After work, I headed into town on I-474 and exited on SW Adams Street for the chance that Union Pacific's MPECL was late, as it is on occasion. Unfortunately, Adams Street Yard was empty. So I crossed the river to check out the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard. While in the vicinity, I heard radio chatter about a TZPR 2133 seeking permission from Iowa Junction to East Peoria. I retraced my earlier journey on I-474 (construction on the Cedar Street Bridge would have delayed me too long), and found a train moving toward the bridge. Although a TZPR unit was on the point, all cars made it obvious that this was a TP&W train.  CAPTION: A Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway local, EP1, is heading toward the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Illinois River Bridge at Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Tuesday, April 21, 2026. TZPR 2133 has 20 cars (most if not all are from Mapleton).   While heading for Peoria the second time, I noticed the tail end of Canadian...

I had a heads up that Canadian National's L557 local was about to, or already had. left East Peoria, and decided to take Rt. 98 and then a left on Rt. 29. This was a good decision because the train had entered Pekin just ahead of me.  CAPTION: Canadian National Railway train L557 (Local, E. Peoria IL to Decatur IL) rolls enters home rails at IC Junction in downtown Pekin, Illinois late-afternoon Thursday, April 16, 2026. Steel coil and lumber loads, for Hanna Steel and Amerhart, respectively were "turned" at the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard rather than being set out at Pekin (perhaps L556's crew was short on time?). CN 3192 has 37 cars.   I normally don't post UP Joliet/Springfield Sub action here, but something stood out with a possible local connection.    There were nine RISX covered hoppers on today's MBNAS (in groups of six and three). All empties. Those markings are familiar to me because similar RISX-marked cars are assig...

This afternoon, I was able to capture this IAIS-CN grain extra on the CN side. The train rolled right through downtown Pekin at or near posted speed limit (10mph). That was in contrast to my first encounter with the train on February 15 when the conductor de-trained and walked it across 3rd Street at no more than 2-3mph!    I don't know how long several Iowa Interstate-served elevators - reportedly Landus Coop at Atlantic and Adair and Heartland Coop at Dexter, Kellogg and Malcolm - will continue these trains but this is great for variety of activity on two lines which serve Peoria.  CAPTION: Canadian National Railway grain extra G888 (E. Peoria IL to Helvetia LA) is shown in various stages and at various locations on Saturday afternoon, April 11, 2026. The crew ran engine lite from the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Creve Coeur Team Track down Main No. 1 then crossed over to No. 2 to attach to the train at Hilliards. After departing an hour later, power runbys are...

After crossing the river on Interstate 474, I heard the Canadian National local crew get a warrant from IC Junction south (probably to Mount Pulaski). I figured the train had just departed East Peoria, so I turned around. It was passing Hilliards when I got back across the river. Train had a scrap metal load, alcohol loads and some ADM grain product loads from the Iowa Interstate.  CAPTION: Canadian National Railway train L557 (Local, E. Peoria IL to Decatur IL) rolls along the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad as it enters Pekin, Illinois late-afternoon Tuesday, April 7, 2026. CN 3192 left East Peoria with 30 cars, and added three empties from Hanna Steel. Other scenes are at IC Junction in Pekin and at Hanna Drive. Final scene is at Fifth Street near South Pekin.   - David P. Jordan

I saw posts on this and hesitated to come into town, figuring I'd be too late. Turns out, I came in time. I still must get used to seeing those empty salt boxcars on Union Pacific. Looks like loads are delivered directly to TP&W at Collier Yard and empties are received via TZPR. The four scrap metal loads and carbon dioxide refrigerated liquid tank car do not make regular appearances on these trains. As for the former, Alter Metal Recycling probably has excess scrap metal to ship to customers outside the area.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train LPD01 ("Peoria Wayfreight") eases to a stop at Darst Street late-afternoon Monday, March 30, 2026 so the conductor can detrain and line the switch before entering home rails. UP 7365 and UP 7006 have a healthy 50 cars (25 loads, 25 empties).   After the Union Pacific train crossed the river, TZPR's Industry 4 followed to run to the West Yard and switch BioUrja's Alcohol Tracks. I did not see this train, and I was waitin...

While hoping to see CN's local, I happened upon the Illinois & Midland RR local on its return leg from East Peoria to Powerton. The tank car was loaded, though I'm not sure with what. I'm guessing soybean oil for Agridyne LLC at Crescent. Then we have 14 loaded covered hoppers. As there are no ADM markings, I figure these are DDG loads from The Andersons at Clymers, Indiana that had come off the TP&W. These are followed by eleven zinc oxide loads for which IMRR acts as a bridge route between TP&W (East Peoria/TZPR) and CPKC (Springfield). A denatured alcohol load and empty bathtub coal car bring up the rear.  CAPTION: An Illinois & Midland Railroad Powerton Roadswitcher rolls along the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad at Hilliards (Creve Coeur), Illinois late-afternoon Tuesday, March 17, 2026. HESR 2107 and IMRR 2108 have 28 cars.   After capturing the Illinois & Midland RR local, I saw that the CN local had already departed, but figured it was still ...

I happened upon this train at Wesley, having just departed. Notables in the consist include three TZPR gondolas with unknown loads (possibly steel billets from Liberty Steel & Wire) and two twin-bay covered hoppers, most likely loaded with granulated slag from Harsco's Powerton facility. The three covered hoppers on the rear, likely loaded with dry fertilizer, were the same three I saw on that Tazewell & Peoria RR local Sunday afternoon.  CAPTION: Canadian National Railway train L557 (Local, E. Peoria IL to Decatur IL) rolls by Hilliards (Creve Coeur), Illinois on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's double track shortly after leaving East Peoria mid-afternoon Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Later, the train enters Pekin, and then home rails at IC Junction. CN 3192 has 19 cars.   - David P. Jordan

Last month, I missed the first of these grain trains moving empty north and loaded south. This month, I missed the northbound empties but today I caught the loads being moved out of Pekin by CN. These trains are co-loaded at Malcom and Kellogg, Iowa on the Iowa Interstate Railroad for a port in the New Orleans area for export.  CAPTION: An encounter with a Canadian National Railway grain extra for me on Sunday, February 15, 2026 began with a light engine movement by the old Chicago & Illinois & Midland Railway depot at IC Junction in Pekin, Illinois. IC 1028 and CN 2315 then coupled to 108 cars left early Saturday morning by the Iowa Interstate Railroad on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Main 2. Train is shown briefly at N. 3rd Street and Washington Street and then the whole train races across 5th Street near South Pekin.   After catching the CN power moving engine lite, it seemed odd that they sat for awhile between Ann Eliza and N. 2nd streets. Turns out, they ...

I've only shot video of one other train on the old Peoria & Eastern Railway "Whiskey Main" in Pekin, and that was in eleven years ago! So today was a treat when I heard some chatter about the Ice House, and headed for Pekin to find TPW 2056 stopped near the S. Front Street crossing.  I don't know if this was an extra sent to Pekin to pull four alcohol loads from Alto ICP, or the regular local lingering here later than usual before heading back to East Peoria.  CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local runs engine lite down the industrial line along S. Front Street in Pekin, Illinois late-afternoon Thursday, February 5, 2026. The "Whiskey Main" is the last remnant of Peoria & Eastern Railway trackage in the area, and was named for American Distilling Co, the major industry at the end of the line from 1892 to 1980. TPW 2056 pulled four denatured alcohol tank cars from Alto-ICP and then shoved them across S. Front toward the main Pekin switchin...

This afternoon, I went to check Tremont Grain Barge & Rail in Pekin as 16 loads are in place for unloading, or to be pulled by TZPR. I decided to check the TZPR along Rt. 29 and make my way toward East Peoria where I noticed an IMRR interchange delivery on the Nickel Plate. The train's power was already on the outbound when I arrived.    Lots of activity on TZPR today, including IMRR 43 working Kickapoo Yard and TP&W working a Collier Turn with three motors (IORY 3472 was leader). The TP&W crew obviously had delivered corn loads to BioUrja's South Yard because that distillery's critter came out to grabbed them, asking TZPR permission to cross its line at Bridge Junction going down there and returning to the plant.    While waiting for the IMRR train to depart, a TZPR local from Pekin came up the line.  CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local from Pekin rolls by Hilliards and Wesley mid-afternoon Sunday, January 4, 2026. TZPR 1352 has f...

I checked the Creve Coeur Team Track and turned around passed the double track crossing. I then noticed the yellow signal indication and figured the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Pekin Local ("Industry ?") was lined up. Sure enough, it showed up after a short time.    The usual gluten meal/feed/DDGS/steepwater/alcohol traffic is represented here.  CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local from Pekin, Illinois rolls by Wesley East shortly before entering the East Peoria Yard mid-afternoon Tuesday, December 30, 2025. TZPR 1521 has 25 cars.   - David P. Jordan

While out Sunday afternoon, I decided to check on a few things. Nothing new to report on Ozinga Cement Co. or Viridis Chemical, but I did happen to see a Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local building a train at Kickapoo Yard. Shortly, it received instructions to East Peoria and I caught it at two locations.   Coiled wire rod loads are from Liberty Steel & Wire and scrap metal is from Alter Metal Recycling (Clarke Street facility and/or or the one on Liberty property in Bartonville). A gondola or two in between might have been loaded with steel billets. The tank cars were asphalt empties pulled from Interstate Asphalt Corp's Peoria River Terminal and the covered hoppers were likely DDGS loads from BioUrja South Yard.  CAPTION: A Tazewell & Peoria Railroad local, indicated to be "Lead 2" by radio chatter, runs from Kickapoo Yard to East Peoria, mid-afternoon Sunday, November 23, 2025. Shown working upgrade toward Darst Street and again crossing the river, TZPR ...

Thanks to social media, I was able to intercept Canadian National's L557 local this afternoon.    Before I left work, I knew the crew had run their locomotives into the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard. If I wanted to see it, I needed to get to Pekin fast. So I took Rt. 98 out of Morton, then cut through Groveland to Sheridan Road, took a left onto Veterans Road and made my way through Pekin's south side to find L557 just entering home rails at IC Junction. I simply turned left onto Washington Street, rolled down my window and started shooting.    It appears that when the 45-car train left East Peoria this afternoon, only the two loaded alcohol tank cars were from local industry; the other 43 cars were ADM traffic - probably from the Iowa Interstate - including five loaded corn syrup tank cars! CAPTION: Canadian National Railway train L557 (Local, E. Peoria IL to Decatur IL) is shown at Washington Street in Pekin, Illinois mid-afternoon Thursd...

I heard radio chatter about a Keokuk Junction Railway train, though I could not confirm whether it had just arrived the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard or was about to depart. I did, however, catch Canadian National Railway's L557 local leaving on the south end.    A contractor (L. B. Foster, I think) is replacing crossties on Main 2 at Hilliards, so L557 used Main 1 instead. The conductor rode the steps on the lead unit as it passed track equipment. Given the train's glacial passage, I decided on a second try just south of IC Junction in downtown Pekin.    The train did not stop in town to pick up any local cars for Amerhart or Hanna Steel, though it may have had empties to pull from Hanna Steel, which they might switch on the train's rear end.  CAPTION: Canadian National Railway train L557 (Local, E. Peoria IL to Decatur IL) rolls gingerly on Main 1 of the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Pekin doubletrack at Hilliards (Creve Coeur), I...

I was forced to work two hours over this afternoon, but this being a Thursday, I decided to hcheck on Union Pacific's MBNAS at Bloomington. The train had apparently departed just before I arrived. Amtrak 318, which MBNAS usually waits to pass before departure was running over an hour late, and had only just left Springfield. I figured the dispatcher instructed MBNAS to leave a little early and take a siding at McLean, Athol (Lincoln) or further south.    Green signal indications, however, told me that a southbound was already lined through Normal and Bloomington, so I headed south of I-55 and exited at McLean where the signal was still dark. That's when I learned of the CN local's activities in Pekin. So to ensure at least some of my time and gas wasn't wasted, I headed west on Rt. 136, and then followed the CN's Peoria Sub as best I could hoping for an encounter.    I ended up going all the way back to Pekin. I stopped at Hanna Drive and thought I saw a headlig...