Peoria Station

On my way to the Davenport Train Show Saturday morning, I noticed the rear of an empty coal train approaching Knoxville on BNSF's Peoria Subdivision. I was able to set up at County Highway 10 crossing in time for video. Train came from the Kincaid Power Station on the Illinois & Midland Railroad. A BNSF crew took over at Crescent/Powerton Yard. CAPTION: An empty BNSF coal train rolls across County Highway 10 at Knoxville, Illinois late-morning Saturday, April 5, 2025. Shown nearing the end the train's run on the Peoria Subdivision, BNSF 6018 and BNSF 9080 are on the point. BNSF 8560 is DPU.   My return home via a different route and knowledge that Iowa Interstate train PESI had passed Mossville at 1805 hours led to an encounter at Putnam. The empty "Crandic" boxcar was apparently bad ordered by BNSF at Galesburg and routed to the IAIS at Peoria (via TZPR). Boxcars are rare on the IAIS Peoria Sub.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. manifest PESI (Peori...

I learned that Iowa Interstate was running an SIPE this afternoon, so I decided to leave the downtown library and head north. I found the train at Bureau Junction slowly rounding the curve on to the Peoria Subdivision. I was able to capture numerous runbys until darkness fell. I would expect IAIS 510 to take PESI north sometime on Sunday,, perhaps by late-morning.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) is shown rolling down the Peoria Subdivision mid-afternoon to early-evening Saturday March 15, 2025. Locations are Rt. 26 at Bureau Junction, Putnam (overhead at wooden bridge, then whole south), Henry, near Sparland, W. Moffitt Street and almost "street-running" in Chillicothe, and a final runby at Rome. IAIS 510 has 88 cars with typical DDGS/mash, a couple potash and 24 soybean loads for Incobrasa Industries in Gilman, Illinois (via TP&W). Six tank cars and six gondolas, all empties, add some variety.   - David P. Jordan

Hearing an SD38-2 rattle by me is a good sound. I hope 151 and 153 continue to roam the Iowa Interstate for a long time.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) is shown at six locations along the Peoria Subdivision late-afternoon and early-evening Thursday, June 27, 2024. IAIS 153 and IAIS 518 have 45 cars (42 loads/three empties). Locations are Putnam, Henry, south of Henry, Sparland, Rome and San Koty, Illinois.   - David P. Jordan

The Iowa Interstate Railroad, for the fourth time since 2014, has provided a crew and a train to run excursions out of Chillicothe, Illinois. Ticket revenue from these trips is donated to local volunteer firefighters. As usual, the event attracted a large crowd and most if not all seats were sold out.  In September 2014 and September 2016, diesels hauled former Montreal commuter coaches between Henry and Chillicothe. In May 2019, QJ 6988 led trips out of Chillicothe with a diesel on the return leg. These trips used P70 commuter coaches build for the Pennsylvania Railroad. Diesels bracketed the cars on today's trips. CAPTION: On Saturday, June 3, 2023, the Iowa Interstate Railroad provided a crew and a train for the "Ride the Rails" passenger excursions out of Chillicothe, Illinois. Sponsored by the Fred Meister Chillicothe Community Firefighters Association, four trips operated north to near Sparland and return. Iowa Interstate GP38-2s 702 and 701 bracketed five, 72-seat...

I was heading north anyway but got my route chosen for me... Most of the tank cars have beverage alcohol placards. I'm thinking these are bound for points east via Chicago interchange, either to a distributor or an actual distillery, blending and/or packaging operation.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) rolls by several locations early afternoon Saturday, May 13, 2023. IAIS 518 has 38 cars, mostly DDGS (mash) empties and alcohol loads. Scenes are at Henry, Putnam, Bureau Junction and just east of Tiskilwa.   - David P. Jordan