Peoria Station

When I learned D49 had permission to depart the Nickel Plate this afternoon, I decided to head it off at Farmdale Trestle area, got impatient and was on the wrong side of the Farmdale Road crossing in East Peoria when I saw it. I had to use I-74 to Goodfield to make sure I did not miss it again. Looks like I missed a CN monster L557 though... I can't complain. It is good to see that heavy Iowa Interstate interchange (mostly ADM) swelling consists. NS is delivering both steel coils and steel billets to IAIS, so regular loads are interchanged in both directions! Btw, when I first saw the train in East Peoria, about 1532, radio chatter mentioned D47. That train, as far as I know, has been an extra job for years. First I've heard it in awhile. With Rivian Automotive introducing the R2 model along with a new, dedicated assembly building on the main plant's east side (former test track), perhaps an afternoon job has been established to finish D49's work?  CAPTION: Norfolk ...

Rivian Automotive Inc's Normal assembly plant had been shutdown the past three weeks for retooling, prior to production of the R2, which is intended to start in the first half of 2026.   Although Rivian should have an inventory of vehicles on hand to continue shipments, it appears Norfolk Southern's D49 job was only doing limited work there (if any) during this period, and making the East Peoria trip earlier than usual.   That shutdown is likely complete effective today, thus I decided to check to see if D49 was in town. Sure enough, it was, and the crew was only backing its power into its outbound at 1535 hours.    Today's outbound D49 had the usual traffic -   2 steepwater loads 11 ADM grain product loads from IAIS 2 scrap metal empties 1 grain product (DDGS, gluten meal or feed) 3 CO2 refrigerated liquid loads (UN 2187) 3 steepwater loads 1 industrial alcohol load (UN 1170) 1 grain product load (DDGS, gluten meal or Feed) 2 Gluten meal loads ...

I took a floating holiday Thursday in hopes of chasing Norfolk Southern local D49 to East Peoria with one of the BUGX F-7As. Alas, time spent switching Rivian Automotive, classifying inbound local D32 and building outbound D36 took all the crew's time. But I did capture, for the first time, switching operations at Rivian! I shot eight scenes, but only included four to avoid duplication. In the final scene, D49 has pulled 15 cars, all loaded except the first (at least that is how it appeared). These were shoved into a cut of 15 loads pulled earlier.  Rivian Automotive Inc.'s production has surged this year. The large number of autoracks at Good Yard and at the adjacent ramp today shows preference for rail transportation to more distant points, primarily western states. The company produced 10,020 vehicles in 4th Quarter 2022, 9,395 in 1st Quarter 2023 and 13,992 in the 2nd Quarter. Since the company fabricates much of its own components onsite, it may be logical to hope that som...

Norfolk Southern local D49 left East Peoria today with 15 cars. The consist, including lone SD40-2 3362, plus one autorack, left Good Yard in Normal as D36. At Gibson City, D36 added 27 cars. I left work with the knowledge that D49 had long since arrived back at Good Yard, but that the power and consist would continue east/south as D36 a short time later. Social media is great for updates, and learning that an autorack had been added to the consist, I decided to chance driving down I-74 to Mansfield, hoping to catch it with sufficient daylight. Normally, D36 has work at Gibson City, and Wedneday's run was no exception. The crew added 27 cars here. Gibson City work consumed quite a bit of time, so I ended up seeing Decatur-bound D36 at sunset near Foosland, which is on the ex-Wabash portion of the Bloomington District. NS 3362 has 43 cars. Twelve soybean meal loads on the head end were pulled from DuPont's Gibson City soybean processing plant. Three Caterpillar D11 loads, six co...