Peoria Station

Heard of a late East Peoria interchange run, so camera already in my car, I drove from work to here to capture it. Both ways it turns out. Short train to, but longer train from. The loaded OZIX twin-bay covered hopper on the returning train is interesting. There are several rail-served Chicagoland Ozinga facilities accessible to UP, and one UP-served facility at Milwaukee.  CAPTION: Union Pacific's LPD01 ("Peoria Wayfreight") is shown at Peoria, Illinois mid- to late-afternoon Thursday, June 4, 2026. UP 7284 delivered 13 cars to the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad at East Peoria, and returned to Adams Street Yard with 52. Heard a northbound get warrants out of South Pekin. As soon as I arrived Cilco Lane, they were cleared to cross the Illinois River. It did not take long for them to show up. Probably bound for Rock River Lumber & Grain at Sterling. As soon as I returned to Peoria, LPD01 had clearance from East Peoria back to Adams Street Yard.  CAPTION: A northbound...

This afternoon's MPECL waited for passage of a southbound grain extra from Sterling, so I managed to catch two trains on Friday.  CAPTION: A Union Pacific grain extra rolls by W. Farmington Road late afternoon Friday, April 12, 2024. UP 5446 and UP 2762 have 112 cars. UP 7809 is DPU. Train was loaded at Rock River Lumber & Grain Co.   Train MPECL appeared just fifteen minutes after the grain extra passed W. Farmington Road so it was likely already waiting at Peoria Junction.  CAPTION: Union Pacific train MPECL (Manifest, Peoria IL to Clinton IA) rolls by W. Farmington Road near Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Friday, April 12, 2024. UP 8950 and UP 7099 have 36 cars.   - David P. Jordan

Union Pacific's MPECL did not run Friday afternoon. Word is its sole locomotive was "borrowed" for use by this Sterling grain train. Whether MPECL runs Saturday or Sunday is unclear. CAPTION: A southbound loaded Union Pacific grain extra rolls by W. Farmington Road early evening Friday, August 25, 2023. UP 7718 and UP 6593 were on the point of 109 cars. UP 6162 was DPU. Train was loaded at Rock River Lumber & Grain Co's Sterling, Illinois facility.   David P. Jordan