Peoria Station

  Like two weeks ago, this one has some variety.  It is good to see the eight loaded gondolas on the rear. I lacked a vantage point to see what was in them, but reporting marks match the cars used for iron oxide shipments from TP&W-served Waelz Sustainable Products' Clymers, Indiana plant. This traffic moved on a TPW-TZPR-IAIS-CPKC routing for about a year starting in March 2025.  The four Incobrasa covered hoppers must be needed to complete a trainset? The PESI which ran two weeks ago had but five of these cars. Usually, IAIS-served elevators load 25 at a time.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) rolls through downtown Peoria, Illinois midday Sunday, August 16, 2026. Later, it is shown on home rails at San Koty, a few miles north of Peoria. IAIS 508 has 58 cars. - David P. Jordan

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...

The Iowa Interstate's Bureau Switcher (BUSW) ran SIPE to Peoria today and took PESI to a point just north of Chillicothe for a relief crew. I learned of PESI's departure from East Peoria and decided to head over to see it. An accident on westbound I-74 forced a detour that delayed my encounter but I'm happy I got it where I did. Behind the two geeps were 19 loads (ADM traffic from...CN???), two loaded alcohol tank cars and 34 ADM empties.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis) rolls through Rome, Illinois late-afternoon Thursday, May 14, 2026. Shortly, it passes W. Moffitt Street on Chillicothe's north side. After another crew relieved BUSW, the whole train is shown again north of Chillicothe. IAIS 708 and IAIS 710 have 55 cars.   - David P. Jordan

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

Looks like the BUSW (Bureau Switcher) pulled PESI this afternoon. The plan for the CN grain empties is to have SIPE come down tonight with a relief crew to take PENT early tomorrow morning.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) rolls out of Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Tuesday, January 20, 2026. IAIS 712 has 39 cars.   - David P. Jordan

When driving southbound on Rt. 6 around noon today, I turned on my scanner and happened to hear the Iowa Interstate dispatcher giving the railgrinder a track warrant from Yard Limits Peoria to Bureau Junction. Naturally, I turned around and headed for the IAIS.  CAPTION: An Iowa Interstate crew runs a Loram Railgrinder northbound on the Peoria Subdivision early-afternoon Sunday, October 19, 2025. Equipment is reportedly heading to Silvis, Illinois for storage. Locations at San Koty, Mossville (twice), Rome and Chillicothe. - David P. Jordan

CAPTION: Burlington Northern's westbound local, 13814, is shown shortly after leaving Peoria, Illinois on Wednesday morning,  October 18, 1995. Three unidentified geeps have 78 cars. Burlington Northern and Norfolk Southern shifted most carload interchange from Chicago to Peoria that month, swelling consists on existing trains. After creating a slideshow/narration video of Burlington Northern local 13814 from October 18, 1995, I got to thinking...what if I could catch a BNSF train in the same spot moving in the same direction on the 30th anniversary? I would have preferred M-PEIGAL (a possible scenario given some recent Saturday runs), but had to settle for an empty Kincaid coal train to recreate my encounter with 13814 exactly 30 years ago today!  CAPTION: BNSF Railway ran this train of coal empties out of Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Saturday, October 18, 2025. The train, originating at the Kincaid Generating Station near Pawnee, Illinois on the Illinois & Midland RR...

Before I left home this morning for the downtown library, I learned that an Iowa Interstate manifest was making its way from Bureau Junction to Peoria. The train had apparently been planned for Thursday evening, and again on Friday evening, but finally made it Saturday morning. That delay enabled a daylight chase of not only SIPE but also counterpart PESI. Other than five empty tank cars, a CIGX gondola is the only notable other than loaded and empty covered hoppers. That gondola is empty likely last contained iron oxide, and is returning to Waelz Sustainable Products at Clymers, Indiana on the TP&W.    CAPTION: Iowa Interstate manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) rolls along the Peoria Subdivision late morning Saturday, October 4, 2025. Scenes of the whole train at three locations - San Koty on IAIS's Peoria Sub, entering the North Limit Yard on the Tazewell & Peoria RR and in downtown Peoria. IAIS 513 and IAIS 703 had NS 7111 and 93 cars. After the Iowa Inter...

I checked the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard this afternoon after work, but did not see Norfolk Southern power anywhere, so after I had crossed the river was suprised to hear them get permission to depart. I was able to get back across the river and set up along Farmdale Road for video.  CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway train D49 (Local, Normal IL to E. Peoria Turn) is shown rolling out of East Peoria, Illinois on the return leg to Good Yard in Normal late-afternoon Wednesday, September 10, 2025. NS 7034 and NS 6972 have 23 cars. Just before hearing the NS crew get permission to depart, the Keokuk Junction Railway local asked for permission to leave. The dispatcher told them they would have to wait on the bridge (and I assume river traffic), so I went after the NS. When I returned to Peoria, I decided to check Collier Yard. No sign of the KJRY. I don't know if they had already left or not, as sometimes they run straight through Bartonville without worki...

Late this morning, I found BNSF's M-GALPEI sitting on the mainline short of Darst Street. I believe it had just arrived, but it did not appear to have a crew aboard. I could be wrong though. It is possible that the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard had no room, and M-GALPEI was waiting for Iowa Interstate's PESI to depart.   I did not stick around to find out, opting instead to chase PESI to a location with decent lighting, but ended up getting it several times between downtown Peoria and Chillicothe.    Today's PESI had a decent variety.    - 12 ADM mash empties - 1 industrial empty alcohol (UN 1170)* - 6 BRIX (Incobrasa Industries) soybean empties - 1 PTEX potash empty - 2 gondolas (CIGX/GBRX) that were likely iron oxide loads - 2 ADMX covered hoppers (probably corn germ or gluten meal empties) - 14 BRIX (Incobrasa Industries) soybean empties - 5 industrial alcohol loads (UN 1170) - 15 (various marks) dry fertilizer loads - 18 AD...

After leaving the downtown library this evening, I just missed an Illinois & Midland Railroad transfer turn from Powerton. I also noticed that BNSF's M-PEIGAL was in one of the A Yard tracks. Three ex-BNSF GEs, recently NS-owned with KCS letting and sold to Relco of Albia, Iowa, were in the consist. When I learned that Iowa Interstate's SIPE was by Sparland, I decided to go after that before dark. I'm glad I did because I doubt the BNSF train or the IMRR train would have departed before dark.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) rolls along Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Uptown Division at Fairholm Avenue in Peoria, Illinois early evening Monday, August 4, 2025. IAIS 501 and IAIS 150 have 68 cars.   - David P. Jordan

This morning, I learned that the Iowa Interstate was running an SIPE and PESI today, with the former already enroute. So I waited until it was closer to my area and was able to intercept after it had gone through Chillicothe. Short train, but with a little variety, including empty dry bulk fertilizer cars for TZPR (or TP&W) and a scrap metal load that is presumably consigned to Liberty Steel & Wire Co. CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd. manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) is shown late-morning to early-afternoon Saturday, May 24, 2025. Scenes are at Mossville and San Koty on the Peoria Sub, then at the North Limit Yard, Alexander Street and South Street on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's Uptown Division. IAIS 150 and IAIS 151 have 33 cars.   After getting back into Peoria, radio chatter indicated that BNSF's M-PEIGAL was building a train in the East Peoria Yard, and that it and TZPR's Lead 2 had to look out for the Iowa Interstate train. Sure enough...

I heard the dispatcher give it permission to head north on the Peoria Subdivision, so when it took awhile to catch up to it, I figured it had to be short.    It was.    Kind of a neat one though. Behind the ES44AC were two empty covered hoppers and five loaded tank cars, all placarded as UN 3065, or "alcoholic beverage." I'll dub this one the "Vodka Special." Don't know if the five cars came from BioUrja in Peoria or Alto Pekin LLC or Alto ICP in Pekin.   I'm curious about their destination. Typically, they are consigned to a distillery that is resuming operations after a maintenance shutdown or to a liquor blending and packaging facility. Although the cars are likely to be handled all the way to Silvis, I suspect they will moving back east on manifest CRBI (Cedar Rapids IA to Blue Island IL) to a Chicago connection.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate Railroad manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) rolls along the Peoria Subdivision through Mossville, Ro...

Iowa Interstate's SIPE and PESI trains between Silvis and Peoria are no longer running a regular schedule, so they technically run as extras and turn at East Peoria (usually with a re-crew) the same day. I was at work when Friday's SIPE arrived this afternoon, but I was able to see PESI this evening.    Besides the Incobrasa empties, one notable in today's consist is the 15-car block of dry fertilizer (urea or phosphate) behind IAIS 152.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) departed East Peoria, Illinois early evening Friday, May 16, 2025. The whole train is shown at Chicago Street in Peoria, a power runby is at Fairholm Street. Finally, the whole train is shown on home rails at San Koty. IAIS 152 has 62 cars. - David P. Jordan

Friday afternoon after work, I crossed the river on I-474 and then headed toward the downtown library. I picked up barely discernible radio chatter from the TZPR St. Albans dispatcher that prompted investigation. East Peoria traffic nearly prevented me from seeing the rear of Norfolk Southern train D49 shortly after clearing the TP&W Peoria Sub at Farmdale.   And East Peoria traffic kept from from getting ahead of it.   So I backtracked to Morton and got on I-74. I caught a glance of D49 at Crandall, but my decision to get ahead of it at Goodfield was the correct one. I actually shot this video about half way between Deer Creek and Goodfield.    The second time I've seen D49 this week, I was hoping wire rod shipments from Liberty Steel & Wire would resume, but apparently, at least on Norfolk Southern (if at all). The first three covered hoppers may have contained organic grain. That a CUBX pressure-aid covered hopper and corn syrup tank car followed, ma...

On a whim, I went north on Rt. 29 this evening after receiving heads up that SIPE was at Tiskilwa, and somehow missed it (probably at Henry), nearly hit a deer and finally turned back at Bureau Junction.   After dark, while going through Mossville, I caught up with it.   Not sure if this was worth it. I guess if I see the trio of EMDs on PESI on Friday it might be. There was nothing unusual behind the power except for the two twin-bay covered hoppers up front.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate manifest SIPE (Silvis IL to Peoria IL) rolls by the old (1900) Rock Island depot in downtown Peoria, Illinois Thursday evening, April 1, 2025. IAIS 711, IAIS 153 and IAIS 151 have 64 cars.   - David P. Jordan

While at work, I learned that a TP&W westbound was on the move, so I hoped to see it after work. I was able to capture it at Cruger and at Ernest Street just southwest of Washington. Unlike recent encounters, today's was a long train.  CAPTION: A Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway westbound road freight, sometimes called "M-EFEP" (Manifest, Effner IL to E. Peoria IL), rolls by the first Union Pacific-bound grain train to be loaded at Grainland Co-Op's Cruger, Illinois elevator late-afternoon Wednesday, April 16, 2025. Later, the train is seen at Ernest Street just southwest of Washington. IORY 5013, HESR 2107 and RCPE 3481 have 95 cars (the first seven were pulled from Piper City).   I was hoping to capture Iowa Interstate's next PESI. As I hoped, the two iron oxide loads that were on Sunday's TP&W westbound into East Peoria were on it. Look for the 71st and 72nd cars in the video.   A dozen scrap metal loads on the rear are also notable.   ...

No sooner did I arrive East Peoria this afternoon did I hear the Iowa Interstate PESI crew asked for permission from the West Lead (East Peoria) to the North Limit Yard. Train was an unusually short six cars.   But it had a gem: two gondolas on the head end were loaded with the grayish granular stuff known as iron oxide. They were on a "Luthy Turn" from Logansport, Indiana last Wednesday.   Those gondolas are loaded at Waelz Sustainable Products (WSP) at Clymers, Indiana. New business! And since I can't think of a customer on the IAIS that would use iron oxide (except perhaps Gerdau AmeriSteel at Wilton), I suspect these cars will be going to CPKC at Davenport.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate manifest PESI is shown running along the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad at several locations in Peoria, Illinois mid-afternoon Monday, April 14, 2025. IAIS 707 and IAIS 153 have six cars (four loads, two empties), including two iron oxide loads (new business!) from the TP&W. ...

I nearly missed the first one.   I got word that an Eastern Airlines LLC 777-200 had arrived Peoria on a military charter from El Paso, Texas. Flightaware.com provided the departure time to Victorville, California so I waited at the airport for departure. Afterward, I headed for downtown Peoria, but somehow missed it going by me (a geep and an RDC can hide, but I assumed I'd hear horn action). So I turned back and found out the train had already passed through downtown. I barely made it in time to Bridge Junction to capture the first scene.  CAPTION: An Iowa Interstate geometry train, consisting of IAIS 707 and CN 1501, a converted Rail Diesel Car (RDC), is shown late-afternoon Saturday April 12, 2025 on the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad crossing the Illinois River and then shoving into the Creve Coeur Team Track.   I normally don't wait for a train at night, but Iowa Interstate is an exception. Downtown street lamps are bright, which enables me to get decent video...

I checked the Creve Coeur Team Track this afternoon after work and noticed IAIS 150 and IAIS 153 sitting with no sign of a crew. So I spent some time at the downtown library, intending to return and check for activity. When I left the library at the usual time, I heard the TZPR St. Albans Dispatcher give IAIS 150 permission from the West Lead at East Peoria to the North Limit Yard.  CAPTION: Iowa Interstate manifest PESI (Peoria IL to Silvis IL) is shown several times as rolls along the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad in Peoria, Illinois early-evening Thursday, April 10, 2025. IAIS 150 and IAIS 153 have 81 cars. Locations are the Illinois River Bridge, Chicago Street, Rock Island's old (1900) and new (1967) depots and the whole train at Fairholm Avenue.   - David P. Jordan