Peoria Station

For the third Friday in a row, I took a half day off work, hoping those Caterpillar tractor loads would be on Union Pacific's MPECL. They were on it until they were not, unfortunately, but while waiting for MPECL's departure, Norfolk Southern's D49 snuck out of town with a short train. I heard radio chatter about it leaving, went back across the river and found it already clear of P&PU Junction. I found a spot and waited. It was my first encounter with this train in 2026! CAPTION: Norfolk Southern Railway train D49 (Normal IL to E. Peoria IL turn) is shown on the return leg shortly after entering home rails at East Peoria, Illinois early afternoon Friday, February 20, 2026. NS 7034, NS 6923 and NS 6963 (GoRail) have nine cars for Good Yard.   Several Caterpillar tractor loads, a rarity on the Union Pacific, were switched out by MPECL's crew just minutes before departure. Although disappointed, the train had nine of those "Omaha Track" gondolas used by...

The five empty Incobrasa covered hoppers, six salt-laden boxcars and nine loaded nitrogen tank cars were on Wednesday's late-afternoon transfer from the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad.   Kind of sad that these cars sat for nearly four days, but the Incobrasa cars were empties and Sweetener Supply Corp. at Wolcott, Indiana already had six arrive this week, and probably didn't have room yet. The nitrogen loads might not be "hot" either.  CAPTION: An eastbound Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway "M-Train," sometimes called M-EPEF (Manifest, E. Peoria IL to Effner IL) rolls by Cruger, Secor and El Paso midday Sunday, January 11, 2026. TPW 5008, IORY 3492 and RCPE 3481 have 40 cars.   - David P. Jordan

I went to East Peoria after work wondering if I could capture any train movements. Sure enough, I noticed the TP&W switch job in the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's yard, and decided to wait. I'm glad I did.  CAPTION: A Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway train, probably EP-2 (East Peoria Switcher), rolls by P&PU Junction toward N. Main Street in East Peoria, Illinois after leaving the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad's yard with a transfer for the home terminal less than two miles away. TPW 5010 and TPW 5015 have 23 cars (15 loads, 8 empties). Note six more boxcars of bagged salt for Sweetener Supply Corp. near Wolcott, Indiana (another six were already in transit on the TP&W when this video was taken).   - David P. Jordan