Peoria Station

Around noon, I learned that a westbound TP&W road freight was seen just east of Chenoa. I knew that unless it switched an industry or two enroute, I was not going to see it after work.  I was going into town anyway, so I drove Rt. 150 and noticed the train stopped on the opposite end of the TP&W's East Peoria Yard.   I found the crew ready to shove eight limestone loads into East Peoria Materials/The Rogers Group. So I hoped to catch it pulling the other 66 cars into the yard. Sure enough, they did. The lighting was not good, but I had not seen this train since April 4, so I am not complaining.  CAPTION: Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway train M-EFEP (Manifest, Effner IL to E. Peoria IL) drops eight limestone loads at East Peoria Materials/The Rogers Group and then leaves engine lite at East Peoria, Illinois late-afternoon Wednesday, August 21, 2024. Shortly, IORY 5014, TPW 5008, CFE 3316, TPW 5015 and TPW 2105 pull the remaining 66 cars into the yard. ...

I kept my rule this afternoon: If I can catch a TP&W road freight, do it!  Comparing Tuesday's M-EFEP and today's M-EPEF, ten cars were on both trains! Seven PMRX hoppers arrived Tuesday with crushed limestone consigned to East Peoria Materials/The Rogers Group. All seven were on today's eastbound. Three CRDX covered hoppers behind the limestone empties were also on both trains, but empty both ways. They must have been pulled as empties somewhere, hauled west and then "turned" at East Peoria for some reason.  CAPTION: Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway train M-EPEF (Manifest, E. Peoria IL to Effner IL) rolls by Ernest Street on the southwest edge of Washington, Illinois late-afternoon Thursday, March 14, 2024. HESR 3485, TPW 2105, TPW 5015, TPW 5010 and TPW 3443 have 144 cars. At Cruger, the train set out the block of 26 Incobrasa Industries covered hoppers for loading at Grainland Cooperative, reducing length to 118 cars as it rolled by N. Main Street in E...

After locomotive issues forced a retreat late-Sunday afternoon, TP&W tried again Monday.  I caught it at Washington, but decided a power runby at the Route 8 overpass would do so I had to time to capture the train again a few miles west at Ernest Street. I missed it crossing the Farmdale Trestle but managed to capture it entering yard limits, cutting off the eight crushed limestone loads on the head end and spot them at The Rogers Group/East Peoria Materials quarry! The other cars are for interchange via the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad, including three tank cars (probably containing corn oil), eight DDGS loads for the Illinois & Midland, and 14 zinc oxide loads for Union Pacific.  CAPTION: An East Peoria Switcher crew went east engine lite Monday to fetch 33 manifest cars left just east of Secor late Sunday afternoon. Scenes are at the Route 8 underpass in Washington, nearby Ernest Street (whole train) and the approach to the East Peoria Yard, where the crew cuts o...