Railroads
Peoria Area Rail Operations
Posted by: "David Jordan" dpj1974@insightbb.com bn13814
Wed Aug 15, 2007 4:40 pm (PST)
The Peoria area's railroad infrastructure may seem a little
confusing given the various overhead and terminal trackage rights
agreements so for those unfamiliar with the area, a good map will be
a necessity. A Peoria metro area wall map is recommended though some
railroad details (and track!) are omitted. Anyway, here's a rundown
of each railroads operations in the Peoria area:
BNSF RAILWAY
The Galesburg - Peoria line sees several coal trains each week, most
bound for interchange with the Illinois & Midland at Powerton
(Crescent Yard) for forwarding to either AmerenIP's Havana
Generating Station or SCH Terminal's rail-to-barge transfer dock.
These are about 120- or 127-car trains set up DPU. On average of
once per week, a 130-car DPU coal train is interchanged with the CN
for forwarding to ADM in Decatur. BNSF has overhead trackage rights
on the Tazewell & Peoria RR between the connection at Darst St. in
Peoria to IC Jct. in Pekin. The exchange of coal trains with CN take
place on TZPR's double track main, usually at Grove.
BNSF crews handle CN grain trains between East Dubuque, IL and
TZPR's double track main. About one to three loaded 100-car trains
pass through Peoria each week bound for Tate & Lyle's wet corn mill
in Decatur. Corresponding empty trains are run in reverse.
Occasionally, there is a 75-car corn train for ADM in Decatur. CN
quotes single-line rates to grain shippers and BNSF acts as haulage
agent on their portion of the move.
Occasionally, one can catch a BNSF potash train from off Canadian
Pacific at Noyes, MN, a unit feed pellet train off the CN from ADM
in Decatur and even some BNSF grain trains.
These unit trains can appear anytime of the day or night and there
is no set schedule. Their frequency, however, offers a good chance
to see them any day of the week.
TP&W handles BNSF's merchandise traffic under a haulage agreement.
These trains, symboled M-EPEGAL and M-GALEPE, are supposed to
operate Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but TP&W's crew and motive
power shortages can delay trains for a day or two and restrict
frequency to twice a week. Congestion at BNSF's Galesburg Yard
during the fall, can keep TP&W from entering the yard, instead
dropping their train at Gilson. Crews are said to be called between
noon and 9:00pm if at all.
There are numerous slow orders on BNSF's Peoria line and train
speeds are restricted to 5 to 10mph on much of the line.
TP&W switches Caterpillar's rubber processing facility in Peoria for
BNSF, on now-isolated trackage accessible only via TZPR.
CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAYS
The north end of Mattoon - Pekin line has been upgraded with welded
rail, some new crossties and ballast in 2003-2004 following a double
derailment that forced an expensive reroute over TP&W via Gilman for
nearly a month in June-July 2002. Heavier traffic just wasn't
compatible with worn 1920's stick rail. CN's Peoria Local is a daily
job and is called at Grand Avenue Yard in Decatur at 1:00pm.
Departure is usually by 3:00 or 3:30pm; arrival at Pekin is usually
in late afternoon/early evening but can depend on switching volume
at Mount Pulaski and/or Amtrak at Lincoln. Also symboled L56491, the
train drops grain empties at South Pekin for disposition on the
return trip to Decatur. Two industries, Amerhart Ltd and Hanna
Steel, are frequently switched before the local enters TZPR trackage
at IC Junction in Pekin for the run to East Peoria. Taloma Farmers
Grain Co. in Delavan, Emden Farmers Grain, and Minier Co-Op at Emden
are the other customers this side of Lincoln.
About one to three loaded grain trains, and corresponding empties
traverse the line between TZPR's double track and Decatur. An
average of one 130-car coal train per week comes off the BNSF the
same place. Two sets of coal trains cycling between Farmersville and
Cedar Rapids protect about one roundtrip per week. These unit trains
and occasional unit feed pellet train are handled as extras.
Since the upgrade, track speeds are now 40mph.
CENTRAL ILLINOIS RAILROAD
The City of Peoria's "hired gun" to operate portions of the Kellar
Branch not needed for a recreational trail uses a trackmobile and
now SW-14 #1202 to switch O'Brien Steel Service Co. at the line's
south end. They hope to extend service a short distance north to
serve a ready mix plant, whose new owner wants rail service. At the
line's north end, cost-prohibitive tariffs and increased transit
times via the new (2006) connection with a former Union Pacific
spur, and thus a solitary connection with that railroad, have
prompted the last customer, Carver Lumber, to transload at TZPR
facilities in Creve Coeur. The only service on the line is for
occasional storage cars. Pioneer Industrial Railway, with Carver
Lumber's support, is hoping to have its operating authority restored
as the result of a case before the Surface Transportation Board. SW-
9 #1207 does the honors at the line's north end.
ILLINOIS & MIDLAND RAILROAD
The former Chicago & Illinois Midland is experiencing its golden age
in terms of coal tonnage. Coal trains to be switched and delivered
to Midwest Generation LLC's Powerton Generating Station are received
from the Union Pacific at Crescent Yard at least daily. Most days a
week, coal trains received from UP at Crescent are forwarded to
Dominion-Kincaid Generation's plant near Pawnee. In addition,
several coal trains per week are received from BNSF, also at
Crescent, for forwarding to Havana. BNSF and UP power runs through
to the coal trains' destinations. A two-shift (probably
7:00am/7:00pm) Powerton Roadswitcher handles non-coal traffic around
Pekin and the transfer run to East Peoria. A local is called to run
between Crescent Yard and Springfield as needed, but unfortunately
lack predictability. A pair of chop-nosed SD18's (#60-61) are usual
power for this train, however, SD20, #81, still in full C&IM paint
can be used at times. The famous, two-of-a-kind RS-1325's #30-31 can
be seen in the area. One and sometimes both are deployed here.
The IMRR has been doing some ballast and crosstie work the past
three summers and so train speeds may be restricted in some areas.
Otherwise, track speeds seem to be about 25-30mph.
Between Pekin and Havana, IMRR serves a number of customers -
Aventine Renewable Energy, American Milling, Agridyne LLC, IMRR rail-
to-barge transfer, Midwest Generation LLC and Reed Minerals at
Pekin; Rickett Grain Co. at Manito; Weaver Popcorn at Forest City
and SCH Terminal and AmerenIP at Havana.
IOWA INTERSTATE RAILROAD LTD.
The IAIS serves its Peoria Branch/"Subdivision Two" with its daily
Bureau Switcher, or "BUSW." This train runs south from Bureau Jct.
each morning, turning at the North Limit Yard in Peoria most days,
returning in the afternoon. A run to Utica is made first on some
days, making the Peoria run later in the day. The BUSW crew handles
the CN coal trains out of Peoria. A highlight is the frequent meets
between IAIS and TZPR trains at the Limit Yard about midday.
IAIS serves PolyOne Corp, Emerald Performance Materials and United
Suppliers in Henry and Galena Road Gravel in Chillicothe. An upgrade
to 286K standards is underway, with thousands of crossties installed
between Henry and Chillicothe this spring and summer.
KEOKUK JUNCTION RAILWAY dba PEORIA & WESTERN RAILWAY
The KJRY has done a good job restoring service and bringing back
business to TP&W's former West End (Hollis to Lomax). Local trains
cycle twice a week between Mapleton and La Harpe. Transfer runs to
East Peoria are made twice per week. To reach East Peoria, KJRY must
run on Union Pacific's ex-Peoria Terminal line to Iowa Jct. in
Peoria then TZPR the rest of the journey. KJRY local trains are
probably the only trains in the continent that regularly use F-units
in regular service.
Two 90-car coal trains coming off the Union Pacific at Sommer
(located just north of the Rt. 9 - Rt. 24 intersection across the
river from Pekin) are delivered to AmerenCILCO's Duck Creek Station
southeast of Canton. A 4.8-mile spur was built to the KJRY near a
point east of Canton to allow access to the power plant. The coal
trains run through with UP power and must be broken into two cuts to
defeat Glasford and Rawalts Hills.
KJRY operates a car repair shop at Kolbe (inside the wye) where
wheels are changed on covered hoppers. Pioneer Industrial Railway RS-
3M #102 is parked here and recently used to switch the repair
facility.
NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILWAY
Norfolk Southern D49D job goes on duty at Good Yard in Normal at
8:00pm each weeknight and will make a transfer run to East Peoria
during the crew's shift. Frequently, the train cannot return within
the crew's hours-of-service and must be relieved by D47D, the 8:00am
job.
TAZEWELL & PEORIA RAILROAD
Genesee & Wyoming's subsidiary began leasing the Peoria & Pekin
Union from its owners - CN, NS, PRR and UP - on November 1, 2004.
For the most part, operations are similar to P&PU era operations.
Between 6:00 and 8:00am, three jobs go on duty - AM Yard/Lead Job
(works yard and then switches industries and interchanges on the
Peoria side), the Kickapoo Job (switches Keystone Steel & Wire and
nearby scrap yards) and the Pekin Local. A PM Yard/Lead Job goes on
duty in mid-afternoon and works the yard. An Industry Job works
industries in Peoria from mid-afternoon. An extra may be called
around midday to interchange with IAIS, especially when traffic is
heaviest in fall and winter. Pekin is switched daily as is ADM. Most
other business is switched weekdays and weekdays as needed. Either
the AM or PM jobs make transfer runs to the TP&W and when necessary,
will drag TP&W's Galesburg cars to BNSF's " New Long Main" on
Peoria's far south side.
As the area's terminal railroad, TZPR serves most of the area's
customers - ADM/Growmark, Inc., AGRI-Bunge LLC, Allied Iron & Steel
Co., Alter Metal Recycling LLC, American Allied Freight Car Co.,
Archer Daniels Midland Co., Aventine Renewable Energy, Inc., Behr
Peoria, Inc., BOC Gases, Inc., Carver Lumber Co., Caterpillar, Inc.,
Central Illinois Freight Handling Corp., ConAgra Fertilizer Company,
R. A. Cullinan & Son, Inc., Keystone Steel & Wire Co., Koch
Industries, Inc., Komatsu America International, Inc., LS Lumber,
McFarland Cascade Co., MGP Ingredients of Illinois, Inc., Mosaic USA
LLC, Peoria Barge Terminal, Inc., Peoria Brick & Tile Co., Peoria
River Terminal, Inc., PMP Fermentation Products, Inc., Praxair,
Inc., Terra Nitrogen Corp. and Tomen Grain Company, some of which
have more than one area facility. TZPR maintains a freight house,
loading/unloading platforms and team track facilities.
TOLEDO, PEORIA & WESTERN RAILWAY
TP&W operates an alternate-day "through" train between East Peoria
and the Hoosierlift, near Remington, Indiana. Train T-HLEP arrives
East Peoria early Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning. Counterpart
T-EPHL leaves in late evening Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Extras
are called some days, usually late AM or early PM, to work most
grain and fertilizer customers west of Gilman. Power for the
Galesburg Job may run engine light between TP&W and TZPR yards or
may handle transfer traffic in either direction. Morning (9:00am?
call) and Evening Switchers (6:00pm? call) work the yard, TZPR
transfers, industries in Peoria, the UP interchange at Collier's
Yard in Bartonville (and swap cars with the Kolbe job out of
Mapleton) and the Morton Industrial Spur. The Kolbe Job leaves East
Peoria Saturday afternoon or Sunday afternoon/evening for Collier's
Yard or as far as the Mapleton Industrial Spur, the only track TP&W
owns on the west side of the river. The Kolbe Job works between
Mapleton and Collier's Yard thru Friday then returns to East Peoria.
Customers served by the TP&W in the area are Grainland Co-op
(Cruger), Nestle USA/Libby's (not since 2005); Fort Transfer and
Morton Buildings at Morton; East Peoria Materials & Rail Yard and an
intermodal ramp at East Peoria; ADM Growmark, Peoria River Terminal
and Caterpillar RPF at Peoria, and Chemtura, Degussa-Goldschmidt
Chemical Corp, Corn Products International, Lonza, Caterpillar
(foundry) and CF Industries at Mapleton. TP&W has access to Keystone
Steel & Wire's Wire Mill in Bartonville and AmerenCILCO's Edwards
Station but presently does not.
UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD
Union Pacific's Peoria Subdivision is the closest to big-time
railroading for Peoria, with anywhere from eight to twelve trains,
and some times more, per day. Daily manifests MPRPB and MASPR and
their once- or twice-a-week second sections; alternate day Clinton
(IA) - Peoria trains (MCLPE is Su-Tu-Th and MPECL is Mo-We-Fr), two
daily coal trains given to IMRR most days, coal trains many days to
AmerenCILCO's Edwards Station at Sommer, twice weekly coal trains
(from the Monterey Mine) interchanged to the KJRY at Sommer, a
weekend empty train of empty autoracks bound for Belvidere or
Janesville, occasional coal trains (also from the Monterey Mine) to
the IANR at Manly (IA), seasonal grain trains out of Sterling and
Allen Station and occasional potash trains keep the railhead shiny
24/7/365. Heavy trackwork on the Jeff City Sub in Missouri can
detour empty coal trains coming out of Southern Illinois up the
Peoria Sub and also manifest train MASNP. The recent addition of
stack trains four or five days a week in each direction north of the
new Edelstein Connection is a precursor of significant future
traffic increases and upgrades to track and signaling.
The MPRPB and MASPR symbols can be unpredictable at times though the
former is scheduled to make its way south during the late AM early
PM hours while the latter normally passes through the area in the
early AM hours or shortly after sunrise. MCLPE usually gets to Adams
Street Yard on Peoria's south side by early afternoon, though is
sometimes late, account of heavy traffic. MPECL is called at 8:00am
though it may not get onto the main track until noonish.
To handle the TZPR and TP&W interchanges and what little local
traffic remains in Peoria proper, the Peoria Wayfreight, or LPD01,
goes on duty at 5:00pm Sunday thru Thursday.
Union Pacific serves the following customers: Akron Services at
Akron; ADM Growmark, Archer Daniels Midland, Peoria Barge Terminal
and Peoria River Terminal in Peoria; AmerenCILCO at Sommer and
Taloma Farmers Grain at Allen Station. Most Peoria Sub business is
interchanged to/from other railroads: IMRR, KJRY, TZPR and TP&W.
DPJ