Peoria Station

David P. Jordan's Peoria IL transportation blog

Entries from April 2009

Wind Turbine Parts Train to Pass through EP Tomorrow

April 30th, 2009 · No Comments

PEORIA - The Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway will haul a wind turbine blade and nacelle train through East Peoria, tomorrow. Per WMBD Radio 1470′s Traffic One Report: “In East Peoria…on Friday, May 1st, from 1pm to 2pm, a mile long train will travel through the city moving at a restricted 3 mph speed limit. The [...]

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Tags: Railroads · Wind Energy

Absent Six Years, Circus Train Returns to Peoria!

April 28th, 2009 · 11 Comments

On September 2, 2003, BNSF Railway  locomotives back the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus train into the former Burlington Northern yard, where it will be staged for unloading. PEORIA – After six years, a Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus train is coming to Peoria! Details are sketchy about the date and time [...]

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Tags: Railroads

Keokuk Junction Rwy. Gets New Customer

April 22nd, 2009 · No Comments

Three tank cars on rail siding at Canton, Illinois April 11 represent new business for the Keokuk Junction Railway. In late March, tank cars were observed on the Keokuk Junction Railway siding in Canton. Since these cars lack haz-mat placards, nothing dangerous is being handled at this site. Bulk liquid product is simply transloaded from [...]

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Tags: Manufacturing and Industry · Railroads

This isn’t a Train, It’s a Hallucination

April 20th, 2009 · 4 Comments

To hear Peoria City Councilman-Elect Dan Irving or Peoria City Treasurer-elect Patrick Nichting tell it, the above photo of a Pioneer Industrial Railway train having just cleared NE Jefferson Street today, April 20, is not possible since there are no customers on the Kellar Branch. But raw, unphotoshopped pictures don’t lie. Carver Lumber received this [...]

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Tags: Kellar Branch · Manufacturing and Industry · Railroads

Rare movement on the Kellar Branch

April 17th, 2009 · 3 Comments

 CIRY engines pull eight tank cars along Lake Street in Peoria Heights on Thursday, April 16, 2009. PEORIA – During the past two weeks, Central Illinois Railroad Co. (CIRY) received a total of eight tank cars at the south end of the Kellar Branch. Normally, the cars – empty liquified petroleum gas tank cars leased [...]

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Tags: Kellar Branch

Why Business Attraction Is Important – Part V

April 17th, 2009 · No Comments

PEORIA – So what customers has the Peoria & Pekin Union Railway (and its now 4 and 1/2 year old successor Tazewell & Peoria Railroad) gained and lost since the Staggers Act partially deregulated the railroad industry in October 1980? I will first list the losses (some of which will require clarification): Lost since 1980 [...]

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Tags: Kellar Branch · Manufacturing and Industry · Railroads · Uncategorized

Why Business Attraction is Important – Part IV

April 13th, 2009 · 6 Comments

PEORIA – When I attended Illinois Central College after graduating from high school in 1993, I made sure I took a route which gave me the best view of the area’s rail operations. No, it wasn’t the fastest way to the ICC campus, but I learned a lot about P&PU and TP&W train operations, and [...]

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Tags: Kellar Branch · Manufacturing and Industry · Railroads

Why Business Attraction is Important – Part III

April 10th, 2009 · No Comments

PEORIA – Below is a list, albeit not 100% accurate, showing customers of the Peoria & Pekin Union Railway for the year 1982: Cargo Carriers Bartonville All Commodities Keystone Steel & Wire Co. Bartonville Wire & Steel Luria Brothers & Company, Inc Bartonville Scrap Iron Wayne Pet Foods, Inc. Bartonville Dog Food Central Illinois Dock [...]

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Tags: Kellar Branch · Manufacturing and Industry · Railroads · Uncategorized

PJS: It’s about “beautification,” not Business Expansion

April 10th, 2009 · 1 Comment

PEORIA - With the Journal Star, I’m beginning to think a tree planting ceremony would be front-page news with full-color photo, while at the same time news of 200 jobs created by manufacturer would be buried in the classifieds! Updating my April 5 post, the City Council has now postponed a vote on re-z0ning land for expansion by [...]

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Tags: Kellar Branch · Manufacturing and Industry · Railroads

Why Business Attraction is Important – Part II

April 9th, 2009 · No Comments

PEORIA – Below is a more accurate, though admittedly not 100%, Peoria & Pekin Union Railway customer list for the year 1977: Allied Mills Inc. Bartonville Dog Food Broderick & Bascom Rope Co. Bartonville Wire Products Cargo Carriers Bartonville All Commodities Ceco Steel Rod Corp. Bartonville Steel & Wire Keystone Steel & Wire Co. Bartonville [...]

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Tags: Manufacturing and Industry · Railroads