Peoria Station

The manufacture of construction and mining machinery has long been an important part of the Peoria-area economy. Caterpillar and Komatsu both maintain local manufacturing facilities. NOTE: The five area rail-served Caterpillar facilities fall under three different categories – Chemicals and Fertilizer, Machinery and Metals and Metal Products. Two of the facilities are listed here.

CATERPILLAR INC.- BUILDING SS
Tractor Drive
East Peoria, IL
www.cat.com

Caterpillar’s Track-Type Tractor assembly bulding in East Peoria is one of the world’s most important industrial complexes. Track-type bulldozers produced here are the latest D6, D7, D8, D9, D10 and D11 models, and it is the only place in the world the three largest of these are produced. Large and medium-sized pipelayers are also assembled here. Since more than 60 percent of the machines produced here are exported, most leave the plant by railcar. The Tazewell & Peoria Railroad serves Building SS.

CATERPILLAR INC. – EDWARDS DEMONSTRATION GROUNDS
5801 N. Smith Road
Edwards, IL
www.cat.com

At a location known to the railroad (BNSF) as “Browning Switch,” and located just west of Edwards, is a spur that serves Caterpillar’s demonstration grounds. The spur is served by the Toledo Peoria & Western, though service is only needed on occasion. All types of machinery are delivered here for use at the demonstration grounds.

KOMATSU AMERICA INTERNATIONAL CO.
2300 NE Adams Street
Peoria, IL
www.komatsu.com

Ironically, Caterpillar’s most direct competitor is the North American subsidiary Japanese-owned Komatsu. The Peoria plant assembles large off-highway mining trucks. Rail transportation is primarily used for shipment of chasses, but also frames on occasion. From time to time, scrap steel and junk is shipped by railcar to Behr Peoria’s processing facility. The Tazewell & Peoria Railroad serves Komatsu’s Peoria plant.

TAZEWELL & PEORIA RAILROAD/KEEN TRANSPORT INC
301 Wesley Road
Creve Ceour, IL
www.keentransport.com

Keen Transport operates a machinery consolidation and storage facility at the Tazewell & Peoria’s East Peoria Yard. Two loading platforms are available for this purpose, one of which has an enclosed structure for all-weather operation.

- David P. Jordan