In Friday’s Journal Star: “‘How bad does the community want a grocery store?’ That was the bottom-line question Tuesday night at a town meeting in Toulon. The Stark County seat’s only grocery store closed recently after an Elmwood man who had operated it rent-free for nearly two years concluded he still couldn’t make a profit.” [...]
Entries from August 2009
RI Trail No Help to Toulon
August 29th, 2009 · 9 Comments
Tags: Recreational Trails
Trail Nut Graffiti
August 25th, 2009 · 3 Comments
PEORIA - At least one trail proponent has made his position known, using the hood of a Central Illinois Railroad Company locomotive to spell out, “Jobless Yet? Build the Rec trail!!” Note “B. S.” above…I couldn’t agree more. – David P. Jordan
Tags: Kellar Branch · Railroads
Springfield Zaniness
August 22nd, 2009 · 16 Comments
This is a Peoria blog, but sometimes I write about transportation issues in other cities. Often, the railroad industry’s image is distorted by grand-standing politicians and a public easily aroused by sensationalized media coverage. My previous post explained how in Springfield, misinformation has whipped up a public frenzy against high-speed rail and an increase in the number of freight trains. I [...]
Springfield Media Whips Up Frenzy Over Increased Train Traffic
August 18th, 2009 · 3 Comments
A Union Pacific freight train nears E. Carpenter Street in Springfield on February 7, 2009. The track on which it is running was extensively upgraded in 2008. For the past month, Springfield’s State Journal-Register has printed several stories about the Union Pacific Railroad’s plans to increase train traffic through town and plans for faster passenger trains. First, [...]
Tags: Railroads
Peoria Area Rail Users – Mapped!
August 15th, 2009 · No Comments
Click the map and see where area rail users are located! There area other area rail users, but this map represents the core. Give me feedback. 1. ADM Grain Co. – Creve Coeur Barge Dock 2. ADM Grain Co. – Creve Coeur Elevator 3. ADM Grain Co. – Peoria Elevator 4. AGRI-Bunge, LLC 5. [...]
Tags: Manufacturing and Industry · Railroads
Coming Soon!
August 14th, 2009 · No Comments
I haven’t had time to blog lately. That should change shortly. I will be posting a Peoria metro map showing area rail lines and customer locations. I’m also planning a post on the area’s last big railroad-spurred economic development initiative – TP&W’s five-zone industrial land sales from the mid-1950s through the 1970s. The Mapleton industrial [...]
Tags: Miscellaneous
BNSF Revives Dormant Branchline
August 7th, 2009 · 4 Comments
Empty BNSF coal train creeps through Lewistown at dusk on August 5, 2009. The same train ran arrived loaded on the Keokuk Junction Railway but was first to utilize the rehabilitated branchline in more than three years. BNSF Railway has revived the southern half of its Yates City – Vermont line after securing a contract [...]
Tags: Railroads
Allegiant Air Maintains Schedules This Summer
August 7th, 2009 · No Comments
PEORIA – Allegiant Air offers Peoria air travelers nonstop service top Las Vegas, Phoenix-Mesa and St.Petersburg/Clearwater. Current schedules show Las Vegas flights being offered daily except Tuesday and Friday. Service to Phoenix-Mesa is shown as being offered on Monday and Friday. St. Petersburg/Clearwater flights are also offered twice weekly, on Tuesday and Saturday. And unlike [...]
Tags: Aviation
PJStar reports Delta cut today; I reported it June 30
August 3rd, 2009 · 2 Comments
PEORIA – Atlantic Southeast Airlines dba Delta Connection is ending its Peoria – Atlanta route on September 1. If that sounds like old news, it’s because I first reported it here, last June 30. Looking at the calendar, it says August 3, which means my initial report of Delta’s flight cut occured more than ONE MONTH ago. But [...]
Tags: Aviation