Peoria Station

According to this FlightGlobal article, AirTran Airways’ fleet of Boeing 717s, the type used by the airline at Bloomington-Normal’s Central Illinois Regional Airport, probably won’t be retained long-term by new owner Southwest Airlines. Citing the small role 88 aircraft play in the combined AirTran-Southwest fleet of roughly 700 aircraft, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly declared to [...]

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Time for more “Ask Peoria Station” Q&A. As always, if I don’t have an answer, I’ll find it. – David P. Jordan

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BETTER DAYS: Archer Daniels Midland’s Galesburg soybean processing plant on November 14, 2009 Galesburg officials learned Monday that ADM’s local soybean crushing facility will close, putting 31 out of work. The company cites “Several factors, including the growing soybean export market, the increasing cost of beans and a decrease in domestic demand for soybean meal, [...]

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A P&PU-led coal train is shown crossing a famous local railroad landmark July 30, 2003 on its way from Wesley Jct. to the North Limit Yard. The Tazewell & Peoria Railroad, which has leased the Peoria & Pekin Union Railway properties since November 1, 2004, operates a local landmark, the Illinois River Bridge. Vital to local rail freight [...]

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Peoria’s record of presidential visits has been pretty good the past four-and-one-half years. President George W. Bush came here in January 2007 and July 2008 while President Barack Obama made the trip in February 2009 and well… …today. These visits offer Peoria-area residents a chance to view one of two Boeing 747-200B’s (usually SAM 28000) known as Air Force [...]

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Two new tracks have been built on Peoria Barge Terminal property. Peoria Barge Terminal’s rail spur is the main track shown in the photo above and veers right into the weeds behind the fence.  That fence belongs to Interstate Asphalt Corporation’s Peoria River Terminal, into which another track diverges (and splits into two tracks – note tank car). I’m not sure what [...]

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The above photo provides evidence that South San Francisco, California-based biofuel manufacturer Solazyme, Inc. is gearing up to start algal fuel production at its new Peoria facility, purchased in May from PMP Fermentation Products, Inc., 900 NE Adams Street. Startup is reportedly planned for later this year with full production during the first half of 2012. According [...]

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 BNSF Railway’s westbound “Peoria Local” crawls towards Edwards on August 8, 2011 BNSF Railway operates a tri-weekly train to handle carload freight between Galesburg and Peoria. Sometimes called the “Peoria Local,” it is officially designated as L-CHI1071 to correspond with the railroad’s local train symbol system. The symbol is decoded the following way: L      = Local CHI = [...]

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Motor carriers handle the largest share of area freight, but the the nature of the railroad industry (i. e., ability to identify shipments) allows more insight into this commerce. Thus, the reason for the next series of posts. I will detail the following trains: BNSF RAILWAY -  Galesburg-Peoria-Galesburg (L-CHI1701) CANADIAN NATIONAL – Decatur-E. Peoria-Decatur (L56491) [...]

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The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus is playing Peoria September 23-25 this year. Like two years ago, the circus will arrive on the Blue Train. The train’s intended routing is unknown at this time and in fact can change at the last minute. But shows dates before and after provide fodder for educated speculation. The [...]

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