Ok, does anyone here know anything about this railway? I’m curious about Keokuk Junction Railway purchasing the old lines from Keokuk, IA to Mapleton, IL. TP&W is supposed to be selling their lines to KJRY.
I know a little bit about it. I wish I could be more specific, but it has been a while. The Toledo Peoria and Western (via RailAmerica) sought to abandon most of its tracks slightly west of Peoria to where the line connects with Keokuk junction. As I understand it, this would have reduced the Keokuk Junctions’ viability. Accordingly, the Keokuk Junction invoked federal regulations allowing them to purchase the line slated for abandonment at near salvage level prices. As I understand it, it was a huge victory for the Keokuk Junction (and Pioneer Railgroup).
Like I said, though, I am shooting from the hip on this one, and though I am confident I read this somewhere, I forget where and cannot speak to the accuracy of the source.
FYI, I love railfanning the TP&W. It is not as good since Rail America took charge (but then again, what is?), but it still has some of the charm of a mom and pop railroad, but is large enough to have a lot of interesting areas to explore.
Hope that helps.
Gabe
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There is a TP&W group on Yahoo that followed this quite closely.
The TP&W retains the West End, though it is out of service. KJRY convinced the STB that SF&L Railway (owned by A & K Railroad Materials) was violating its common carrier obligations. As a result, the TP&W was forced to repurchase the 71.5 miles they sold to A & K in early 2001. SF&L ran its last train in October 2002 and TP&W repurchased the line the following February after some back-and-forth.
This year TP&W made a deal with BNSF to remove the diamonds at Bushnell. A “detour” is via an industry track and the old connection. A rare movement was made in August to test this detour when a trackmobile led two boxcars on a slow, westbound trek.
TP&W continues to fight attempts to force a sale of their West End to the KJRY. Word is they will serve an ethanol plant that is supposed to be open next summer. It is to be built south of Canton on BNSF trackage but they don’t really want to serve it.
DPJ
One quick thing to add that is of some importance…
The TP&W main line went west from Peoria to Lomax, IL where it connected with the SF/BNSF and then used trackage rights for the short distance to Ft. Madison, IA. There was never a lot of on-line industries between Mapleton and Lomax. The BNSF granted the TP&W trackage rights over BNSF (@1996?) between Peoria and Galesburg because they prefered to receive the TP&W trains at Galesburg instead of Ft. Madison. This left the original TP&W main west of Mapleton virtually useless. Without the TP&W, the KJRY is on an island with no connection to the outside world. I think that KJRY is in bad spot. If the BNSF switched the TP&W to Galesburg, then why would they accept the same Lomax/Ft. Madison arrangeent with KJRY?? The KJRY might be forced to take the old TP&W main line just to survive. All cars would probably have to go east to Peoria.
One quick thing to add that is of some importance…
The TP&W main line went west from Peoria to Lomax, IL where it connected with the SF/BNSF and then used trackage rights for the short distance to Ft. Madison, IA.
Actually Sommer (or Hollis) to Lomax
There was never a lot of on-line industries between Mapleton and Lomax.
Santa Fe pretty much killed off the remaining local business when TP&W was simply their Peoria Subdivision in 1984-1989. TP&W managed to revive the grain business and attracted a few new customers.
The BNSF granted the TP&W trackage rights over BNSF (@1996?) between Peoria and Galesburg because they prefered to receive the TP&W trains at Galesburg instead of Ft. Madison. This left the original TP&W main west of Mapleton virtually useless.
Intermodal and some carload traffic continued to be interchanged with BNSF at Fort Madison until February 2001. Most traffic TP&W handled for BNSF between Peoria and Galesburg was carload, however, intermodal traffic could be seen at times.
Without the TP&W, the KJRY is on an island with no connection to the outside world. I think that KJRY is in bad spot.
KJRY has a connection with BNSF at Keokuk, Iowa. They handle all of the switching at Roquette America’s large corn processing plant in town. In addition, they have a connection with Union Pacific at Fort Madison (after they purchased the LaHarpe - Lomax segment from TP&W in February 2002). Traffic interchanged with Union Pacific at Fort Madison is actually handled by BNSF to a physical UP connection at Chicago or Kansas City under a haulage agreement. Customers only see KJRY FTMAD UP as the routing. It allows competition
I didn’t know that KJRY had connections other than LaHarpe/Lomax… my bad. BNfan, if there is so much future business on the “West End”, then why does TP&W want to get rid of line and scrap it??
Also, if I remember correctly, the intermodal that used the “West End” actually ran through all the way to Kansas City using BNSF crews between FT. Madsion/KC.
I didn’t know that KJRY had connections other than LaHarpe/Lomax… my bad. BNfan, if there is so much future business on the “West End”, then why does TP&W want to get rid of line and scrap it??
Probably lack of foresight. Bad luck might have played a role as well. Santa Fe largely killed ff the West End’s local business but the reborn TP&W successfully brought back some business by 1991. On-line business and the KJRY interchange at LaHarpe even led TP&W to operate a pair of extra East Peoria - Fort Madison trains as needed (3-4 days per week) in 1995-1996. These extra trains also protected intermodal traffic if ATSF connections were delayed for some reason. The reasons for the West End’s demise are:
(1) BNSF merger - the combination of ATSF and BN reduced the importance of the West End as a through route as most carload traffic (what little remained) was diverted via Galesburg. I remember some Caterpillar tractors and some other traffic as late as 1999.
(2) The reborn TP&W grew its intermodal business significantly from 1989, handling traffic for both ATSF and BN. Caterpillar, Diamond Star Motors/Mitsubishi and Subaru-Isuzu were the major intermodal customers. The BN interchange was at Bushnell and provided BN with haulage services between there and the Indiana Hub Center (Hoosierlift) at Remington, IN. In 1990, TP&W briefly operated a separate pair of daily intermodal trains for BN. The BNSF merger caused the Bushnell traffic to be routed via Galesburg. Most intermodal traffic, however, continued to be interchanged at Fort Madison. Business grew heavier after BNSF closed its Galesburg Hub Center on June 30, 1997. Traffic previously handled there shifted to East Peoria. Despite the railroad’s success at growing intermodal traffic, it was marginally profitable. Most Subaru-Isuzu traffic was lost by the late 1990’s. The biggest problem in all of this was that TP&W didn’t maintain the 40mph speeds. In many places along t
DJP:
Very interesting review of the TPW’s operations today. Thanks for the info. What is the current status of the intermodal traffic on the TPW? In other words, how much traffic is moving and who are the customers?
During the 90’s I used to travel quite a bit to Central Illinois including Peoria and would stay in East Peoria. Evenings during the summer would find me down at the TPW yard. I remember an old F unit, painted in NYC type striping.
Interesting to hear the NS let service drop, but have resumed it. Does the CN (ex IC) still run a daily train to Peoria?
Thanks,.
ed
Very interesting review of the TPW’s operations today. Thanks for the info. What is the current status of the intermodal traffic on the TPW? In other words, how much traffic is moving and who are the customers?
TP&W’s historic source of intermodal traffic (East Peoria to and from western points) is gone. Former customers now use BNSF’s Logistics park (and one would suspect UP’s Global III). However, the aforementioned deterioration in service by Norfolk Southern, ended that railroad’s once significant intermodal business. By late 1999, TP&W and Canadian National offered joint intermodal service for container traffic moving between the east coast and Peoria area. Norfolk Southern’s major customer for their former service, Caterpillar, signed up immediately (thus avoiding higher drayage costs to and from NS facilities at Chicago). Caterpillar plants in Illinois, Mossville (diesel engines), East Peoria (track-type tractors), Decatur (mining trucks, scrapers and graders) and Aurora (wheel loaders, forestry equipment and excavators) use TP&W’s East Peoria facility as a hub for import/export traffic. Cat has suppliers and parts plants in Great Britain, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy and others plus a Regional Distribution Center in Grimbergen, Belgium. Illinois plants ship and receive parts to and from these locations. Also, the Global Distribution Center at Morton ships and receives parts via the EP intermodal terminal.
Other customers include Bemis (receives kraft paper from Sweden), probably both large chemical plants in Mapleton (ship product overseas) and a customer in Fort Madison receives imported chemicals. Some traffic is also moving via New Orleans. A small amount of business goes to BNSF’s Logistics Park, is “rubber tired” to Markham and sent to EP via rail again (doesn’t make sense to me!).
I don’t work for TP&W so I don’t have any traffic figures but actual customers include grain elevators at Reynolds, Wolcott,
With the decline in intermodal traffic, what is the current staus of Hoosier Lift?
Also, due to the rail congestion in Chicago, is there any chance that the BNSF, CSX or NS might try to aquire the TP&W and use it as a bridge route bypassing Chicago (SF tried 20 years ago)? If any Class I tried this, it sounds like they would have a lot of work to do on the physical plant.
With the decline in intermodal traffic, what is the current staus of Hoosier Lift?
It is mainly a crew base. It receives Z-EPHL Tu, Th and Sa earlt morning and sends out Z-HLEP Su, Tu and Th night. The 0900 Indiana Local works west to Gilman and east to Logansport. The through train’s power is used to make the CSXT interchange run to Lafayette and return. FBI Buildings unloads centerbeam flat cars. Autoracks were loaded here in spring 2003.
Also, due to the rail congestion in Chicago, is there any chance that the BNSF, CSX or NS might try to aquire the TP&W and use it as a bridge route bypassing Chicago (SF tried 20 years ago)? If any Class I tried this, it sounds like they would have a lot of work to do on the physical plant.
I don’t expect a Class 1 to buy TP&W unless we have some transcon mergers. RailAmerica has done some extensive crosstie replacement but I’m not sure if tracks speeds were raised to 40mph (as rumored).
Santa Fe and PRR/Penn Central/Conrail used TP&W as bridge route in 1927 - 1981. After Santa Fe merged TP&W into its system 12-31-83, they neglected the East End grain traffic dropped, the Hoosierlfit didn’t get the expected business.
DPJ
BNSF:
Were you around in 1979 or so when 765 ran on the TPW?
I made a trip to EP for that. Just found my slides last weekend.
So, let me get this straight. CN (IC) is running intermodal to and from EP with interchange at Gilman? That explains when I pass over TPW on I57 I sometimes see a block of intermodal cars on a siding.
Does the big soybean plant in Gilman do much with TPW?
By the way…thanks for all the info.
ed
Were you around in 1979 or so when 765 ran on the TPW?
I was almost six years old when I saw the 765 leaves East Peoria with the Golden Arrow Lines excursion to Keokuk.
Funny thing is the following Saturday, when my mon, dad and two brothers headed east on Rt. 24 to visit our grandparents, we caught up with the 765 (unexpectedly) heading east with another excursion. We ate at that tenderloin place in Watseka (since closed) and the train passed us and stopped in town, blocking the MoPac crossing for a time. It was in May 1980, the day after my birthday, IIRC.
I made a trip to EP for that. Just found my slides last weekend.
So, let me get this straight. CN (IC) is running intermodal to and from EP with interchange at Gilman? That explains when I pass over TPW on I57 I sometimes see a block of intermodal cars on a siding.
Yep, that’s traffic interchanged with CN. CN runs a train (281, IIRC) out of Chicago that sets out “pigs” for TP&W at Gilman then proceeds to Gibson CIty with autoracks for NS. The return run north picks up “pigs” from TP&W.
Does the big soybean plant in Gilman do much with TPW?
Incobrasa ships via TP&W soy meal and soy oil pretty much on a daily basis (though probably not on Sunday). The Indiana Local will generally handle this business. Most of TP&W’s business from Incobrasa goes to CSXT but occasionally, soy meal will go to BNSF at Peoria for forwarding to southwestern feed mills (and by “BNSF” I mean TP&W’s Galesburg Job, which does haulage business for BNSF so the routing is TPW Peoria BNSF). I haven’t seen it lately but I guess there is still a soy oil movement routed TPW Peoria UP to New Orleans. As for the latter, I heard that CN messed up and lost this business to the
DPJ:
I went to the STB website yesterday…I must have been bored and noticed they had a ruling on the TPW and KJ.
It appears, unless I missed something, that the line will be sold by the TPW to KJ. The price was established and there was a notice for the BNSF to return the diamond at Bushnell within 48 hours.
You might want to read this, it would probably make more sense to you. Also, I believe that TPW retains trackage rights to Mapleton.
Is there quite a bit of traffic in and out of that area? It has been years since I was down there, but if I remember correctly there was some industry on the “river side” of US 24.
Regarding the ethenol plant in Canton, what is the latest on that?
thanks,
ed
funny thing, the other day i was going to ask about the TP&W. then i stumbled upon this. thanks for all the info!
I saw the STB postings and decisions. TP&W and KJRY failed to come to an interchange agreement so TP&W’s Mapleton Industrial Spur is now isolated. To handle traffic to and from Mapleton, TP&W now must interchange with KJRY, probably at Hollis/Sommer. A TP&W locomotive will probably be based at Mapleton but I expect an agreement to be reached soon so TP&W will have trackage rights. Union Pacific has trackage rights and could serve the Mapleton customers directly if they wanted too (they , like C&NW, simply had TP&W perform their switching). Much of the business is to and from UP.
TP&W serves Crompton Corp, Degussa-Goldschmidt, Lonza, Caterpillar’s foundry and CF Industries (fertilizer warehouse and barge facilities). The Port Group has purchased the original Caterpillar foundry here and some additional land for development of industry and port facilities.
At Sommer is the AmerenCILCO E. D. Edwards Station, which gets UP coal trains from Wyoming and occasionally, from the Monterey Mine near Carlinville.
Diverging from the UP mainline south of AmerenCILCO is a TZPR spur to “Cargo Carriers” - the historic name for what is now called Mosaic - the result of a merger between Cargill and IMC Global. This facility handles dry fertilizer and gets unit trains. Some occasional salt trains from Kansas may come here too. It used to get grain until AGRI Industries and Cargill dissolved their Agri Grain Marketing partnership in 2003.
The ethanol plant has been delayed many times because of regulations and financing problems but it is now expected to begin constructiojn in late winter with completion in 2006. They have a website:
KJRY will not have access to any industry on the Union Pacific-owned trackage between Hollis and Iowa Jct. The only industry served from this line is Keystone Steel & Wire (north end of its wire mill) and UP has TZPR perform switching.
DPJ
I previously wrote,
“Also, new source of traffic in the vicinity of Canton, Illinois have emerged - Central Illinois Energy Co-Op and a movement of coal waste to an abandoned coal mine”
Rather than coal waste, it looks as if this new movement is expected to be coal itself. AmerenCILCO recently announced plans to construct a build out to trackage now owned by the KJRY just east of Canton. If this happens, Union Pacific and KJRY could interchange coal trains at Hollis/Sommer.
DPJ
I was up at Canton and Bushnell last year(October), the rail line you are referring to looked like it had not had a train on it for a long time. If the sale of this line goes to KJRY are they going to update the track, it was in very bad shape.
I was up at Canton and Bushnell last year(October), the rail line you are referring to looked like it had not had a train on it for a long time. If the sale of this line goes to KJRY are they going to update the track, it was in very bad shape.
KJRY got a loan for $7 million from a Peoria bank and will use some for trackwork. Last Thursday or so, two grain elevators, at Sciota and Blandinsville, got some cars originally ordered for the first week of February. They are shipping corn to Roquette America’s Keokuk wet corn mill