Peoria C: Orchard Mines, IL: Coal Mines

(Satellite, the coal mines were like beads along the TP&W)

Jerry Burgener posted
A depiction of historic Orchard Mines, Illinois, showing the railroad line running through the village. The Illinois River is in the background... I have relatives that grew up in that area, and worked in the local coal mines there. I enjoyed hearing stories about life during those times, the trains that came through, and the people, some real characters, surrounding them.
Orchard Mines is an unincorporated area opposite the bridge near Pekin, at the IL St Rt 9 / U.S. Rt. 24 intersection area, somewhat near Mapleton, part of the Hollis Township (T. P. & W. Rail Road area) , which consists of Mapleton, Orchard Mines, Tuscarora, Hollis, LaMarsh.

Dennis DeBruler commented on Jerry's post
You can search for an index number in this file to get more information about the indexed mine.
 https://wikiimage.isgs.illinois.edu/ilmines/webfiles/topo-mines/pekin.pdf

Burnside, IL: Lost/TP&W Depot

(Satellite)

Patty Peterson posted
Burnside Depot (1979 Sites and Structures of Hancock County)
Richard Fiedler shared

1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

Today, Keokuk Junction Railway owns this former TP&W route.  Since KJRY is a shortline, the grain elevator has rail service even though it is not very big.

Street View, Aug 2024

It appears that the hopper that is on a siding in this view is in the same position that we see in the above 2004 view. And the vegetation growing on the track to the right of the hopper indicates that this siding has not been used in a while. I see four foundations for bins in the southern cluster. Are they for bins that are to be built or for bins that have been removed.

Satellite

Google Maps implies that the elevator is owned by CGB, which is a big operator.

Google Maps search

But CGB's website implies farmers would have to haul their grain to Ferris, which is also on the KJRW route. So, I'm labeling this elevator as "grainAban."

CGB

Although CGB is quoting prices for Burnside.

FarmBuck_Illinois

The elevator had a feed mill.

Patty Peterson posted
1995 Burnside Feed Mill

La Crosse, IL: Lost/TP&W Depot

(Satellite)

This route is now owned by the Keokuk Junction Railway.

Patty Peterson posted
LaCrosse Depot (1979 Historic Sites and Structures of Hancock County)
[Given that the depot was gone by 1938, the date must be 1879 instead of 1979.]
Kam Miller shared
LaCrosse, Illinois, was a spot on the Toldeo, Peoria and Western, about 5 miles southwest of La Harpe, Illinois. At one time, a grain elevator was there, as well as a siding. Now, the siding is there for storage of cars, but everything else is long gone. The tiny general store featured in the photo book about the TP&W at Lacrosse, is also gone, it's roof having collapsed in years ago.

It is not very often that a 1938 aerial photo is too new to show a depot. But the grain elevator in the photo is still standing in 1938.

1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

The photo shows that the depot was just west of where the siding joined the mainline, so I think we can still see remnants of the footing.

Satellite

Lomax, IL: Iowa Junction: Sante Fe vs. TP&W vs. CB&Q

Junction: (Satellite)

TP&W = Toledo, Peoria & Western

tpwhistorical Flickr (source)

The railroad to the southeast that climbs the river's bluff was the TP&W. The railroad with the railyard was the Santa Fe. The railroad to the south of the Sante Fe that headed North was the CB&Q.

1964/65 Lomax Quad @ 24,000

The boundary between the green and brown fields was the CB&Q.

Satellite

The TP&W route is a branch from their mainline at La Harpe.

1958/68 Burlington Quad @ 250,000

Streator Junction, IL: Junction Shack: Santa Fe vs. TP&W

(Satellite)

Jimmy Fiedler updated

John Burt: Near Eureka.

John Burt commented on Jimmy's post
Another view taken in May of 1969.

Dennis DeBruler commented on John's "Near Eureka." comment
So that is where Santa Fe joined TP&W to use their tracks for a few miles to the west. 1958 Peoria Quad @ 250,000

Fortunately, the junction was above the upper bend in US-24 so that I could locate it on a satellite map. 

1958 Peoria Quad @ 250,000

There are very few diagonal lines to show were the Santa Fe tracks used to be.

Satellite

Glasfor, IL: Lost/TP&W Depot

(Satellite)

This former-TP&W route west of Peoria is now owned by the Keokuk Junction Railway (KJRY).

Andy Zukowski posted
Toledo, Peoria & Western Railroad Depot at Glasford, Illinois. C.1910

Larry Candilas: MP 127.1 Western Sub

1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

1948/65 Glasford Quad @ 62,500

The grain elevator doesn't have rail service even though it is now on a shortline route.

Satellite

Hamilton, IL: Lost/(TP&W+Wabash) Depot and Water Tower

(Satellite, based on the aerial photo below and the junction seen in the photo. The quarry did not exist back then.)

This former-TP&W route west of Peoria is now owned by Keokuk Junction Railway (KJRY).

Andy Zukowski posted
In 1913, the Toledo, Peoria & Western (TP&W) Railroad served Hamilton, Illinois. Photo by CU William

Larry Candilas: MP 222.6 - Third Sub; Keokuk Branch

John Stell: In 1913 it would have been Second subdivision.

Richard Fiedler shared

Andy Zukowski posted

Wabash #573 Hamilton, Illinois

Mogul 2-6-0 steamer #573, one of the last, if not the very last steam engine to operate on the Wabash roster has just cleared the Mississippi River bridge from Keokuk, lowa into Hamilton, Illinois. It is seen here heading east on the TP&W going past the TP&W depot. 6/22/54 Photo from the Barry Lennon Collection

Larry Candilas: MP 539.9 11th District; Keokuk Branch

Richard Fiedler shared

1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

1964/65 Hamilton Quad @ 24,000

Gridley, IL: Grain Elevator uses TP&W Rail Service and Lost/TP&W Depot

West: (Satellite)

East: (Satellite, note that there is also a fertilizer supply company.)

Depot: (Satellite)

David Jordan posted two photos with the comment:

An old rail-served facility returns with a new owner...

After Brandt Consolidated purchased Myer Crop Center in 2009, the latter's TP&W-served elevator on the east side of Gridley, Illinois quit shipping by rail. Some 15 years later, Ruff Brothers Grain Co., which already owned elevators on the west side of town, began shipping from here by rail. This evening, April 30, 2025, I noticed seven cars spotted for loading (with eight more at the west side elevators). I don't know if these are the first, but they are probably some of the first to be loaded by Ruff Brothers at this facility. The last time I saw covered hoppers here was when TP&W was leasing its fleet from Northwestern Oklahoma Railroad (NOKL).

Kameron Smith: Those NOKL hoppers were standard fare for awhile in the RailAmerica era.

David Jordan: Kameron Smith And briefly after GWI's takeover. The CP cylindrical cars were purchased in 2014. A different look for sure.

Austin Sasse: They started loading cars there again just a few weeks ago. Neat to see that business return. It's crazy how many industries are on the entire Illinois Sub with switches off the main that go into these facilities yet they do not do any business by rail. The elevator in Piper City loaded a few cuts of TPW hoppers recently as well, which hadn't for many years.

David Jordan also posted

Will G Benson: Those Canadian hoppers have been bought by leasing companies since they were the cause of a derailment up in Canada.

David Jordan: Will G Benson These have TP&W markings.

Will G Benson: David Jordan ah. Nice. Hopefully other shortlines grab some as well.

Joel Spitzer: David Jordan I’ve seen those with OFOX reporting marks on the Iowa Interstate in Council Bluffs and at the UP served West Plains in Omaha. Not sure if the are the same cars that are interchanged or not.

David Jordan: Joel Spitzer IAIS runs those to a Chicago connection (CSX now, IIRC), which forwards them to Grand Rapids & Eastern. King Milling in Lowell, Michigan is final destination. RISX cars are used for bag dust shipments to WSP at Clymers, Indiana and outbound zinc oxide.

David Jordan: Joel Spitzer Yep. A condition of UP-C&NW merger gave IAIS neutral access to West Plains at Omaha. Otherwise, UP would be handling that wheat to Chicago.

Joel Spitzer: David Jordan thanks, I was wondering why it wouldn’t go via UP. I’ve never been aware of IAIS going over UP track there so guessing UP switches it themselves. That is a bright area for UP, a good bit of business in that part of Omaha going up towards the airport.

David Jordan: Joel Spitzer UP switches the cars and delivers to IAIS at Council Bluffs. UP's originating switching charges are absorbed into IAIS's through rate. West Plains LLC is owned by BioUrja Renewables. Unless the sale agreement with ADM prohibits rail-to-barge transfer at BioUrja's Peoria plant, I imagine interesting future possibilities that could involve IAIS.

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Lost/TP&W Depot

Andy Zukowski posted
Toledo, Peoria, and Western Railroad Depot in Gridley, Illinois. 1914 photo by CR. Childs

William Lloyd: Order board indicates stop.

Paul Hurst: Must be for the passengers and the milk jugs on the cart.

Andy Zukowski posted
The Toledo, Peoria and Western Railroad Depot in Gridley, Illinois. 1972

Mike-Janet Kaiser Knapp: Between Center and Market streets, north of tracks. When I was in grade school, just a few years after '72 I remember my parents saying TP&W would let someone have it if they would move it. Nobody took them up on it so it was torn down. Fairly certain it did not even make it to 1976

Because of the grain elevator on the right side of the above photo, the depot was the rectangle north of the tracks and east of Center Street.

1940 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

Secor, IL: Lost/TP&W Depot

(Satellite)

 

Andy Zukowski posted
The TP&W Railroad Station Depot in Secor, Illinois. 1912.
Richard Fiedler shared

Andy Zukowski posted
The Toledo Peoria & Western Depot in Secor, Illinois. 1966

David Kennedy: WOW, all brick

Richard Fiedler shared
Jim Kelling shared with the comment: "Secor Illinois (Toledo Peoria & Western depot)."
Bill Molony shared

Andy Zukowski posted
The Toledo, Peoria & Western Railroad Train Depot at Secor, Illinois. Photographer: C.U. Williams  C.1910
Richard Fiedler shared

We can see the paved platform as well as the depot in this aerial.

1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

This map 1930 did not mark the location of the depot even though it was clearly standing in 1939.

1930/30 Danvers Quad @ 62,500

Gilman, IL: 1997 Incobrasa Industries Soybean and Biodiesel Plant

(Satellite)

Street View, Jul 2024

safe_image for Explore how Incobrasa Industries is leading the charge in the biodiesel revolution
This article dated August 3, 2024 shows the extent of trackage to be built to support Incobrasa Industries' expansion at its CN-and TP&W-served Gilman, Illinois plant.

manufacturing-today
Because of the demand for vegetable oil created by biodiesel fuel, they are building a second crushing plant to more than double their capacity to 80-98 million bushels per year. After the new crushing plant is done, they plan to double their biodiesel production from 75 million gallons per year to 150.

manufacturing-today
The increased capacity should crush soybeans that are now exported using the Illinois River. This will keep the soybean meal, which is a byproduct of creating vegetable oil, in the country. Since soybean meal is used as animal feed, this will help reduce the cost of raising livestock. They mention large poultry farms, but I think soybean meal is used to increase the protein in the feed for many different animals.

They receive soybeans by rail and truck. In fact, they own a fleet of covered hopper cars.

 PAUL “Pawel” Dworski, Feb 2017

La Hogue, IL: Lost/TP&W Depot

(Satellite)

Andy Zukowski posted
The Toledo, Peoria & Western Train Depot in La Hogue, Illinois, circa 1910.
Opie Dyrek: Thank you for sharing this! It's probably the clearest photo of an early TP&W passenger car out there.
Richard Fiedler shared
Steven Hooker shared

1940 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

The grain elevator that we see across the tracks from the depot in the photo is now significantly larger.

Satellite

Farmdale, IL: TP&W Depot and Junction Tower: TP&W vs. NKP (LE&W) + Pennsy

Today: (Satellite, the TP&W route was moved to create a grade separation and reduce the curve.)

In addition to the TP&W, the roads have also changed a lot in this area. See the aerial photo at the bottom of these notes. The tower was on the east side and the depot was on the west side of the TP&W tracks.

Ross Brocksmith posted two images with the comment:

We’ve been on a the road quite a bit with Mr Grassel.  But why confine ourselves to roads?  Let’s get on the rails with Mr Grassel’s volume more broadly titled Transportation.

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Radio Station & Signal Tower

Farmdale

10-16-1916

—-

OK, railroad aficionados…which railroad is this?

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Image Source/Credit: 

Ernest Grassel Collection

Only seen in-person in the Local History Collection

Downtown Branch of Peoria Public Library

#peoriapubliclibrary  #peorialocalhistory  #ernestgrasselcollection

From Grassel’s volumes titled TRANSPORTATION

Richard Fiedler: I’ve seen this before. The Lake Erie and Western, today’s Norfolk Southern is in the left foreground. The Vandalia Railroad (Pennsylvania RR) is on the right and the Toledo Peoria and Western runs left to right between the tower and depot and crosses both.

[It shows some signalling pipelines.]

Richard Fiedler shared with the comment: "LE&W depot and tower Farmdale IL."

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Dennis DeBruler commented on Richard's share
I had to go back to 1927 to find the Pannsy tracks you mentioned in the base post. It appears that Pennsy had a branch that terminated at this junction. 1927/55/ Peoria Quad @ 62,500

1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP