Edelstein IL - Trains Magazine

"Keep in mind that this connection isn't going to be useful at all until UP upgrades its line from Nelson down to the connection.  That may require a little track work, mostly a second track and signals to allow the speed to be increased.  That's coming (next year, probably)--then we'll have some excitement!"

The Peoria Sub sees about 8-10 trains per day and sometimes more and even with passing tracks at Nelson, Manlius and Storage and five miles of double track near NW Peoria, congestion can be a frequent occurance. The double track is ABS but everything north to Nelson is dark territory, controlled by track warrants. An average of 8-10 trains a day is quite a bit for an 80-mile, mostly single track segment, especially when about half of these are loaded and empty coal trains that can be up to 8,000 feet in length.

Mainline track speeds are probably 49mph, though it seems trains operate at slower speeds - more like 30-40mph. Many crossties were replaced in the early 2000's after several costly derailments but the track could use some improvements, as it gets beaten up by about 800+ loaded coal trains each year (108,000+ annual carloads), plus grain trains and manifests.

The apparent plan is to install long passing sidings at Speer (possibly just a northward extension of the conenction) and Normandy in 2007 to increase capacity. In 2008, double tracking will be under way as will the installation of CTC. I'm sure these dates will slip as they always do but the line will need them because traffic will about double with the diversion of double stack and automotive trains. (Running 15-20 trains per day on 62 miles of single track mainline with the congested Geneva Sub at the north end and several control points in the Peoria area to the south were trains exit and enter the main track woud be a challenge.)