Peoria and Pekin Union Railway
Encyclopedia
Switching and terminal railroad
A switching and terminal railroad is a freight railroad company whose primary purpose is to perform local switching services or to own and operate a terminal facility. Switching is a type of operation done within the limits of a yard...
in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
that began operating in 1881 and was leased to the Tazewell and Peoria Railroad
Tazewell and Peoria Railroad
The Tazewell & Peoria Railroad is a short-line railroad, running entirely in Peoria County and Tazewell County, Illinois, and formed by Genesee & Wyoming Inc. to lease the assets of the century-old Peoria and Pekin Union Railway , which is owned by Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern and Canadian...
in 2004. Its main yard and roundhouse are in East Peoria, Illinois
East Peoria, Illinois
East Peoria is a city in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 23,402 at the 2010 census. East Peoria is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area, located across the Illinois River from downtown Peoria. It is home to many Caterpillar Inc. facilities...
, and it owns track on both sides of the Illinois River
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
. The company also owns a rail bridge over the river.
Most railways are regional and do not own track all the way across the nation, so their lines end at some point. Since the late 19th century, many railways have chosen to end their lines near Peoria, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
. When a train car reaches the end of one rail line, it must be switched to a different line in order to continue on to its destination. P&PU engines are responsible for picking up the cars at the end of other railways' lines and bringing them back to the main yard in East Peoria. Employees then sort the cars based on which railway will take them to their next stop. After these new trains have been formed, P&PU engines take the cars to the beginning of that rail line where they will continue their journey. That company's engines then pick up the cars and take them to their destination.
By 1944, the P&PU was switching 14 major railways that ran into Peoria, an unusually high number of railways for a city the size of Peoria
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
. The P&PU currently switches trains for 8 other railways, handles over 170,000 cars per year, and is owned jointly by the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
, Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
, and Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
.