Thursday, August 11, 2011

Boomtime Blue in Peoria!

After some time of mulling over layout designs and visiting the prototype, I believe I have a construction plan for the Rock Island Peoria Branch.  Rock Island's Design Team is looking to develop the Washington Street area along the Illinois River.  New industries expected to go online will include S. Lucas & Sons Steel, Peoria Cordage Company, Peoria Journal Star and Wayne Feeds. 

The track will follow the river (backdrop, but not modeled) into town.  There will be a main and siding with a short lead for run around moves.  A secondary track will be installed to access Wayne Feeds and the locomotive storage facility behind the station.

The Peoria Rocket will originate here as well as a RI Davenport mixed freight.  The second section of the Peoria Rocket out of Chicago arrives late morning with mail and passengers, returning mid-afternoon. 

You will notice an absence of the Caterpillar Plant in my design.  The section desginated for Peoria is a small shelf rougly 7ft by 14" wide.  To model the Caterpillar plant would be impossible.  The plant is located across the Illinois River in East Peoria.  I found the Washington Street riverfront area more appealing to model.  I will most likely create waybills for various materials inbound to Peoria for the CAT plant.  I'm still contemplating modeling loads of CAT vehicles outbound on flat cars.

I have exercised my modeling license regarding Peoria Journal Star and S. Lucas & Sons Steel.  The Peoria Journal Star is not physically located in this area, but it is a short distance up the river off Galena Rd.  It was served by the Rock Island railroad.  S. Lucas & Sons Steel is actually A. Lucas & Sons Steel, but changed the name to reflect my friend and boss Sam Lucas.

Thanks to Bing maps, below are photos of three industries:

Peoria Cordage Company

Peoria Journal Star
You can see the former Rock Island right-of-way behind the facility. 

S. Lucas & Sons Steel


Rock Island Station, Peoria, IL







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