Keokuk Junction Railway
- AAR Reporting Marks - KJRY & PREX
- Official Website
Contents
Overview
The Keokuk Junction Railway was acquired by Pioneer Railcorp in 1996. The railroad started operations in August 1981 as a terminal switching outfit operating former Rock Island trackage within the city of Keokuk, IA. In 1986, KJRY purchased the former TP&W from Keokuk to La Harpe, IL. In 2002, the railroad acquired the former TP&W line from La Harpe to Lomax and the associated trackage rights from Lomax to Fort Madison, IA on the BNSF Chillicothe Sub. In 2004, KJRY's feeder line application with the Surface Transportation Board was approved, and in 2005, they took possession of the 76 miles of track between Hollis and La Harpe.
The mainline is currently 114 miles long, running between Keokuk, IA and Hollis, IL (Mapleton). Trackage rights from Hollis to Iowa Junction on TPW and Iowa Junction to East Peoria, IL on TZPR give them access to Peoria and East Peoria. Their main office and western base of operations is located in Keokuk, IA; locomotive shops at La Harpe, IL, and the eastern base of operations at Kolbe (Mapleton), IL. The Lomax Branch running northwest from La Harpe, Illinois to Lomax, IL is now just used for car storage.
The lines trackage is the former Toledo, Peoria, & Western western end aside from the trackage in Keokuk itself, which is largely ex-Rock Island. Prior to the KJRY, the line was operated the Toledo Peoria & Western (1st), Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe, Toledo, Peoria, & Western (2nd), SF&L (A&K railroad materials), and Toledo, Peoria, & Western (never operated over it).
Keokuk Junction Railway is the parent company of Keokuk Union Depot Company, which owns the KUD Yard (the former passenger tracks), and the land under the Keokuk Union Depot building, leased to the city of Keokuk, IA for 99 years. The depot building itself was sold to the city of Keokuk at the time the land was leased.
KJRY interchanges with BNSF at Keokuk, IA; UP and TPW at Collier Yard in Bartonville, IL; NS, CN, IAIS, IMRR, and TZPR at TZPR's East Peoria, IL Yard.
KJRY was acquired by Patriot Rail after it purchased Pioneer Lines in August 2022.
Operations
KJRY is operated as two separate divisions:
- Keokuk Division running from Keokuk - La Harpe
- Kolbe Division running from La Harpe - Kolbe & Peoria
The Keokuk Division has a 24/7/365 switch job, which works out of Twin Rivers Yard ("TR"), switches their largest shipper, Roquette America's corn syrup plant, and interchanging with BNSF at the Keokuk Union Depot (KUD) Yard.
The Keokuk Division also originates La Harpe Turns triweekly running from Keokuk to KJRY's La Harpe Shops, and working customers along the way.
The Kolbe Division operates out of Kolbe (Mapleton) and works to Peoria and La Harpe. This crew can usually be found running one turn a week to La Harpe (2 if traffic justifies) and usually 1 transfer a week to TZPR at East Peoria. This crew works day-by-day. For example, if they run west one day, they typically return east the next, make an East Peoria run the next, then back west the next and so on.
UP and TP&W's preferred interchange is Collier Yard, though they can also interchange at Sommer (the official interchange, and the end of KJRY ownership). All other interchange is conducted at Tazewell and Peoria Railroad's East Peoria Yard.
Train speeds are 10 MPH, except two 20 MPH segments, between Rawalts and Kolbe, and Smithfield to the Spoon River.
KJRY Timetable
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Keokuk Junction Railway Locomotive Roster
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Radio Frequencies
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Also can be heard on TZPR and BNSF frequencies, getting permission over BNSF at Keokuk and Bushnell, and while on TZPR trackage in Peoria and East Peoria.
Keokuk Junction Railway Customers
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