Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway

The Toledo, Peoria and Western's earliest predecessor was the Peoria and Oquawka Railroad, which was chartered in 1849, with the goal of providing a rail connection between the Illinois River in Peoria and the Mississippi River. In 1857, they completed construction on their route between Peoria and East Burlington, Illinois. Despite "Oquawka" being incorporated in the name, the railroad was forced to bypass Oquawka, since town officials were reluctant to permit trains in their area.

By 1860, the Peoria and Oquawka extended their route to the Illinois-Indiana state line in Effner, where they interchanged with the recently chartered Logansport, Peoria and Burlington Railroad (LP&B). By 1859, the Peoria and Oquawka fell under receivership, and the company was quickly absorbed into the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q). In 1861, the line between Peoria and Effner was sold to the LP&B, and then in 1864, the LP&B was reorganized as the Toledo, Peoria and Warsaw Railway (TP&W).

Despite "Toledo" being incorporated in the name, the railway never extended their route to Toledo, Ohio. In 1868, the TP&W absorbed the Mississippi and Wabash Railroad, which had constructed a route between Peoria and Warsaw, Illinois. In 1871, the TP&W opened two routes; one main line over the Mississippi River between Hamilton and Keokuk, Iowa; and one branch line between La Harpe and Lomax. The latter allowed the TP&W to interchange with the CB&Q, and the railway was granted trackage rights over the CB&Q's branch between Lomax and Burlington, Iowa.

Later in the 1870s, the TP&W experienced some financial problems. In 1880, the TP&W was reorganized as the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railroad (TP&W), and the company became leased by the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railway. The lease lasted until 1884, and then on March 28, 1887, the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway was incorporated and took over operations. In 1893, a controlling interest of the TP&W was purchased by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), who interchanged with the TP&W at Effner, and the purchase allowed the PRR to move their western terminus to Keokuk, and to interchange with the CB&Q at Lomax. The CB&Q and the PRR both quickly became joint owners of the TP&W.

Accidents and incidents

On August 10, 1887, a TP&W excursion passenger train was involved in the Great Chatsworth train wreck near Chatsworth, Illinois. The train was bound for Niagara Falls, before it derailed at a weakened bridge, and 80 people were killed.

On February 2, 1965, a westbound TP&W freight, no. 23, struck a semi truck at the US Route 66 grade crossing in Chenoa, IL and derailed, resulting in catastrophic damage to Alco C424s 801 and 800.

On June 21, 1970, an eastbound TP&W freight train No. 20 derailed mid-train in Crescent City, Illinois. One of the tank cars punctured, with the released propane igniting and engulfing the other tank cars. The majority of the business district and several homes were destroyed, while 64 people were injured.