P.C.C.M. 46K: Work resumes in and around Rock Ridge Yard

Greetings followers of the Penn Central Car Movements!

The action continues on the A.P.R.R. and focuses around Rock Ridge Yard. Trains WR-1 and WR-3, both from Weehawken have arrived in the yard.

APRR SW1500 #100 starts to head out of the yard, being designated as train RO-1, the Rock Ridge Turn.

This train has a couple of 86' auto box cars for Ideal Auto Parts. They've been sent from the Ford Plant in Empire City on The N.Y.C.T.L. Railroad. 

As the crew gets ready to drop the 2 86' auto box cars, he needs to cut the train on the main, and shove the 2 cars into the siding.

Next, RO-1 heads over to C&P Restaurant Supply. Ralph's Grocery sent over some produced and packaged goods. These will go out as fast as they come in! AP #100 will pull out the empties, shove in the loads, and take the cars back to Rock Ridge Yard for return to the originating destination.

This is no easy move as the there's a train heading west on the mainline, so the moves have to be made on the West Harold secondary. 

  

A quick run around with some creative switching by the crew, and these cars will be delivered very quickly!

Now positioned behind the 3 freight cars, AP #100 can now gently shove the cars onto track 2 in C&P Restaurant Supply. 

So why are there 2 KP&W freight cars behind the engine? Those two are headed over to Three Amigo Warehouse. There's a large order of appliances that will be off-loaded then trucked over to some stores outside of the Rock Ridge area. 

A quick run around, and RO-1 is over near Three Amigos. These cars were positioned well, and will make the drop off easy to complete.

On the siding, the cars are shoved into position. They're dropped on the north side of the building, which is a secure area. These appliances are top of the line, and Peerless Appliance is known for quality! 

With the KP&W cars dropped off, AP #100 returns to Rock Ridge Yard. A reverse move having both engine and caboose on the hind end makes this run somewhat challenging. However, we're being told that 1/87th senior Engineer Ed is in the cab, brakeman 187th ATJOE, with assistance from Tower operator 1/87th John B, supervised by 1/87th Sir Larry of Flemington. 

The empties are brought back into Rock Ridge Yard, dropped on the north classification tracks, and will be sent out at a later date to it's home railroad and destination.

Wait! There's a couple of other cars in the middle of the yard. Why are they just sitting there? Well, the architect of Rock Ridge Yard designed it with 2 sets of classification tracks in the yard, an East Side and a West Side. The benefit to that design is that engines can around around on the other track and use it as a through track to pick up or drop off cars. Genius!!

AP #100 picks up the Morton Salt covered hopper, which was sent from the fine people at Cavendish Foods. We have no idea what they're doing with all that salt and salt products, as long as they pay their bill, we'll fill them up and ship it out!

  

With the Morton Salt car shoved into the loading track at the main facility, train RO-1 has completed it's run. 

A quick break for lunch across the yard at the local diner, and AP #100 will set out for another job. There's a rumor that the diner will be changing hands in the not so distant future. Time and money will tell. 

Next up, deliveries to Cargill & Tropicana!