NY-NJ Ops #4 Part 3 - Freight Heads Out Of Rock Ridge Yard

Welcome back to the continuation of the outbound part of NY-NJ Ops #4, with freight moving out to Sir John's NYCTL as well as points north, south and west from my Atlantic Pacific Railroad.

Today the Rock Ridge Yard crew gets ready to build the outbound trains destined for Terminal Yard and points north and west. 1:87 Yardmaster NJ John and APRR 1:87 Senior Engineer Kai with his pair of MP15 engines go over the moves and train builds...

AP SW1500 #101 and 1:87 Engineer Jim C. get ready to work the yard with Kai...

The first train out will be headed to Terminal Yard with 17 freight cars. Cargill covered hopper came ip from White Marsh, MD loaded with salt and will head to the Quaker Oats plant. Once it arrives at Terminal Yard, the Empire Belt Transfer train will take it to North Side Yard for final delivery...

The trio of 86' Auto Parts cars from Ideal Auto Parts will be delivered to the Ford Plant in Bedford...

The NYCTL reached out to the APRR operations center asking for some empty auto racks and of course, were more than happy to accommodate them. A trio of B&O Auto Racks will be sent to the Ford plant...

Four APRR gondolas with steel will be delivered to Century Steel in Bronx, NY (Da Bronx as they say) via Terminal Yard. This is a new customer for Shapeless Steel...

Six reefers will head to Pilgrim State Hospital on Long Island via Terminal Yard and the EBRR...

The Penn Central crew has arrived to pick up the outbound train. They wait for the yellow 'approach' signal...

...And head into Rock Ridge Yard via CP Rock. This is an approach via the northern end of Rock Ridge Yard due to clearances for 86' freight cars at CP South...

The AP yard crew greets the PC crew...

Kai and Jim C get added the 17 cars to the train and is ready to depart...

Can't leave without the caboose!!

The departure signal is given...

The PC crew gives a final wave to 1:87 Tower Operator Rich T. before heading out....

The crew has the approach to depart Rock Ridge Yard as Penn Central Extra 6517 East...

Let's watch the Penn Central crew head out. Final destination - Terminal Yard! 

Meanwhile, we return to Rock Ridge Yard as Jim C. starts building the next outbound train. BAR 5226 will head to Maybrook Yard empty and will eventually be returned to the BAR in Caribou, ME

The trio of B&M cars from C&P Restaurant Supply are heading to Nassau Community College with cafeteria supplies. I think Sir Neal made an earlier statement about the food at NCC and we'll leave it at that...

Six freight cars were pulled from ShopRite's warehouse. Four EB box cars of which 2 are going to Pilgrim State Hospital with groceries along with 2 box cars going to Consolidated Grocery with canned foods. The EL reefers are going to Pilgrim State Hospital with frozen foods...

NYC 78741 and TP&W 70126 are loaded with appliances from the PC Richard & Son warehouse and will go to Gimbels. For those who may not know Gimbels, they were a small chain of department stores in the NY area. Sir 1:1 Neal used to work across the street from them in NYC in the early 80's. For more clarification, he worked at the NYC Flagship store of F.W. Woolworth Co.!

AP SW1001 #102 has Norman is at the ready to do some switching duties with the guys.

Meanwhile, the Penn Central crew has arrived at the Rock Ridge Yard approach. Penn Central U23B #2760 and U25C #6513 will take this train to Maybrook Yard where another crew will take it to Terminal Yard. #2760 is one of a handful of engines that the PC had with long hood forward designations. That very small 'F' on the bottom of the frame lets you know which end is forward. These were ordered brand new from GE for the Penn Central.

For greater clarification: The decision to set them up this way came from William H. Moore, a former Southern Railway executive who was serving as Penn Central’s president and trustee at the time. The Southern Railway traditionally preferred running locomotives long-hood forward for crew safety. Under his influence, this batch of U23Bs was built with single control stands positioned so the engineer faced the long hood. By federal regulation, locomotives must clearly display an "F" on the frame or body to mark the designated front end, placing it on the long hood of these specific "backwards" units. (Information gathered from various internet resources.)

The PC crew arrives at CP South and checks in with Rich...

...And arrives at the yard...

The caboose was quickly added to the train...

The Penn Central crew starts to depart Rock Ridge Yard...

The departure signal (yellow) is up and the train departs as Penn Central Extra 2760 to Maybrook Yard with a final destination of Terminal Yard on the NYCTL...

Next stop, Maybrook Yard...!!

We turn our direction back to Rock Ridge Yard as the crew starts to build another outbound train. This train is heading to the Allentown, PA yard via Bound Brook, NJ with cars destined for a number of locations north, west and south. The EBRR gondolas will head to Allentown then up to Maybrook before heading to Terminal Yard...

The Swift Reefer and NPM Reefer will head to the Swift Pant in Greeley, CO...

AP GP38-2 #302 with 1:87 Engineer Jim W. will take the train to Bound Brook, NJ...

Jim waits for the signal on track 1. He needs to pick up some freight cars at Rock Ridge East Yard before heading to Bound Brook...

A short time later, Jim is at West Harold Tower and on the secondary tracks talking to tower operator Bob...

Jim arrives at Rock Ridge East Yard where the conductor gives him the track assignment...

Jim pulls a string of empty auto racks that will go to the Ford plant in Kentucky...

Jim heads out. Next stop, Bound Brook, NJ!!

This concludes the outbound portion of our NY-NJ Ops #4. Next week we'll start the inbound portion of this series. 

Be sure to catch all of the action on Sir John's New York Central Train Layout

Thanks for reading!