Train #57

Like many railroads, the ROCK has one train that is considered the big train.  The big train is the ROCK's money train.  Train 57 runs out of South Chicago, pausing only to pick up extra traffic at blue Island.  From Blue Island it heads across Illinois and Iowa to Council Bluffs, at which point the Union Pacific takes over.  Rock Island tracks continued all the way to Denver (sharing track with the UP west of Limon, CO), but 57 never follows them.  West of Omaha the Union Pacific has a more developed line providing a fast pace across their system compared to the Rock Island's more decrepit track conditions.

Our goal with Train 57 is speed, but not record breaking speed.  We're more concerned with its regularity.  Train 57 pulls from South Chicago every day at 12:30pm.  By 2 AM the following morning, the train is to be safely in the arms of the Union Pacific.  The train is typically overpowered to ensure consistent service.

Train 57 consists of auto parts (along with auto frames and nearly complete auto bodies) that are gathered from various General Motors assembly plants in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana.  The Rock Island is the first link in a chain that leads to the UP (where 57 becomes "ARRO" for Auto RailRoad Overland).  West of North Platte UP's ARRO hands off the train to to the Southern Pacific which delivers to to California plants.

Train 57 is not to be delayed under any circumstances.

Train 57's Blocking Instructions
South Chicago
1 Autos, auto parts, Oakland, California
2 Autos, auto parts, Fremont-Warm Springs-San Jose, California
3 TOFC (piggyback) and other loads

Note: Block 3 will run on trains as tonnage permits

Union Pacific Blocks
Block 1  All traffic Omaha-Council Bluffs to but not including North Platte
Block 2  All traffic, except autos, auto parts for North Platte and beyond
Block 0  Autos, auto parts for Oakland
Block F  Autos, auto parts for Warm Springs, Fremont, San Jose




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