Week 125

Week 125

Sunday, December 18, 2016 through Saturday, December 24, 2016

Monday, December 19, 2016

Train Night!

Rob Fair came early about 5:30pm and stayed until 7:30pm.

Jordan Osborn joined us about 6pm and stayed until 7:30pm.

Here's what we did...

Rob Fair finished one coal car.
Later he would start to work on my C40-8 locomotives.

Jordan Osborn, a little sleepy, but still alert for updating paperwork.

Rob Fair, very intent, on the C40-8 coupler mounts.

Another view of the shell and details associated with the project.

I added some road lines.

Another view.
I'll add another yellow center line and the white lines down the sides.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Well, I had some time this evening so I put some more yellow lines down Western Avenue.
I also put the shell of the south building on Western Avenue.
It's the skinny front building.

Check it out...

Masking one of the first of two yellow lines down Western Avenue.

I did the first yellow line last night.
Here's what the second line looks like all masked off.

Just another view of the masked yellow line a further bit down on Western Avenue.

I removed the masking on the double yellow line and here's what it looks like.
Not too happy with the "bleeding" edges.

Here's the one yellow line unmasked.
Hopefully I'll be able to mask the second yellow line tomorrow.

I added the building shell to Western Avenue and the sidewalk.
Nothing permanently attached.

Another view from the sky looking at the skinny building sitting on Western Avenue.

I think Western Avenue is starting to take shape.
Now I need to purchase the other warehouse building and we'll really see some progress!!!

Wednesday, December 21, 2016
TRAIN DAY!
Ben's B-day!

Ben came, but no one else came today.

So Jan and I had dinner with Ben and after Ben left, I drew on some more yellow lines.

Masking prepared.

Yellow paint applied.

Tomorrow morning I'll remove the tape and take another picture of the finished product.

Still experimenting with these yellow lines.

Not totally satisfied with them yet. Still a work in progress.

Here's the unmasked yellow lines:

Week 124

Week 124

Sunday, December 11, 2016 thru Saturday, December 17, 2016

Sunday, December 11, 2016

TRAIN SHOW

DuPage County Fair Grounds

Wheaton IL

I found this great deal and couldn't say no.

I spent all I had not planning on this purchase at all.

But, this is why I go to the train show.

You just never know what you're going to get.

These are the same cars I have in my current unit coal train.
I needed a couple more cars to make a full unit train (20 cars) but when I found these for $5 a piece I bought the whole lot.
11 cars * $5 = $55. Just checking my math. :)
Well, needless to say, I ran out of my monthly allotment so I didn't have any $ left for anything else on my wish list.

I'll just have to wait until next month.

This evening I decided to start working on the coal cars.


What's on your workbench this week?

Here's my starting point.
I first figured out how many couplers I had in my inventory.
Plenty.
Count them. I think there are 20 pairs.

This is my ending point for the evening.
I put together three cars.

The finished products.

Monday, December 12, 2016
TRAIN NIGHT!
Rob Fair and Jordan Osborn spent some time working on the railroad tonight.
Here's what we did...

Rob Fair working on the newly purchased coal cars getting them ready for revenue service.

Jordan Osborn getting ready to clear the tracks for the coal car test train.

Length: 00:00:41s
One of the trains Jordan had to clear was the Metra EB to Union Station.
Here he is pulling into Union Station.

Rob Fair completed three (3) coal cars and put them on the mainline for testing.

Jordan Osborn completing the unit coal test train.

Length: 00:00:47s
And here's a video of that same unit coal test train.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016
TRAIN DAY!

It was nip and tuck today.
My daughter, Natalie, went to the hospital this afternoon expecting her first child.
I decided to keep the Train Show on schedule.
However, when they arrived, I departed for the Windy City to be with her and her husband, James, and the rest of the crew (Deneuve, Elijah, Katherine, & Joshy).

Needless to say, the guys were on their own.
After I get home, I'll take some pictures of their progress and record them as our TRAIN DAY activity for this week.

Thanks for coming, Train Crew!

Carlos Baez brought some more trim board.
Dean Hatzis is going to take them home and rip them to size.
Josh Jones and Jordan Osborn came and stayed for about 30 minutes all the while catching up with the rest of the crew.

Week 123

Week 123

Sunday, December 4, 2016 thru Saturday, December 10, 2016

Sunday, December 4, 2016

I finished installing and wiring the crossing signals on Western Avenue.

Check this out...

We'll start off with a video of my finished project.

The crossing signals at the end of Western Avenue: 

Length: 00:00:41s

I finally finished connecting the crossing signals to the circuit board and 9V battery below the table.

Here's a still shot of the working crossing signals.
Below is the video of same.

Monday, December 5, 2016

TRAIN NIGHT!

Rob Fair and Jordan Osborn stopped by to work on the railroad.

We worked on quite a few switches tonight.

Here's what it looked like...

Rob Fair repairs Union Station Switch A5.

I installed a camera looking at the new crossing signals at the end of Western Avenue.

Rob Fair filed down the rails on the mainline by Crossover #2 WPD

Jordan Osborn keeping track of the details.

Rob Fair worked his way to Proviso Yard and removed one manual switch machine for a ground throw.
The first one impaired the entry into GLOBAL 2 shown with the switch with no track attached - right by Rob's right hand pointer finger.

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

TRAIN DAY!

Dean Hatzis and Jordan Osborn came by this afternoon to work on the railroad.

Dean Hatzis and Curt Berg worked on the trim in the South Power District.

Along the eastern mainline tracks, between Kedzie Avenue and Union Station turnoff.

Here's what it looked like...

Dean Hatzis taking measurements on the trim work.

Now using the miter saw to make the final cut.

Jordan Osborn taking  notes.

Watch as Dean works his way down the mainline on the trim work.

Base work completed.

Now installing the foam.

Foam installed.

Another look with Kedzie station in view.

Friday, December 9, 2016
I did some more work on the trim work.

Here's what it looks like:

I extended the trim section beyond the main and into Union Station stopping at Lake Street.

Dean Hatzis will like that I used some of his pink pieces.

I glued in the foam and will be ready for the facia on Wednesday.

Another shot of the same.

Looking in the other direction.

We are meeting with family for Ben's birthday tonight, so I wanted to take a quick video of the crossing signals to share with those who might be interested tonight.

Length: 00:00:12s

Week 122

Week 122

Sunday, November 27, 2016 - Saturday, December 3, 2016

Monday, November 28, 2016

I laid out all the parts and wired them up to make sure they were working.
I didn't take a picture, but, yes, they were all working.
More on that later.

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Tonight I drew schematic so when I install the signals and need to reconnect under the table
I'll have a diagram to work on that will help me reconnect everything properly.

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

TRAIN DAY!

Surprise Visitor this afternoon!!!

YES!
There he is!
Josh Jones at the controls on the left.
Jordan Osborn shown on the right.

Ed Nelson & Dean Hatzis worked on installing the crossing signals
near Geneva Station in the South Power District.

Length: 00:00:21

Length: 00:00:07

Length: 00:00:03

Ed Nelson & Dean Hatzis waiting for unit coal train empty to pass and then cleaning up debris from project work.

Dean Hatzis installs crossing signals.

While Dean installs, Ed Nelson pulls the wires from underneath the table.

One installed, one to go.

Both crossing signals now installed.

Length: 00:00:25

And now...the finished product.
Just need to wire them up and then look for some action footage next week!