Week 55

Week 55 brings some focus into the layout.

The next couple of weeks we'll be concentrating solely on wiring the layout.

This week we'll be soldering feeders to the rails (Phase 1).

Next week we'll do more of the same - concentrating mostly on the mainlines.

After we finish connecting the feeders to the rails, we'll begin attaching the other end of the feeders to the bus line using suitcase connectors (Phase 2).

Phase 3 will be testing Phase 1 and Phase 2 for any gaps in the mainline wire feeds.

More to come...

Here are some pics of phase 1 of wiring our layout...

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

 Carlos Baez getting the solder gun and solder ready for affixing the wire to the rail.

 Ed Nelson working on the feeder wires. 

We used 24Guage wire and plan to have less than 12" runs.

We will connect orange feeder to red bus and white feeder to black bus wires.

 Dean Hatzis and Ed separating the 2W 24G wires.

Carlos used fine course sandpaper to smooth out any rough edges caused by the soldering.

 If you look closely you can see the feeder wires coming up through small holes I drilled on the outer side of each rail. 

Inside rail is for the orange feeder wire. 

Outside rail is for the white feeder wire.

 After Dean & Ed separated the two wires (orange and white), Dean came between Carlos and Curt to began to snip the plastic off of the wire end exposing the copper inside.

 Ed went back to trouble shooting the switch he worked on last week.

Still making the connection secure by filing down excess solder.

 Carlos in action.

Here he attaches the wire to the rail using an alligator clip.

Dean making his way around the South Power District.

Ed making sure everyone stays on task.

I like the view of the mainline crossover and the Intermodal yard lead ladder.

You can also see all those feeder wires waving in the breeze.

Good work tonight, men, good work!

Week 54

Still working on the RR.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Missed Carlos, our resident electrician tonight.

Also, Josh had to work this afternoon.

This week's session is all video.

We did quite a bit of trouble shooting the trains running the mainline.

We found quite a few "boo boos" which we will continue to correct.

Here you go. 

Enjoy the show...

Length: 1:03

CNW unit coal train heading empty westbound.

Length: :23

CNW Unit Coal Train taking bend before Proviso.

Length: :30

Chicago Metra Commuter "City of Harvard" closer look.

Length: 1:10

Trouble shooting Metra Commuter at Oak Park.

"I am the problem."

Week 53

Well, we've passed 1 year with 52 weeks of footage.

Now, we're into year 2 with this week's entry...

Friday, July 17, 2015
Mom & Dad and I went to B&G Train World in Elgin.
Mom & Dad bought the Metra F40PH Sound Equipped DCC "City of Harvard Locomotive.
I bought some ground throws and "suitcase" connectors.

And now, check out the session for this week:

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

 Ed Nelson and Dean Hatzis smoothing out the dip in the elevated section of the North Power District.

 Dean getting into the details of the project.

 In the meantime, Josh Jones gets ready to test the electronic automated devices.

 Jordan Osborn engineers the train to test the smoothed out dip.

Dean Hatzis and Ed Nelson checking out the corrected dip in the track.

Also shot a video of this unit coal train going back through crossover in the North Power District.

You did notice who was missing, didn't you?

Our main electrician was helping his daughter move so couldn't make it tonight!
Carlos Baez, you were missed!

Week 52

Week 52 marks 1 full year working on the RR

Here are the photo shoots of this week's activities.

The BIG event is always Wednesday's Session with the Train Crew

We also met on Thursday with a small crew.
Josh Jones joined Curt & Jordan for some extra work.

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Josh Jones & Jordan Osborn working on Inventory Control.
Josh taking notes, and Jordan offering assistance.

 Josh taking two pages of copious notes.

 Jordan switching the SPD (South Power District) Crossover.

Preparing the Intermodal Train for Departure.
The "maiden voyage".

And now, another video of the same.

Unfortunately we only made it half way around the track before we ran out of time.
It wasn't easy to leave her hanging.

We'll complete the voyage at a later date.

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

 Ed Nelson replacing the damaged coupler on the Commuter Cab Coach.

 Carlos Baez and Jordan Osborn troubleshooting our power problem. 

We affectionately call them "Boo-Boos".

 Back to Ed Nelson using a very special tool.

Carlos bought one for each of us.

Ed replaced the coupler and now we have another commuter cab car back in action.

 Whenever we have a "wood" problem, Dean Hatzis is our main man.

He had to fix several tonight.

Still using those power tools whenever we get a chance.

 After Carlos fixed the "Boo-Boo" we realized we had another one.

Carlos, and his faithful assistant, Jordan, went right to work and added a new feeder.

That fixed the problem.

 Ed Nelson checking out the "Dippity Do Dah".

My oh my what a wonderful day.

Carlos getting ready to solder the feeder wire to the rail.

 Another shot of Carlos soldering the feeder wire to the rail. 

 Who dat behind Ed?

Oh, it's Dean & Ed in action.

Troubleshooting and fixing the dip in the rail in the West Power District.

 Distant shot of Jordan and Carlos working on soldering the feeder wire to the rail.

Distant shot of Ed & Dean working on leveling the main line in the West Power District.

Week 51

Working on the Railroad

Week 51

More progress to report.

Check out these pics from our last session...

Wednesday, July 2, 2015

 Jordan Osborn and Josh Jones pulling bus wire under the layout.

 Ed Nelson & Carlos Baez soldering wire to track and then...

 ...under the layout using suitcase connectors to connect to bus wire.

Another shot of Carlos and Ed working under the layout making connections.

Dr. Dean Hatzis preparing glue injections into cork bubbles.

I haven't taken a video for quite some time.

Here's one just showing what's going on at the moment...
Dean is working on flattening the dip on the Proviso Mainline.

 Jordan and Josh working on inserting wire to "bank" the rail on the curve.

We were having all kinds of problems with the DC wiring system.

Carlos tied the current DC into the bus lines which took care of the problem.

Now we can run trains. 

Check this out.

Plus a little "socializing".
That's always a good thing!

Proviso Yard looking East. Trains running Westbound.
Not sure what happened at the end of this video.

I can assure you it was all worked out by the end of our session.