Week 80

Week 80

Chronological order top to bottom

Sunday, January 31, 2016

I got motivated for some reason and started to do some station platforms. I also installed insulators in the train shed at Union Station.  Here are some pics to capture the moment.

Still need to add the overhang, but I did cut the platforms to compensate for the extra room.

Added the commuter cars to make sure there was enough clearance at the footwalk.

 The engine shed at Union Station. 

 Then I decided to add the platform at Geneva Station.

I did this last night.

 Here's the same station platform looking north.

I first had to add the base for the station platform.

 Removed the tacks and preparing for the station platform.

Then added the station platform.

I also tested with a commuter train and a freight train. 

No clearance problems.

We'll secure on Wednesday.

TRAIN DAY

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Missing Jordan and Carlos. Jordan not feeling well tonight.
Carlos, maybe back next week. Maybe...

Ed and Dean Working on the Railroad...

 Ed Nelson prepared the surface for gluing down the first layer of Styrofoam board.

 Another angle.

 Tonight, Dean Hatzis will fix all the track that has buckled for whatever reason, we don't know.
Go back to Week 77 to see the "Before" pictures.
See below for the "After" pictures.

 Wow! 

That was fast. 

Now that the first layer is glued, we need to put weights on the top to keep it secured.

 Another view.

 Back to Dean working out the "kinks".

 Also, on the elevated section.

 After the Styrofoam board was in place, Ed Nelson began working on ground throws for the switches in the Metra/WeGo Yard.

Good work, Ed!

Length: .17sec.

Some action videos of the men at work.

Length: .12sec.

More action footage...

Length: .18sec.

Final video for the evening.

 These next view pics show the corrected rails after Dean straightened them out.

The Elevated section.

 Proviso Yard Mainline down the center.

 Opposite view.

Nice work, Dean.

 Final weight bearing on the Styrofoam boards.

Yet another view.


Friday, February 5, 2016

Jordan stopped by this afternoon for some extra work.
He missed Wednesday's Train Day so used today as a "catch up" day.

Here's what we did...

We glued the top layer for the Industrial Park. Next up: track laying.

 Another view of the Industrial Park top layer.

 We ran an outbound Metra train and had some track "issues" at the WeGo back diamonds.
It actually damaged the air hose on the new Metra F40PH.
Our plans are to replace that coupler, with a used one without the "air hose".
The inbound Metra ran on schedule.

 We also glued down the platform at the Geneva Station.
We use what's available for weights.

Here's the ON TIME inbound Metra train arriving Chicago Union Station.
Note: we switched out the new F40PH locomotive with an older model of the same make.