Week 96

Week 96

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

TRAIN DAY!

Men at work.

Check this out.

 Dean Hatzis getting ready to mix up some more "concrete" for pouring into place.

 Rob Fair joining us and continuing his feeder wire soldering.

Ed Nelson continuing his work on the switch machines going into Union Stations.

 Jordan Osborn at the controls keeping track.

 The whole crew working hard at their labors.

 Making progress at Global 1.

 Just a few more tracks to solder.

 Another look at the Global 1 progress.

Ed Nelson putting some extra work into the details of the Union Station Crossovers.

One more thing.
After discussing the hydrocal dilemma (drying time way too fast)
we've decided to purchase plaster and use that instead.
Let's see what happens next week.

Friday, May 27, 2016
I had some extra time today so I did some extra work.

 Ed Nelson started to install the crossover switch machines.
I continued the project.

I punched in red thumbtacks to show where we still need to solder the rails to the feeder wires.

Here you can see the switch machines installed and wired.
More next week at Post Week 97,.

Week 95

Week 95

begins on the first day of the week...

Sunday, May 15, 2016

Since we've started to convert the Union Station switches from manual to electronic, I had to keep making progress on the wiring game plan.

I started by connecting the common middle wires together called "daisy chain".

Here's what it looks like under the control panel:

 You can see how the white wires are the common wires.

The solids are matched with their corresponding white/solid colors.

Blue - Green - Orange (left to right)

I also ran wires from the existing power connections (the white on top and the orange just beneath) to the newly installed control switches (see picture below).

You can barely see the left end of the crossover control switches.

I connected the white wires (top) to the far left blue toggle control switch.

That is where the power would come from.

TRAIN DAY!

Wednesday, May 18, 2016 

As usual we accomplished much today.

Here we go...

 Dean Hatzis would work on the "concrete" base for Global 1.

 Here's Dean preparing the base.

In the background you see Ed Nelson converting the other manual switch machine to Union Station with an electronic switch machine.

 Ed taking a close look.

 Rob Fair came as soon as he could from work and began immediately where he left off two weeks ago. His main job is soldering the feeder wires to the track section by section. Tonight he worked on connections to the switches.

 Dean answering questions from the crowd.

 Rob Fair preparing to drill the holes for the feeder wires to bus connections.

 Ed's finished work installed and works great!

 Meanwhile, Dean continues laying the foundations for the "concrete" base.

 As Rob continues his soldering.

 Now it's taking shape.

 Waiting to trim the edges.

With the edges trimmed.

Thursday, May 19, 2016

I was so frustrated about how to wire the 7 set push button control machines.
I knew I wired them correctly at 407 so I knew it could be done.
I also knew I drew plans when I did figure out how to wire them out.
The key to cracking this case was to find those plans.

Well, I took the time to go to places I hadn't gone before and low and behold, I found the drawings.
They were in the blue crack below where we keep the paper towels.

And here's the drawing I found with all my answers included!

The switch Ed put in is now "electrified"!

Week 94

Week 94

TRAIN DAY

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Not a lot of activity during the week, but we sure worked hard tonight.

Here's what we did...

Ed Nelson (l.) would take lead on replacing the manual throw switches with electronic throw switches at the entry to Union Station on the mainline.

Carlos Baez gave some helpful hints and Ed was on his way.

In the background is Jordan Osborn at the controls.

Length: .28s

Proof of Jordan running the EB CNW Unit Coal Train

 Ed Nelson working on the switch machines and Carlos Baez working on the feeder wires at California/WeGo Yard.

 A closeup of Ed Nelson's work.

 In the meantime, Dean Hatzis working on a plan for concrete base at Global 1.

 Carlos & Ed continue on their way.

 In the meantime, Dean continue his work at mixing a batch of "concrete" for the Global 1 concrete base.

 With a little help from the engineer, Jordan Osborn.

 Continued progress with Ed & Carlos...

 More...

 Ed's progress:

Finished installing the right side.

Next week:

He'll finish the left side.

 I backed away and took a picture with a wider view.

 And again.

Dean's final mess.

We're still trying to figure out the elevations and how to properly smooth out the plaster at the proper height matching the top of the rails. Interesting dilemma.

Come back next week for a partial or full solution to this dilemma.

In the meantime, check out this weekend's activities...

Saturday, May 14, 2016
Since Ed Nelson started working on the electronic switch machines, I thought I better get going on getting some power to those switch machines.

The first thing I did was to work out a schematic on paper...

...then I drew out the diagram on the computer for easy reference...

...next, I secured the control switches on the control panel...

...and finally, I started to wire the control switches.

If you look really close you can see I daisy-chained all the common (middle connections).

Now I need to go back and wire each switch machine and switch control one by one.
I plan to use the 25 pair cable that has been under the layout for over a year.
It is the same cable I used for the two crossovers in the south and west power districts.

Should be fun!

One more thing...
What's on your WORKBENCH this week?

Here's mine.
It's what I was talking about earlier.

See you next time! 

Week 93

Week 93

Sunday, May 1, 2016 - Saturday, May 7, 2016

Sunday, May 1, 2016

Great worship this morning.

Then Jordan and I went to Wheaton to the Midwest Train Show at the DuPage County Fairgrounds

I bought...

GTW 4 bay blue covered Hopper $8

2 #4 LH, 1 #6 LH, & 1 #6 RH switches $20

2 underthetable switch machines 1@$7.25 total $14.50

10 3' Atlas Flex Track 1@$3.30 total $33.00

Entry Fee $7

Cash to Jordan: $1

Total Spent: $83.50 

Jordan and I came home and tested with success the new covered hopper.

Passed all inspection points.

I also did some work on Proviso West Yard.

Here are some pics...

 I replaced a cheap switch with one I purchased today.

 I laid another section of yard track and put the laser level to check the straightness of the line at night.

Here's the same shot in the day.

Then I went to the other side of the yard and took this picture.

Moved the laser level to the top of the intermodal train to check the straightness of this track.
Right on! Or, at least, close enough!

Monday, May 2, 2016
Installed some switches I bought yesterday:

Proviso Yard East End viewing West.
The left hand #4 switch on the right was replaced by the one I bought yesterday at the train show.
The previous switched caused numerous derailments. It's on the way to the trash.

Tuesday, May 3, 2016
I finished the ladder part of the WB tracks at Proviso West.

 I'm working on making the ladder fit.
Each #4 left hand switch had to be trimmed down.

 Task accomplished.

 Then I attached and secured the first section of track to each switch.

Tomorrow for TRAIN DAY I'll have the guys join the east end to the west end.
Then we'll have one full WESTBOUND Proviso Yard to store additional railcars.
This side (WB) is the UP side.
The other side (EB) is the CNW side.

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

TRAIN DAY!

YEAH!

Dean Hatzis was the first one down the steps.
Rob Fair and his daughter, Faith, came down about 5pm.
Missing Carlos (had to work on a deck with a deadline looming),
Ed Nelson (?), and,
Jordan Osborn (had to help his Mom).

We finished what we had to do by 5:45pm and here's what we did...

We started off the session talking about a game plan for finishing the South Power District.
Our goal is to create a "WOW" affect when people first see the railroad as they come down the stairs.

Dean Hatzis and I figured we start at the Global 1 yard.
We'll begin work on the concrete pads that fit around the intermodal tracks.

Rob Fair and his daughter, Faith, dropped in and started helping right away!
He is soldering the feeder wires to the track for eventual connections to the bus line under the table.

 Rob Fair in action with his daughter, Faith, closely watching every detail.
If you don't look too closely, you may miss Faith.
Look closely. See her?

 Meanwhile, back at the yard, Dean Hatzis makes progress on finishing the WB Proviso Yard.

 Maticulous work.
It's what Dean does best!

 Rob Fair and Faith make great progress in the Metra/WeGo California Ave. yard.

 Dean Hatzis making the final connection in completion of the task at hand.

A job well done!
Proviso Yard WB viewing East.

Proviso Yard WB viewing West.

Length: .47s
Check out the clean shiny rails.

Our weekly update
WHAT'S ON YOUR WORKBENCH THIS WEEK?

 As you will notice, I've added a laptop and a monitor.

The top monitor will be our weekly checklist and job posting.
The bottom screen will be the blog site, scale conversion table, and other useful train stuff.