Week 109

Week 109

Sunday, August 28, 2016 - Saturday, September 3, 2016

Sunday, August 28, 2016

Hey Dean, take a look at your sidewalk you installed last Wednesday...

 I think it looks pretty good.

I'm anxious to see how Dean puts on the finishing touches.

 Another view...

 Norm Zielke also gave me two new 12v lamps.

I installed them tonight and here's what it looks like.

No more dome lights with extension chords running from the ceiling fixtures.

You may need to go back into the blog to see a "before" picture.

I also installed the power strip off the new outlet.

Note the bright light at the east end of Proviso Yard.

That's the four search tower light I bought at the last train show for $4.

It is hooked up to a power pack below the table which is powered by the new outlet I installed on Sunday.

Monday, August 29, 2016

Today is an alternate TRAIN DAY planned especially with Rob Fair in mind.

Also this Wednesday is cancelled due to a previous engagement.

So here's what we did tonight:

 Josh Jones getting ready to hook up the coach cars for the steam excursion.
You'll see this in a video later tonight.

 Rob Fair finishing soldering the feeder wires to the rails at California Yard.

Jordan Osborn at the controls running a "junk" train.
That's a train made up of cars that need more inspection time.

She'll be coming around the mountain when she comes...
and here she comes...
Duration: .20s

Rob Fair takes a break from soldering to watch the "junk" freight go by.
Josh Jones (Conductor at trackside) and Jordan Osborn (Engineer at the controls) doing their jobs.

Week 108

Week 108

Sunday, August 21, 2016 - Saturday, August 27, 2016

Sunday, August 21, 2016

What's on your workbench starting this week?

I'm going to start putting Kedzie Avenue diarama together tonight.

This week I'd like to accomplish the following:

• Mount recessed 12v lights over Union Station
• Purchase connectors to recessed lights over Union Station
• Install 120v junction box under Proviso Yard to provide power to yard spots
• Finish building Kedzie Avenue lookout tower as shown above

Monday, August 22, 2016

What's on my workbench tonight?

 Outside walls glued together.

Working on roof units and tower office.

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Now what's on my workbench?

Nice. 

Now just need to put on downspouts, wall details, and antennae.

Model almost competed.

Wednesday, August 24, 2016
TRAIN DAY!

Present: Ed, Jordan, Dean, Me
Absent: Josh, Carlos
Say a prayer for Carlos and his wife, Lynn. Her Dad passed away this morning.
Monday: Rob Fair

Another FUN/WORK day on the railroad.
Here's what we did...

Ed Nelson was already downstairs scoping the projects.
He was assigned restoration of two of the excursion coach cars.


Dean Hatzis and I discussed what to do about Western Avenue.
Still trying to figure out the best way to build the road.

Another view of Ed working on the excursion coach cars.

 Dean Hatzis trying some different techniques with different materials.

 Ed rolling out his excursion coach cars.

 Jordan Osborn at the controls.
Whenever we need a train, Jordan responds to the call.

 Dean Hatzis brought one of his Bachman steam engines.
This one is the 4-8-4 UP #902

 After trying the foam board Dean Hatzis decided to go back to the plaster and try it again.

 As you can see, Ed fixed two of the excursion coach cars.
He's saving the last one to finish off next week.

Getting the four screen in the background.
Jordan does a great job keeping everything "on track".

The 902 coming down Proviso Yard.
Enjoy.
Length: .25s

Saturday, August 27, 2016
During Henry's birthday party I talked with Norm Zielke (Brian's dad) about how to wire up the switch, light and outlet for under the table power. He showed me how to do it and then I went home and did it.

Check this out...

 All wired and ready to go.

 Here's a more "in context" picture to see where I located the outlet.

Week 107

Week 107

Sunday, August 14, 2016 - Saturday, August 20, 2016

Sunday, August 14, 2016

TRAIN SHOW

DuPage County Fair Grounds

Here's what I bought with Jordan Osborn

Weathered Box Car $12

Yard Spot Light $4

Entry Fee $7

5 3' Code 100 Atlas Flex Track $16.50

Total Spent: $39.50

Only brought $40 so that's pretty close!

And here's what I accomplished on the railroad tonight...

 I prepared the Wester Avenue street base for the cork subroadbed.

 Then I glued the base for the cork subroadbed.

Put the cork down and then place weights to keep in place and level.

Monday, August 15, 2016

 I finished preparing the base for the cork subroadbed.

 Glue.

 Cork.

 Weights.

 Now for the roadbed.

Glue.

Weights.

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

TRAIN DAY!

Present: Jordan, Dean, Carlos, Curt

Absent: Josh & Ed.

Mondays: Rob Fair

 Dean Hatzis picking up the pieces.

 Jordan Osborn at the controls.

Look how seriously he takes his assignment.

 Carlos Baez at his troubleshooting perch.

Carlos Baez found out the frog points needed to be sanded down a bit.

Problem solved.

Dean Hatzis clearing the workspace so he can get something done!

Length: .14s

Carlos Baez aka Dr. Carlos troublshooting a constant derail of the Metra 132

Length: .32s

Dean Hatzis picking up more pieces.

We decided to pull out the sidewalk pieces since they weren't sticking.

We also decided to pull out the asphalt road because of the notches in the highway to accommodate the bend. We'll have the solution at a future session. Stay tuned.

Carlos Baez back to soldering the California Yard feeder wires to tracks.

Saturday, August 20, 2016
I had to remove the asphalt as stated before.
Here's what it looks like now.

Week 106

Week 106

Sunday, August 7 - Saturday, August 13, 2016

Sunday, August 7, 2016

My goal this week is to finish Western Avenue.

Monday, August 8, 2016 

 I filled in the gaps with grey caulk.

 View looking east.

 All the forms are set and ready for the "concrete" to be poured.

Another view.

Wednesday, August 10, 2016
TRAIN DAY with Special Guest...

*Chris Osborn*
Jordan's Dad!


Look who else showed up...

 Yes, at their usual post - The Central Control Tower
Jordan Osborn and Josh Jones.

Ed Nelson in the hole this week.
Dean Hatzis with the headband!

Chris Osborn looking on as Dean and Ed continue their work on Global 1.

This week I also took a couple of videos...

Length: 1.09min.
I took another video tour of the layout.
Started out taking an arial videoshoot of the CNW EB Unit Coal Train.
Then I traveled the layout and ended up with an arial shot of Proviso Yard looking west.



Jordan and Josh took our Metra run into the terminal.
I like the way this developed.

Length: 0.11s

Here's the approach and the final voice of appreciation.

Length: 0.10s

Friday, August 12, 2016
Home alone so I thought I would finish the sidewalks and fix the messed up pavement on Western Avenue. Take a look...

I finished pouring the plaster in the sidewalk molds.

 Now over to Western Avenue repairs.

I scraped all the excess white plaster.
I kept the plaster in the low spot as shown.
You can see the cut out piece of asphalt I will lay over the low spot.
The glue is already in place.

 There you go.
How's that look now?
Much better than it was, that's for sure.

 One more shot of the sidewalk job before I leave for the night.

Saturday, August 13, 2016
Today my goal was to fix the switch so the Metra 132 would no long derail.
Here are the pics to show the progress on the project...

 Original layout.
See the kink?

 I removed the track spikes and moved out the outer mainline.

That's better.

Reinstalled the ground throw.

Buried the feeder wires.

It may need to be shortened a bit to remove the strong curve.

I took a video to get another look.

Length: 0.12s