Week 126

Week 126

Sunday, December 25, 2016 - Saturday, December 31, 2016

Last week of 2016

Monday, December 26, 2016

TRAIN NIGHT with Rob Fair

Rob came at 6pm and finished up at 7:40pm.

It was a banner day.

We got so much accomplished.

Check this out.

Rob is using a tool to point out the unattached drive shaft in one of the C40-8 engines.

Rob Fair working on one of the C40-8s.

In the meantime, I would continue work on the last 4 coal cars.

Rob Fair continues to fix and add details to the locomotives.

Reassembling after solving some critical issues.

And finally, a video to capture the work in action...

Length: 00:00:16s

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

I finished up where we left off yesterday.

What's on your workbench this week.
Or what's not on your workbench anymore this week?

And a video to capture all 29 coal cars in place.

Length: 00:00:31s

Wednesday, December 28, 2016
TRAIN DAY!

Dean Hatzis came right on time followed by Jordan & Josh 30 minutes later...

Dean cut the trim boards this week and brought them for later installation.
More to come...

Dean Hatzis planning on making changes to the south warehouse building affectionately known as the Skinny Building.

Josh Jones & Jordan Osborn back at the controls.
Getting ready for more operations.

You can see how we're planning on making this building just a bit wider.
It's just too skinny.

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