Week 131

Week 131

Sunday, January 29, 2017 thru Saturday, February 4, 2017

It's so hard to believe we're in Week 131 of the Project RR. 

We've been at this for 2.5 years.

If you think about it, we've really made a lot of progress since we only work once a week for 1.5 hours.

I'm very proud of what we've accomplished.

Sunday, January 29, 2017

I wanted to make sure I finished up what we discussed at our last train session.

Here's the finished product...

I installed all the lights on the "skinny" building at Western Avenue.
This is the back loading dock view.

This is the front of the building facing Western Avenue.
I think it was a brillant idea to put on the front wall mount door lights.
It really looks great, don't you think?

Monday, January 30, 2017
TRAIN NIGHT!

It was just Rob Fair and me tonight.

Here's what we did...

Rob Fair had to pull some wires that got crimped and then resolder and repackaged into the base of the GE AC6000.

I continued work on the chain link fence.

Rob Fair attaching the base unit with new speakers installed into place. 

Here's Rob with his little GE AC6000 on the line.
Next week we have two more things to do.
Repair some fallen MU cables and reinstall the couplers on both ends.
NOTE: while we were testing we also cleaned the wheels with GOO GONE.

Here's the west end of GLOBAL 1 with chain line fence complete.

I've started to turn the corner.
Question: Do you notice anything?
Answer: see below...

Here's another view of the finished chain line fence on the western end of Global 1.

Answer: No horitzonal support on the bottom of the chain link fence.

Tuesday, January 31, 2017
I stopped by HobbyTown and checked to see if they had the Walthers Building.

They did!

I bought it and a street kit from Woodland Scenics

Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Emily's B-day today!
Also Train DAY!

Ed Nelson and Josh Jones couldn't make it tonight, but everyone else was here.

Here's some pics to capture tonight's activities...

Dean Hatzis continues installing the trim around the South Power District.

Carlos Baez removes the tape at the corners of the "skinny" building on Western Avenue.

Jordan Osborn is just getting over a cold so not as photogenic as his usual self.

Dean Hatzis putting some power behind the drill.

Another look at the Kedzie Avenue Metra Station

Jordan Osborn and Carlos Baez checking out the parts in the new building kit.

Dean Hatzis continues work on the trim.

Dean Hatzis and Carlos Baez discuss plans for the new building.

The same two finish off trim work for the night.

Week 130

Week 130

Sunday, January 22, 2017 thru Saturday, January 28, 2017

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Jordan and I went to B&G Train World Hobby Store in Elgin IL to purchase a few items that we need to proceed.

Here's a picture of what we brought home.

Wall mount lamps to finish off the "skinny" Western Avenue building.
Plastic pieces for curbs and cutters.
Stone block walls for the Western Avenue underpass.

I couldn't wait to install the wall-mount lamps.
One is installed above the roof access door, the other is installed above door by the back loading dock.

Here's the outside view of the wall-mounted lamp above the door near the back loading dock.

Monday, January 23, 2017

Our session tonight was from 5:30-7pm.

Rob Fair working on installing the new speakers on the GE AC6000.

The two amigos (Josh Jones & Jordan Osborn) getting back together again.

Josh Jones painting the trim work for the station platforms.

Meanwhile, back at the workbench, Rob Fair continues to reassemble the AC6000 with new speakers.

Moving on to the next project...here is Josh Jones now painting the stone wall white.

Whah lah! The finished product.
Let's take another picture without the bright light in the background.

There, that's much better.
Nice work, Josh!

Oh, oh. this doesn't look good.
The last picture looked just about finished.
Now this looks like we're going in the opposite direction.
Must have hit a glitch.

As they guys kept busy on their projects, I did some chain link fence work.
The west end is nearly complete.

Tuesday, January 24, 2017
I was working on the railraod a bit tonight.

Here's a quick update...

Check out the progress on the chain link fence.

Also, getting closer on the "skinny" Western Avenue building.

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

TRAIN DAY!

Working only 1 hour (from 4-5pm) for six weeks. 

Carlos, Dean, & Curt all attend a Conflict Resolution class at church tonight. 

So...we gotta quit early so we can eat dinner and get to church on time.

Here is the crew waiving to Carlos who couldn't make it tonight.
Carlos did a very good thing and visited a prayer meeting at church tonight.
Left to right: Ed Nelson, Dean Hatzis, & Jordan Osborn

And here's what we did tonight...

Dean Hatzis & Ed Nelson (with Jordan Osborn checking in) apply the first piece of trim work.

Dean Hatzis workiing with Ed Nelson installing the first pieces of trim to the layout.

Making progress...

This was accomplished with less than an hour to work with.
We'll pick it up from here next week.

Saturday, January 28, 2017

On our TRAIN DAY this past Wednesday we discussed some project work that needs attention before our next session.

Here's a quick recap of that discussion...in pictures.

See the set of windows facing up?
Well the windows facing down on the opposite wall had no window frames.
I'm gluing in some black felt paper to cover those window openings.

I realize this is a very weird shot.
The front wall of the "skinny" building is sitting flat on the corner of the layout.
Why? So I could mount the wall mounted lamps.
The guys decided we needed some over-the-door-wall-mount-lamps for the front of the building. 

Week 129

Week 129

Sunday, January 15, 2017 thru Saturday, January 21, 2017

Sunday, January 15, 2017

Got a lot done today.

Here's what I did...

I've got two of the four pillars in place.

Here are the four pillars self standing.
Next is the roof.

And there we have it.
Now I need to install the lights and we have Kedzie Avenue station in tact.

Next I began painting the "skinny" building.
First the trim.

I decided to paint the water tower supports gray.
I like that better than the concrete color.

More trim work on the cupola.
I also took this picture because of the door threshold I painted.
A bit tricky.

I also did a bit more on the chain link fence.

Then back to the "skinny" building for some brick painting.
I'll finish this up tomorrow night with Rob Fair and Jordan at our next Train Session.

Monday, January 16, 2017
TRAIN EVENING!

Check out what we did tonight...

Rob Fair assigned to replacing speaker in our GE AC6000.
Listening to which of two speakers is bad.

Length: 00:00:07s
Listen carefully and you'll know if it's the left or right speaker that is bad.

Rob Fair hooking up the sound locomotive to check for flaws.

Jordan Osborn posing.

Rob Fair works on the guts of the UP AC6000 at the work bench.

Meanwhile, I continued painting the "skinny" building on Western Avenue.

Wah Lah! Finished!

Final pose for the night.
Great work, crew!

Tuesday, January 17, 2017
More progress...

The chain link fence progress...

Securing the bottom horizontal support.

Painted the side of the foundation at Kedzie Avenue.
I'm thinking we may use Plexiglas here instead of the trim.

Another view of the same.

Note how the four ends are not connected to the posts.
You'll see in the next shot how I connected them.

I used the weights to push the parts together and then used CA to secure the ends.

The final piece of the model has been added.
What is it? See answer below.
I have no extra parts left over.

If you said, "The water tower."
You are correct.

Wednesday, January 18, 2017
TRAIN DAY!
The gang's all here (except Josh)

Left to Right: Ed Nelson,  Dean Hatzis, Carlos Baez, Jordan Osborn

After our initial photo shoot, we got to work.

Everyone worked from 4-5pm tonight. 

Lots going on at church tonight.

Carlos Baez began work on the Western Avenue "skinny" building.

Length: 00:00:30s
Carlos  Baez working the power tool.
Cutting some plastic joint runners for the "skinny" building on Western Avenue.

Dean Hatzis & Carlos Baez discuss details on the "skinny" building.

Ed Nelson continued his work on the cars from the repairs shop.

Ed Nelson putting cars back on track into service again.
Great work, Ed!

Dean Hatzis worked on the window fillers this week.
Great job, Dean! Looks like the real thing!

Thursday, January 19, 2017
My goal this weekend is to finish the chain link fence on the Western Avenue side.
Here's what I did tonight.
And now, the play by play...

This is the section of the fence I need to complete.
Note the bottom bars are not connected to the posts.

First, I need to put in the supports in place to keep the bars the proper distance off the concrete floor.

Next, I cut the bar to fit and then put weights on top to keep in place.

With the weights on top and the weight in the front I keep the bar where it needs to be so I can glue in place.

There! Now it's complete. Pretty cool.

As I was working, our friend, Elder, stopped to check out the progress.
He's become our little mascot.
I wonder if it is the same one.
I think next time I see him I'll  paint his/her wing and keep track of his/her whereabouts.

Finally, at the end of the line, by the gate, I had to trim out the glue on the top rail.
I glued on the clips to the gate and will tackle that tomorrow.

Have a good day/night!

Saturday, January 21, 2017
The speakers for the GE AC6000 came in today.
Guess what we'll be doing on Monday's TRAIN NIGHT?