Week 177

Week 177

Sunday, December 17, 2017 thru Saturday, December 23, 2017

Sunday, December 17, 2017

Started to prepare the models...

I wanted to be next to Jan and Ben so I brought my models upstairs to get them ready for building.

Monday, December 18, 2017

Train Day with Rob Fair

6-7:45pm

Rob Fair continues his work on the Proviso Yard spot lights.

Rob likes the detail-work.
Here he uses a dental instrument to get into the nitty gritty.

Here Rob is re-soldering the wire ends to the spot light

Meanwhile, I drilled holes for the LED lights I bought at the train show last Sunday.

Here you can see the LED lights pointing downward to light the entrance of Union Station.

What's on your workbench this week.
What a mess - but that's just the way it is when you're working and use a lot of tools.
Good work, Rob!

Rob Fair hung one of the lights out to dry.

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

No train activity today.

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

TRAIN DAY
with Dean Hatzis.
Jordan Osborn stopped by, but since we were still "strategizing", he went back home to work on a game with his gamer friend.

I distracted Dean Hatzis again by discussing our plans to install the ground level at Union Station.
You can see how I finished laying out the sidewalks and streets behind Union Station.

Here's a better view of the newly installed sidewalks and streets behind Union Station.
We're thinking we'll pull the wires below the plywood and then send them through one of the columns.
We also laid out the rope light and figured out how that will work lighting up the station platforms underground.

Thursday, December 21, 2017

No train activity today.

Friday, December 22, 2017

No train activity today.

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Undocumented...
I've been working on signal bridge locations on the layout and the distance between the four signal bridges I plan to purchase and use for operations on my basement layout.

Week 176

Week 176

Sunday, December 10, 2017 thru Saturday, December 16, 2017

Sunday, December 10, 2017

DuPage County Fairgrounds

Train Show today!

Here's what I purchased at the Train Show today.

My second purchase of the day was the Global 1 Office Building (listed $8 bought for $5)
Also the EZMate Bachman #5 couplers 25 pr. for $15 too good to pass up.

The last  purchase of the day as we were leaving was the #4 right hand switch and the #6 left hand switch for $20 ($10 each)
Not the best deal, but they were fundraising for a museum in Mendota, IL

My very first purchase was the APL intermodal container for $7.
Once again, I just couldn't pass it by without a purchase.
Later in the day I bought 4 LED 12V 1k olm resisters included for $.50 each.
Then I bought two sets of trucks for $5.00 each. 

From my long time vendor along the west wall I bought three sets of "pea" lights that I'm hoping will work for the yard spotlights.

Total expenditure at the train show this month was actually $69 because I forgot to add the entry fee ($7.00)

Monday, December 11, 2017

Train Day with Rob Fair & Jordan Osborn!

6-7:30pm

Rob Fair working on the Yard Spots.

Jordan Osborn and I would do some trouble-shooting of the Metra Commuter cars derailing.

Lots of problems over here.
Several places needed to have additional elevation added to the outside rails.

Rob Fair working on rewiring the Yard Spots.

Just before we left, we decided on a different strategy.
Rob will need to dismember the work he did tonight, UGH!

I said, "Ugh!" Rob said, "No problem, I like this stuff."

We're going to use the bottom two spots to light the yard.

One of the top spots we'll point in the opposite direction, and the other we'll remove.

More next week...

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

No train activity today.

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Train Day with Carlos Baez, Dean Hatzis, Jordan Osborn
4-5pm

Before train day today I stopped by B&G and made some purchases.

The total purchase  price was $79.38
I'll have the breakdown later and post when I get a chance...

And then we had a  special reunion of the Train Crew

Carlos Baez and Dean Hatzis finally come together at the same time!

We had another strategy session tonight.
One discussion was how to install the top section of Union Station.
We decided on 6 - 3/4" solid doll rods for support at 4 corners and 2 centers.
The rest would be spaced evenly 3/4" PVC tubing used primarily for support and electrical channels. 

Carlos Baez also used his phone to show us an update of the retention pond he's been working on at home.

Thursday, December 14, 2017

No train activity today.

Friday, December 15, 2017

No train activity today.

Saturday, December 16, 2017

No train activity today.

Week 175

Week 175

Sunday, December 3, 2017 thru Saturday, December 9, 2017

Sunday, December 3, 2017

No train activity today.

Monday, December 4, 2017

Train Day with Rob Fair and Jordan Osborn
6-7:30pm

Rob Fair getting ready to install the parking lot lights.
If you look closely, there's definitely something wrong with this picture.
For the answer see the last picture for today.

Jordan Osborn working on updating old paperwork.
A thankless job, but a necessary job all the same.

Using the long drill bit, Rob Fair, begins the installation process.

Rob adds a little more support at the base of the drill bit.

Our list for Sunday's Train Show in Wheaton.

Laying out the parking lot light poles.

Rob Fair had a great idea to tin the ends first, before installing.

Once tinned, Rob began the installation.

Just one more to go.

We did some sample lighting.
This one is with a 5V transformer with a 650 ohm resister.
Not too bright.

This light is powered by a 12V transformer with a 650 ohm resister.
I like this much better.

The final installation minus the wiring.
I like the spacing and I think the lighting will be just right.

Answer to Question from First Picture:
Rob is holding the drill bit in the opposite direction.

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

No train activity today.

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Train Day with Dean Hatzis, Josh Jones, & Jordan Osborn

Yes, we had train day, but it was quite abbreviated.
4-5pm.

Here's why...

We caught up with Dean Hatzis and Josh Jones.
Dean's first day back since this summer.

Smile :)

We discussed our plans for next week to mock up the sides for the office portion of this maintenance shed.

We also took some time to discuss the possibilities of mounting and wiring at Union Station.
More to come on this subject...

Thursday, December 7, 2017

No train activity today.

Friday, December 8, 2017

No train activity today.

Saturday, December 9, 2017