Week 180

Week 180

Sunday, January 7, 2018 thru Saturday, January 13, 2018

Sunday, January 7, 2018

I did some more work on Melrose Park.

Take a look...

I added the 1" styrofoam board to fill in the base on the perimeter of the layout at Melrose Park.

Then I added a sheet of foam board to bring the street level to the rail level.

I secured the foam board with glue and set weights to keep in place.

Monday, January 8, 2018

Train Day with Rob Fair, Guest Carlos Baez, and special guest Jordan Osborn.

A very special delivery today.

Carlos finished the retention pond.
Wait until you see it in place on the layout!!!

Here's a video to show the installation.

Length: 00:00:43 sec.

"Holy Cow!"
"It looks a heck of lot better even in place than it did sittin' on top of my table."

Here's a photo Carlos took with his camera shortly after installation.

Another photo of the retention pond in place on the layout.

And finally an view from a distance to get the full affect.

Here's what we did the rest of the evening.

Rob Fair continued work on the Proviso Yard spot lights.

Jordan Osborn stopped for a short visit.
He was our very special guest tonight along with Carlos Baez.

Rob Fair almost finished the project.
Just one more week and we'll be able to install on the layout.
Hopefully next week.

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Just a little more work on Melrose Park

I cut out the foam board to fit the opposite side of the track.
I also put in filler pieces between the double track mainline.

Sorry for the blurry photo.
I moved the phone as I took the photo.
Here's the center foam board cut and in place.
I still need to glue them down for final placement.

After I put down the subroad bed,
my next step will be to lay the "asphalt" which I will weather to look like concrete.
It's quite a process.

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Train Day!

with Dean Hatzis, Carlos Baez, and Jordan Osborn

Carlos Baez and Dean Hatzis work at Union Station.

Jordan Osborn keeps things under control at Central Control Tower.

After Union Station, Carlos had to go.
Dean Hatzis moved over to put the corner piece on the trim.

The final screw is now in place.

Now Dean Hatzis continues his work and goes to California Avenue Metra Maintenace buildings...

...while Jordan Osborn prepares for the Train Show this coming Sunday.

Dean Hatzis finishes cutting out the walls for the Maintenance mock up building.

Thursday, January 11, 2018

More work at Melrose Park...

You can see the little section I cut out for Merchant Row II.
BEFORE

And the AFTER,  plus I started carving out the continuance of 19th Avenue.

And another perspective. You can barely make out the steep incline onto the bridge that goes over the tracks.
I'll try to get a brighter shot of this tomorrow or Saturday.

Opposite view...

Friday, January 12, 2018

Jordan stopped by tonight and we ran some trains.
Check out these videos...

Length: 00:00:37sec.

Length: 00:00:28 sec.

Length: 00:00:28 sec.

And an action shot of the CB&Q 2-10-2

And one more video...

Length: 00:00:27 sec.

Saturday, January 13, 2018
I worked at church this morning but then had the afternoon to work on the train.
Wow! I got a lot done today.
Check this out...

First off...I cut the white panels to fit in the raised track sections.

Same thing on the other end.

Next up...I used the plaster wrap in foreground to make some relief on the flat surface.

Progress...

Finished base.
Next step: paint earth tone brown.
[Note: See Sunday's Week181 blog]

I also decided to put some relief in the corner section.

Added paper towels to give the relief  underneath the plaster cloth.

Next step: Paint this earth tone brown.
[Note: See Sunday's Week 181 blog]

Next project to tackle:
Install concrete barrier on opposite side of Elmhurst Station protecting the retention pond.

The wood is being used as weights until the glue dries to hold down the fence.

Wahlah! Finished. You like?

A view from the other direction.

I cleaned up all the debris and took some final shots.

It gives a nice clean finish.
Next step: I need to make it look like concrete.
Not quite sure how I'll do that yet, but we have the base in place.