Week 182

Week 182

Sunday, January 21, 2018 through Saturday, January 27, 2018

Sunday, January 21, 2018

I wanted to start building some models, but realized I need to do some painting first.

First I painted the post office main walls light gray.

Then I painted the brick walls to the back entrance of the post office.

Finally, I painted the windows for the post office.

Monday, January 22, 2018

Train Day!

Rob Fair, Jordan Osborn, Curt Berg

6-7:30pm

Finished what we wanted to accomplish and more...

Rob Fair putting the finishing touches on the Proviso Yard spotlights.
We're hoping to install them tonight!

Jordan Osborn very preoccupied with his new phone.

We made a solution of diluted white glue and isopropyl alcohol for the greenery.

We covered both sections in the solution so it would match the existing greenery.
I'd say from this picture it's a pretty good match.

From this angle it still looks very wet.

YES!
We did install the Proviso Yard spot lights.
I really like the way they turned out.

And from the other direction, this is the view.

I wasn't planning on getting this done tonight, but we had time so we did.
This is the BEFORE picture.

This is the AFTER picture of just the center light.

Then we connected all three sets of wires together.
This is the BEFORE picture.

And this is the AFTER picture.
I really like the look.

Length: 00:00:25 sec.

Definitely made improvements but the same car still derails just before the corrected track.

More trouble-shooting on this section on Wednesday...

I'm anxious to see this train run around the entire layout without incident.
We'll see...

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

I plan to purchase some white flat spray paint so I can paint Merchant's Row II tonight either before or after prayer meeting. No can do. It didn't happen. Will try again soon.

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Train Day!
With Carlos Baez, Dean Hatzis, Jordan Osborn & Me.
4-5:30pm

We accomplished much tonight.
Check this out...

Carlos Baez made some warning signs and plans on installing them around the retention pond tonight.

Here they are all set for "Safety First"!

Dean Hatzis and I worked on the California Avenue Yard building mockup.

Jordan Osborn keeps track of trouble shooting areas.

The finished signs installed.

Another view.

Carlos Baez moves to improve the Kedzie Avenue alley shrubbery.

Dean Hatzis views the prototype photo of the building he'll be modeling.

We also took some time at Union Station to prepare for the elevated building platform over Union Station Terminal aka Chicago Terminal.

Carlos Baez continues his work on the alley shrubbery.

Adding more shrubbery.

Finally, we did some troubleshooting with the intermodal train.
Not sure why it leans so much on the curves with full load.
Not sure what's going on, but not giving up yet either.

Thursday, January 25, 2018

No train activity today.

Friday, January 26, 2018

I came home from my sub job today and had Jordan come over to prepare for our guest visit tomorrow.

Jordan Osborn helped me move downtown Chicago piece by piece to a new location.

This will be a temporary location until we drill the holes for the base and top of  Chicago Terminal.

Jordan keeping an eye out for the trains we're troubleshooting tonight for tomorrow's operations.

We're moving one commuter train at a time out of Union Station.
We started with the Amtrak train.

Next was a Metra Commuter train.

Here is the entire collection of Metra/Amtrak trains now in California Avenue Yard.

A Metra Commuter train leaving Chicago Terminal

Length: 00:00:19 sec.

The intermodal train approaching Global 1 near Western Avenue.

Length: 00:00:15 sec.

The intermodal train prepares for Global 1 approach.

Length: 00:00:08 sec.

Entering Global 1

Length: 00:00:26 sec.

Saturday, January 27, 2018
A very fun day entertaining guests today on the railroad.
Allow me to introduce to you...

After following their trains around a few laps, Giselle and LJ Havron, got to sit and engineer their trains from Central Control Tower.

Here they are taking it all in.
By the way, they did an excellent job taking care of their trains and keeping an eye on them closely.

Dad (Richard Havron) stayed at a close distance and kept a proud watch on his children.

Here they are in front of the screens.

We had our first derailment at the end of our session, so we paused and took a picture of our damage.
It just happened to include one of the cars from the ROCK, which is Richard's family railroad.
Jordan Osborn looks on in the background.

After the Havron family left, my brother, Bill, stopped by for a visit.
He brought the bus in the foreground and a RR patch from the Kauai RR in Hawaii.
Thanks Bill!