Week 208

Week 208

Sunday, July 22, 2018 thru Saturday, July 28, 2018

Sunday, July 22, 2018

No train activity today.

Monday, July 23, 2018

Train Day with Rob Fair and Jordan Osborn!

We worked from 6pm - 8:15pm (2.25hrs.)

Here's what we did...

Jordan Osborn and I will work on the DCC system components.
Lots to learn...

Rob Fair will continue his work on the Lake Street City Viaduct construction site.
Here he is working on the support beams. We're getting closer to constructing the entire "L" girders.

Rob Fair measuring twice to cut once.

Jordan Osborn keeps up with the paperwork.
You know, there's more than what meets the eye in this train operation.

Here is the deck bridge that will span the tracks that lead to Chicago Terminal.

Rob Fair secured the girders to the end pieces which will then be connected to the "I" beams which will support the bridge over the tracks.

Rob Fair shows his handy work on the base of the "L" tracks which will be over Lake Street.

Another view of the deck bridge with "C" clamps in place.

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Josh Jones and Jordan Osborn came over for about 45 minutes (4:30-5:15pm) to help me run trains on the new DCC system.
I wanted to see if we could really run two trains in different directions.

Check this out...

My two Amigos (Josh Jones & Jordan Osborn) ready to test out the new DCC system.

We first brought out the commuter train westbound from Chicago Terminal.

Length: 00:00:26 sec.

Jordan Osborn and Josh Jones handling the controls at CCT.

Still shot of the next video...

Check out this video of two trains passing each other going in opposite directions.
Yes it can be done in DCC!

Length: 00:00:19 sec.

Upper and lower level trains running.

Length: 00:00:10 sec.

Trains rounding the curve at Melrose Park.

Length: 00:00:23 sec.

Trains meet around the South Power District bend.

Length: 00:00:16 sec.

Lots of videos tonight.
Gives you a pretty good idea of what the DCC system can do now that we couldn't do before.

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Train Day!
with Ed Nelson (Jordan Osborn couldn't make it today).

We continued to test the DCC System

Ed Nelson at the controls of the mainline freight.
We had to clear the mainline to run two commuter trains tonight.

Another view of Ed Nelson at Jump 2 (using a DC throttle to run a DCC controlled train).

There's the freight on it's final approach to Proviso Yard where we'll park this train.

Before Ed left for the day, we did a partial mock up of the CNW Powerhouse right off Lake Street in Chicago.

Thursday, July 26, 2018

Working on the RR...

I worked a bit on the CNW Powerhouse.
Starting to take shape.

Friday, July 27, 2018

Sleepover with Mae, Henry, and Ida...
We went to a movie, went out to eat, came home to play trains, before catching fireflies and then going to bed. Here is what we did with the trains:

Ida Zielke at the controls taking charge of one of the commuter trains.

Henry Zielke running the other Commuter Train.

An overview of tonight's action...

Length: 00:00:24 sec.

Henry starting dancing as he followed his train.

More dance moves...

I tried to capture Henry's dance on video, but I was too late.

I just missed Henry dancing, but here is his exit.

Length: 00:00:20 sec.

Saturday, July 28, 2018
Before we got the day started, Henry came downstairs to run some trains...

I captured Henry running alongside his train again in the monitor.

I kept watching him and he came out on the other side still tracking his train.