Week 235

Sun, Jan 27, 2019 thru Sat, Feb 2, 2019

Week 234

Sun, Jan 20, 2019 thru Sat, Jan 26, 2019

Sun, Jan 20, 2019

Worked on Kedzie Avenue East

Glue and weight on the first layers.

Glue & weight on the top layer (asphalt installed).

Ready for trim work.

Screws holding trim in place until glue is set.

Safety lined in place.

Getting ready for weathering.

Weathering complete.
Done!

Mon, Jan 21, 2019

Train Day!
w/Rob Fair & Jordan Osborn
6-7:45pm (1.75 hrs.)

We got a lot finished tonight, and here's my blog to show it.

Jordan Osborn prepares for the evening as he checks his paperwork.
We have an inspection train to run tonight to make sure the cars PASS the test run after final inspection.
We'll run two laps in both directions. Two laps eastbound and then two laps westbound.

Rob Fair will work on adding a second floor to the lower section of the Kedzie Avenue tower.

Rob Fair's work area for tonight.

Rob Fair listening as the new C44-9 runs nearby.

Length: 00:00:16 sec.

The Inspection Train at Melrose Park

Length: 00:00:30 sec.

Jordan Osborn keeps his eye and ear on the inspection train as he watches it run the mainline.

The SD40-2 UP runs on the elevated tracks between Oak Park/Lombard and Kedzie/Elmhurst

Length: 00:00:11 sec.

The Inspection Train running towards Geneva Station.

Here's the second floor added to the lower section of the tower.

Same picture different view.

Very nice kitbashing work, Rob Fair!

Tue, Jan 22, 2019

I did some more work on Kedzie Ave tower

Tonight I'm going to add the second floor to the lower section.
This picture shows how it will look, but not glued.

Rob Fair did the kitbashing and put in the supports that will be used to glue the structure together.

This photo is with flash to show more detail.

Another view using the flash.

And still another view with flash.

Same view without flash.

Another view without flash.

Next up...the cat walk.

Wed, Jan 23, 2019

I got up early this morning and worked on the cat walk...

I had to add another layer to fit the prototype.

What do you think?
You like?

Here's the model next to a photo of the prototype.

Now it's time for TRAIN DAY!
Carlos Baez, Dean Hatzis (4-5:15pm 1.25 hrs.)
Josh Jones & Jordan Osborn (4-5:45pm 1.75 hrs.)

Carlos Baez figuring out how to move the leg to under the track.

Planning the next steps.

Josh Jones in rare form tonight.

You never know what's going on behind you, do you, Jordan?
Although I'm pretty sure Jordan knows what's going on behind him.

Watch the cars rattle with the vibrations from Dean's power tool.

Length: 00:00:04 sec.

Yes, that's Dean Hatzis under the table running the power tool you can hear

 in the video above this photo.

Dean Hatzis & Carlos Baez working together on lowering the street level.

Here are the dynamic duo cutting out the street level from the trim.

Josh checking out the train heading into Proviso Yard for pickup.

Length: 00:00:19 sec.

Dean  Hatzis cuts out the trim work for street level construction.

Steady hands making the cut.

Thu, Jan 24, 2019

No train activity today.

Fri, Jan 25, 2019

No train activity today.

Sat, Jan 26, 2019

Memorial Service this morning for Sue Zagorski's dad.
PJ Morlock came over this afternoon.
I showed him the train, but didn't take any pictures!
I hate when I do that - don't take pictures!

Week 233

Week 233

Sunday, January 13, 2019 thru Saturday, January 19, 2019

Sunday, January 13, 2019

Train Show!

DuPage Co. Fairgrounds, Wheaton IL

I had a fun time and found some great finds.

Here's what I purchased:
2 piggy back semi-trailers $3x2=$6
1 hopper & 1 box car $15 total
1 blinking red LED $.25
1 Athearn Railbox $20
1 C44-9 UP $80
1 box Intermountain metal wheels sets $65
Entry Fee $7
Total: $193.25

The yellow sheet is a work order for next month's train show.

The owner of Windy City LED is going to solder wires to a chip board so I can install EOT device.

I took some time to inspect the three new cars I bought at the train show today.

Here they are on the test track ready to run the mainlines to check them for their performance.

What's on your workbench this week?

I added three tracks where the incline test track used to be.
Now I can have the next cars up and ready for inspection instead of laying them on the table in front of the keyboard.

Monday, January 14, 2019

Train Day!

6:15-7:45pm 1.5 hrs.

w/ Jordan Osborn

New C44-9 Locomotive bought at Train show yesterday.
Turns out it runs pretty poorly.
I will need to do a major overhaul in the repair shop.

Jordan Osborn checking over the paperwork for tonight.

We just added another locomotive to our DCC roster!
Decoder included!

Length: 00:00:07 sec.

Jordan Osborn very excited about finding another engine with DCC decoder inside.
In fact, it's one of his favorites - the CNW SD40-2 with Sound!

Here it is!
We thought it may be DCC equipped, but had no idea it actually included a decoder.
We quickly programmed it in and ran the test train.
See video a little later in this blog to watch and hear it in action.

Here's a still shot of the Test Train.

And here's a video of that same train.

Length: 00:00:26 sec.

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

No train activity today.

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Train Day!

4-5:30pm 1.5 hrs Dean Hatzis

4:15-5pm 1.25 hrs. Jordan Osborn

After we finished our Train Day! greetings, we got to work...

Our goal tonight is to cut out the street levels for Milwaukee Ave. and W Fulton St.

Dean Hatzis in action...

Length: 00:00:18 sec.

Dean Hatzis already cut out the front section of the intersection of Milwaukee Ave. and W. Fulton St. in downtown Chicago.

Another action video of our activities tonight...
pulling out the section on this side of the tracks.

Length: 00:00:18 sec.

Here you can see Dean Hatzis lifting out the other section across the tracks.

Pulling out the cut out on the other side of the tracks:

Length: 00:00:25 sec.

Our goal for tonight is completed.
Both sections cut out with the sections lifted out.

Same photo different perspective.

Thursday, January 17, 2019

No train activity today.

Friday, January 18, 2019

I had the day off today, so I worked quite a bit on the RR:

I decided to do some work on the Kedzie Avenue East.

Here the top layer is installed and glued down.

And now for some finishing touches.
The partial wall...

Saturday, January 19, 2019
Continued to work on Kedzie Avenue East, but first the support legs under Lake Street.

Here's the support leg with top attachment ready for installation.

Installed.
The vertical leg on the right will come out and the horizontal cross beam will be moved over.
Not quite sure how we'll do the move, but when Dean comes on Wednesday we'll figure it out. 

Extended the partial wall all the way to the end of the station platform
I'll try to make progress on the filler and the top asphalt layer for the station platform tomorrow.