Week 326

 Sun, Oct. 25, 2020 thru Sat, Oct. 31, 2020

This week's goals:

1. Finish construction of Melrose Park Substation

2. Finish switching out transformer at California Ave. Metra Maintenance Facility.

3. Begin work on California Ave. Metra Maintenance Facility entrance off Western Ave.

Sun, Oct. 25, 2020

Special Guest:

Charlie Zielke

Charlie Zielke waves as he plays with trains.

Here's a video of Charlie in action...

Length: 00:00:32 sec.

Mon, Oct. 26, 2020

Working on the substation for the
power plant at Melrose Park

Video of making a transformer smaller

Length: 00:00:30 sec.

This is the smaller version of the transformer
with the middle cut out kitbashed for the
California Ave. Metra Maintenance Facility

Tue, Oct. 27, 2020

You can see why I wanted this transformer
(on the right) a bit smaller than the one on the left.

Section 1 Complete

Wed, Oct. 28, 2020

No train activity today.

Thu, Oct. 29, 2020

My plans for tonight's trains

Length: 00:00:19 sec.

Progress report...

Section 2 Complete

Working on Section 3

Directions weren't the best, but I figured it out.

Almost finished with Section 3.

Ready to install Section 3 on substation.

Section 3 Complete

Section 3 complete working on Section 4.

Fri, Oct. 30, 2020

Working on Section 5

I was very disappointed in the drawing for this part.
I didn't know which way to point the tabs and
I cut off the middle tab that was supposed to 
go in the middle hole.

Section 4 and 5 complete

Laying out all the parts to Section 6

First part of Section 6 up and ready for next part.

Step by step 2 seconds at a time...

Length: 00:00:31 sec.

Sat, Oct. 31, 2020

Step by step one frame at a time...

Still adding parts to Section 6

More parts to add.

Side view.

Section 6 complete

This is a shot of the substation platform where
all the sections will be put together.

Time for the chain-link fence.

I'll put the gate on this side.

Starting to put up the horizontal guard posts.
You can see the little brackets and the posts they will
fit over for the gate.

Goal Progress:

This week's goals:

1. Finish construction of Melrose Park Substation 

Progress: finishing up the chain-link fence around substation

2. Finish switching out transformer at California Ave. Metra Maintenance Facility. 

Progress: Done!

3. Begin work on California Ave. Metra Maintenance Facility entrance off Western Ave. 

Progress: Add to next week's goals.

Week 325

 Sun, Oct. 18, 2020 thru Sat, Oct. 24, 2020

This week's goals:

1. Purchase transformer for California Avenue Metra Maintenance Facility

2. Purchase sub station for Melrose Park Power Plant

3. Finish up projects from last week.

Sun, Oct. 18, 2020

Still on vacation.

Mon, Oct. 19, 2020

Still on vacation

Tue, Oct. 20, 2020

Coming back today from vacation.

Wed, Oct. 21, 2020

I stopped by B&G Train World in Elgin to buy goals 1 & 2

I bought these two items.

The substation will go here at the
Melrose Park Power Plant.

And the transformer will go here at the
California Avenue Metra Maintenance Facility

And this is what I paid for these items.
Transformer: $13.50
Substation: $31.50
Taxes: $3.83

Thu, Oct. 22, 2020

Now it's time to paint the parts...

Painted the substation a flat gray (2X).
Ran out of flat gray and used the lighter gray for some parts (NOW).
Painted the chain link fence a metallic gray (ACE).

Painted the transformer flat gray (2X).

Fri, Oct. 23,2020

I dropped my phone in the dish water yesterday.

Had to buy a new phone today.

Are the pictures any different using this new phone?

Starting to assemble the transformer kit...

I read the directions.
Laid out the parts.
Now it's time to cut them off the spur.

Time to glue.

Just need to add some extra paint detail and decals.

Transformer temporarily in place.
I still will add the chain link fence and a few other details.

Sat, Oct. 24, 2020

Train Day!

Moved from Mon. this week to today!

Rob Fair from 1pm-3:15pm (2.25 hrs.)

Here's what we did...

I'd like to try to recreate the power tower to the 
left of the roadway. Let's see how we do...
(see picture below for what we made
out of these two utility poles).

Rob Fair mixing the ground scape for the base of
the substation.

First he covered all the holes on the base with tape.
Then he painted the areas where
there would be ground scape.

Here's the finished product.

Now it's time to do the same thing for the
transformer base at the
California Avenue Metra Maintenance Facility.

Here's where the substation will be located.

Rob finished the ground scape at California yard.

Filling in a section between the transformer base
and the road.

Now it's time to work on the power tower.

In the meantime, I found the proper paint to spray
on the chain link fence parts.

Now it's time to set the transformer in place.

First, we secure the floor of the transformer.

Length: 00:00:32 sec.

Now we set the transformer in place.

Length: 00:00:30 sec.

Transformer now in place, ready for operation.

Remember the picture we started today?
Here's the final "kit bashed" product.

A very busy workplace today.

Jordan stopped by to deliver the RT4 which finally
came from Digitrax. It traveled there and back twice.
Jordan only stayed a few minutes but he was anxious
to get this back into my hands.

Thanks Jordan!

You're a great neighbor!

Week 324

 Sun, Oct. 11, 2020 thru Sat, Oct. 17, 2020

This week's Goals

1. Finish out buildings at the California Ave. Metra Maintenance Facility

2. Begin work at the California Avenue entrance

3. Finish details not completed last week...

Sun, Oct. 11, 2020

Step 11
I determined the shed on the left is ok as is.
The shed on the right where the weights are in place
needs a bit extra lift so I cut a piece of "asphalt" to fit.

I also revisited the switch stand which got stuck
again and used polish remover to unstick the mechanism.

Mon, Oct. 12, 2020

I  had a little time before my doctor's appt. this morning to work on the RR

I finished freeing up the switch stand so Rob can
finish the chain link fence tonight.

In preparation for Train Day! I moved the CNW mixed train to Proviso Yard.

Length: 00:00:30 sec.

Train Day!

with Rob Fair and Jordan Osborn

6-8pm 2 hrs.

Rob Fair getting his tools together for tonight's work.

As Jordan Osborn readies for his duties for tonight.

Jordan and I will finish moving the trains tonight.

The coal train needs to be unloaded at the Power Plant.

The CNW mixed freight needs to be parked at Proviso.

Both locomotive pairs will be put away at their prospective tracks

at the CNW engine facility.

Rob finished the chain link fence around the 
California Ave. Metra Maintenance Facility.

Another view.

It's on to the grove of trees between Global 1
and California Ave. Metra Maintenance Facility.

Another view.

After Rob finished the base, he begins to fill
in the perimeter with foliage.

Taking shape and looking good!

Step 12
Filling in the background.
I took this photo to match the previous series.

Tue, Oct. 13, 2020

Clearing the mainline using train movements.

This is what you call "operations"...

First, taking the switcher out of the Locomotive Shop

Length: 00:00:31 sec.

Next, we'll take the long journey to meet our cars

Length: 00:00:33 sec.

Then we switch off the mainline into the siding

Length: 00:00:37

Making sure the switch is flipped we continue thru the yard

Length: 00:00:30

Reaching our destination

Length: 00:00:14

Final destination: Global 1 yard

Length: 00:00:18

Wed, Oct. 14, 2020

Jan and I are leaving on a jet plane today.

We'll return from Durango CO

on Tue, Oct. 20, 2020...

Thu, Oct. 15, 2020

Vacation

Fri, Oct. 16, 2020

Vacation

Sat, Oct. 17, 2020

On vacation, but do I have a treat for you.

Here's a link to the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge RR

This is Day 4 on our vacation, so go past the balloons and the hike to start the train part...

Click here to D&S NG RR

Also, since I'll be taking you to my vacation blog, feel free to check out the rest of our vacation.

It probably won't mean as much to you as it does to me, but you can still view if you want.