Week 329

 Sun, Nov. 15, 2020 thru Sat, Nov. 21, 2020

This week's goals:

1. Continue work on CNW Power House

Progress: working on front curb appeal and then move to back

2. Finish repairs to substation chain link fence 

Progress: Not Started

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

Progress: Not Started

Sun, Nov. 15, 2020

Lots of work done on Goal #1 CNW Powerhouse

My goal is to complete the base of the front
of the building this week.

I tried to use balsa wood for the base, but realized
I needed to find my styrene sheets for proper fit.

Yes, these will work much better.
Pretty easy to use, just score and split.

There are three levels of styrene here.
Level 1: Window well (two windows on right)
Level 2: Section between panels (two windows on left)
Level 3: see next pictures (sections between doors)

Levels 1 and 2 secured in place.

Level 3 shown in place. Still need to paint.

Here's the prototype picture I'm trying to copy.

Taking a break from the front, on to the chimney.

Here's where I'm going to use the Spade Terminals.

Remove the blue insulators.

Right below the metal ruler is the hollow copper pipe...

...cut in 6 equal pieces (2" each).

Attach to Spade Terminals.

Added a slight angle for light to show on chimney.
These ended up being too long.
I cut them down to 1" instead of 2".

Much better.

Another view.

Back to the front.
Here's is the side panel off Lake Street.
Prototype on the left and model on the right.

Mon, Nov. 16, 2020

I got up early this morning to prepare for train day later today...

I drew lines to match the prototype.

And here's the prototype.

Back to the front...
Now it's time to rough up the surface to prepare for painting.

Painting complete. Time to secure to the base.

Side wall finished.

Front and side walls painted and ready for installation.

Train Day!

w/Rob Fair (6-8:15pm 2.25 hrs.)

and Jordan Osborn (6-7:30pm 1.5 hrs.)

Rob Fair working at a new work space...our dining room table.
Like I said before, lots of light here.

Jordan and I will work in the basement.
Our goal tonight will be to send an empty coal train
led by UP AC6000 to PRB.

The new front of CNW Power House set in place.

Meanwhile, back at work in the dining room workspace,
Rob Fair paints the light fixtures.

Waiting for the paint to dry Rob makes his way
downstairs to our train workbench.
Here is is testing the LED lights to be used on the 
CNW Power House chimney illumination project.

Now it's time to fix the substation chain link fence.

The corner fence post was bent in, so we're using
the alligator clip to hold it in place.
Note how "wavy" the chain link fence is in this photo.

Once we braced it, glued it and then tested we
were pleased with the results.
Success!

Notice how straight the chain link fence is now.

GOAL #2 COMPLETE

Our grand finale tonight...
Setting the side panel to the front panel.
I can hardly wait to install this tomorrow night!!!!!!

Tue, Nov. 17, 2020

The supports are gone and now I need to add 
pieces to the bottom to match the middle joints.

Here's how the front and side look before installation.

The small pieces secured on the bottom.

BEFORE

Using "Shoe Glue" to secure the face to the wall.

DURING
Sorry I moved and this is blurry.
I tried to capture the foam in place while the glue sets up.

Drone shot of the facia in place and Elmer's glue
set in the middle.

Wed, Nov. 18, 2020

AFTER
I really like it!!!

Now let's see the BEFORE and AFTER next to each other...

BEFORE

AFTER

Tonight I worked on getting the dining room table cleared off...

Success!

Thu, Nov. 19, 2020

Now it's time to clean up the storage area under Powder River Basin.

Jordan stopped over tonight and this is what we did...

I'm going to try to spray Dull-Cote on this model
to see if that will help eliminate the shine.

The Dull-Cote didn't work, so now let's try covering
the model with "mortar".

Jordan calling it a night.

After Jordan left, I did some work on
CNW Powerhouse.

Making progress...

Fri, Nov. 20, 2020

After subbing today I had a few minutes to work on the CNW Powerhouse...

Work spaces move around. The bad thing about
having the work space on the layout?
You can't run trains when you're working.

Kit bashing the end of CNW Powerhouse.

Those two end pieces, on either side of the ruler,
will fit right here enclosing the end of the powerhouse.

SPECIAL GUESTS!

Tonight we had two special guests come to our

home for dinner and a look-see at the trains.

Good friend, Michael Ryan...

...and his wife, and also good friend, Evelyn Ryan.

Evelyn made some great suggestions tonight that I will begin to implement on my layout.

1. The store fronts seen here in the middle far left of the photo...I was going to cut out the pink foam and put them at street level. Evelyn suggested I put in a stone wall and leave them there with a street connected to them. Good idea. This will give more elevation variety.

2. Label the buildings so people/guests know what the names of the buildings are and their locations.

Sat, Nov. 21, 2020

Nat and the two little ones came out today. Josiah and I played some trains in the basement.

See video here:

Special Guest!

Length: 00:00:14 sec.

This week's goals Progress Report:

1. Continue work on CNW Power House

Progress: Finished the front, now working on the back and the side.

2. Finish repairs to substation chain link fence 

Progress: DONE! Completed Mon, Nov. 16, 2020

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

Progress: Not Started