Basement Train Layout: Week 335

Sun, Dec 27, 2020 thru Sat, Jan 2, 2021

This Week's Goals

1. Continue work on Clinton Ave. wall sections

Progress: Need to purchase more parts...

2. Continue work on California Ave. Coach Yard entrance off Sacramento Blvd.

Progress: Continue working on this and maybe finish during Week 335

3. More Weathering Locomotive Roster

Progress: Continue on CNW fleet - one finished more to go...

4. Coming soon: Work on streets/parking lots in Industrial Park

Progress: Concentrating on Goal #2 this week, will tackle this next year.

Sun, Dec 27, 2020

James, Natalie, Josiah and Lissette came out today for a few days.

Josiah said, "Let's go downstairs to trains."

I said, "OK." :)

We played a bit with Thomas the Tank Engine.

And then we set up the infamous oval track.

We got a train running...check this out.

Length: 00:00:20 sec.

Mon, Dec 28, 2020

Before Train Day, Josiah and I had some train time

Length: 00:00:20 sec.

Train Day!

with Rob Fair and Jordan Osborn

6-8pm 2 hrs.

Jordan Osborn greeting our arrival.

Rob Fair checking messages.

We'll be running some trains tonight.
First step, take the well car in the train shown and
add to intermodal train.

Metra Commuter Train heading to Chicago

Length: 00:00:30 sec.

Rob Fair continues work on Goal #2.
He's adding the wood work around the edges.

The AC6000 is putting together the intermodal train.
Once it's ready it will depart Proviso Yard.
Destination: Global 1.

Putting together Intermodal train at Proviso Yard

Length: 00:00:06 sec.

Intermodal Train arriving at Global 1

Length: 00:00:14 sec.

Work continues on the Sacramento entrance of
Metra California Avenue Maintenance Facility.

Moving piggy-back cars from Global 1 to Global 2.

Piggy-back train on the move to Global 2.

I think the sign is too large. I will re-print and re-
set the sign with better proportions.

The hardest part in this step is finding the dang end.

After taping the gaps between the foam board,
we covered with first layer of filler sand.

Final picture of the night.

Tue, Dec 29, 2020

I'm preparing paperwork for running trains next
week during our first ever Operating Session!

Progress on the Sacramento Rd. Entrance to
California Ave (UP/Metra) Coach Yard
(Note name change, from "Maintenance Facility"
to "Coach Yard").
I made the change after re-reading the sign.

Oops!

Wed, Dec 30, 2020

Materials ready for gluing on the top coat.

Sand filler in place.

Top layer in place.

Top layer now in place and waiting
for glue application.

Thu, Dec 31, 2020

This morning...

Glue now in place waiting for it to cure.
I used an eye dropper with 50/50 glue/water mix
with a squirt of liquid dish detergent

Same for section near the road that will meet the
lift-out section.

This afternoon...

I'm going to paint the concrete this afternoon.

Going around the bend in a minute.
I'll take a finished shot tomorrow after weathering
and letting the paint dry.

This evening I did some paperwork for train operations on Monday.

Here's a sneak peak...

Each person will receive a clipboard.
One for me, Rob, and Jordan.

The Cover Sheet has our instructions for the
operating session.

The Dispatcher's Log shows what's what
on the mainline.

This is the Code Sheet which tells what all the
Codes mean on the different sheets.

This sheet we'll use to capture any incidents along
the way so I can document and look for any patterns.
I will also use this to keep the engineer busy on his
mainline runs.