Week 345

 Sun, Mar 7, 2021 thru Sat, Mar 13, 2021

This Week's Goal Setting

1. More Weathering Locomotive Roster 

This Week: Try one more CNW tandem...

2. Continue work on Clinton Ave. wall sections

This Week: Let's try to put the walls together and then paint them.

3. Laying more "asphalt" in the Industrial Park

This Week: Finish laying "asphalt" in north parking lot.

4. Begin work on the upper downtown area Melrose Park

This Week: Order additional sheets of the stone wall

Sun, Mar 7, 2021

SPECIAL GUESTS:
Lissette Crockett and Ida Zielke

SPECIAL GUEST:
Josiah Crockett

Mon, Mar 8, 2021

Traveling to AZ for Mario & Susann's wedding tomorrow.

Moving Train Day to Friday this week...

Tue, Mar 9, 2021

Mario & Susann's wedding today.

Wed, Mar 10, 2021

Getting back from AZ today. Arriving at O'Hare at 6:06am so I'll probably have some time for trains today!

I'm going to try my hand at decoder installation.

This was my Christmas gift from James & Natalie.
These are the instructions.

I've opened up another locomotive.
Maybe I can put in three decoders this week.

Thu, Mar 11, 2021

Lots of research on decoders...trying to figure this out for myself.

Fri, Mar 12, 2021

I went to B&G today and bought two more decoders.

Train Day!

with Rob Fair & Jordan Osborn

planning on 6-8pm 2 hrs.

Gathering for Train Day!

Rob Fair is going to work on laying "asphalt"
in the Industrial Park.

Here's the parking lot for the Melrose Park Power Plant.

I'm working on the sound decoder for the F40PH
I bought at B&G today.

Jordan getting comfortable at the Control Tower.

Rob Fair making progress in the Industrial Park.

Rob's workspace.

Rob Fair securing the "asphalt" to the base

Length: 00:00:15 sec.

Final approach before arriving at Chicago Terminal

Length: 00:00:06 sec.

Coming into the Station

Length: 00:00:29 sec.

We have reached our destination.
Track 2 Chicago Terminal

One last look at the sound decoder installation.

I switched out the factory installed lights and will use LED lights instead.

I have soldered the resistors and will put shrink wrap before I install them.

Sat, Mar 13, 2021

Big day today!

Lots to report...

I had to go back to B&G and purchase the correct
Decoder for the CNW GP7 #1518

Here's the weights Rob Fair put on to hold the
"asphalt" in place.

I made a video of my FIRST EVER Decoder Install

Click here to view YouTube video

Length: 00:04:31 mins.

Here's the engine back at the Engine Shop all set 
up with DCC #1518.

Now it's time to start another decoder project.

I took off the weights and took some pictures of
Rob's work from Friday night.

Need to create between tracks asphalt section with tie overlapping.

I thought I'd try to make some railings for the 
upper downtown Melrose Park stone walls.

Preparing the toothpicks for
painting.

Getting ready to paint.

All painted.

This Week's Goal Progress Report

1. More Weathering Locomotive Roster 

This Week: Instead of weathering I installed a decoder in CNW GP7 #1518

Next Week: Maybe weathering, but probably finishing two more decoders.

2. Continue work on Clinton Ave. wall sections

This Week: Let's try to put the walls together and then paint them.

Next Week: I'll try to get them cut and painted this week.

3. Laying more "asphalt" in the Industrial Park

This Week: Finished laying "asphalt" in north parking lot.

Next Week: Figure out where the far parking lot will go and get that done.

4. Begin work on the upper downtown area Melrose Park

This Week: Stopped by B&G and bought more wall parts.

Next Week: Work on filling in the missing wall sections.