Week 367

 Sun, Aug 8, 2021 thru Sat, Aug 14, 2021

Project Planning

Count	Priority	Key
2	A	Top - This Week
2	B	Top - Next Week
4	C	Mid - This Month
12	D	Mid - Next Month
4	E	Low - This Year
3	F	Low - Next Year
26	G	Completed/Done!
53

Project Priority List
Priority	Origination Date	Latest Update	Project Name	Project Description	Done! Date
A	5/13/2021	5/13/2021	ballast RIP Shop	finishing touches
A	7/1/2021	7/1/2021	Finish wiring Crossover 2.5	Will need to figure this out.
B	5/11/2021	5/11/2021	West Chicago Station	Platform/lighting
B	5/11/2021	5/11/2021	Finish Bridge/Underpass	Melrose Park downtown curbs, sidewalks, gutters, buildings
C	5/11/2021	5/11/2021	Winfield/Berkeley Station	Platform/lighting
C	5/11/2021	5/11/2021	Oak Park Marion Street Station	Lighting/kitbashing
C	5/18/2021	5/18/2021	Mainline ballasting	Between Crossover #2 and WeGo Diamonds - back tracks in front of WeGo downtown
C	6/4/2021		Finish decoder installation	UP SD50 #53

Sun, Aug 8, 2021

Big Day today!

First, I went with Jordan and Chris (his dad) to the Great Midwest Train Show in Wheaton at the DuPage Co. Fairgrounds today...

This is what I found...
I needed a couple of switches, but only purchased this one for the Melrose Park Power Plant yard.
Cost: $13.75
Then I found the CNW Falcon Service piggy back car for $14
Entry Fee: $7
Paid $2 for underpayment of an item
Total expense: $37.75

Next we stopped by the Elmhurst Model Railroad Club

Here's the floor layout with the Video locations shown on the map.

Video 1 - N Scale Section

Length: 00:00:27 sec.

Video 2 - N Scale Section

Length: 00:00:16 sec.

Still shot from video 2 N Scale section

Video 3 - HO Scale section

Length: 00:00:29 sec.

An Amtrak HO scale train coming around the bend.

Mon, Aug 9, 2021

Train Day!

w/Jordan Osborn and his dad, Chris Osborn

Rob Fair was still returning from his vacation last week in FL

We didn't get any work done, but we did talk a lot of trains and went through Rob Linke's treasures he delivered to me today.

I took a video of our opening night tour...

Length: 00:00:31 sec.

We did quite a bit of research tonight.
Jordan tweaked the monitor so it would change from B&W to Color.

Talking trains...

Investigating one of Rob Linke's steam locomotives.
A 2-8-8-2 #2197

The locomotives will need some work.
The big surprise were all these switches.
I will use these in the industrial park once we start laying track.

Tue, Aug 10, 2021

I did some reorganizing of Rob Linke's train donation...

There was a nice collection of nickel silver track sections.
Especially nice was the #4 and #6 left and right hand switches.

Here are some of the homes Rob Linke had in his collection from the 1970s.

This model reminded me of Edman Chapel which I will install between Wheaton & College Avenue stations on the campus of Wheaton College.

Wed, Aug 11, 2021

Intermodal train heading back to Global 1

Length: 00:00:24 sec.

Continuing on its mission...

Length: 00:00:26

Highball

Length: 00:00:21

Tonight I inspected the piggy-back car I bought on Sunday.
It passed with flying colors.

And here's the inspection report ready to be completed when the car is put on a test train.
This will be completed by the engineer who runs the test train.

Thu, Aug 12, 2021

I worked on the two switches I need to replace...

This is the switch at Global 2 that needs to be replaced.

And this is the new switch in place of the old one.

Now moving over to the yard at the Melrose Park Power Plant.
I need to replace this terribly bad switch.

I've removed the terribly bad switch and am getting ready to install the new switch shown above.

New switch in place of the terribly bad switch which will go directly into the garbage!

Fri, Aug 13, 2021

As it goes...I started working on a project that wasn't anywhere in the planning stages...

The Industrial Park steals the show today on the project list:

In the foreground is the first switch I installed to replace the old one.

I continued to lay track up to the bridge.
I also had to replace two other switches which needed the throw bar flipped from one side to the other.

I continued to lay track past the bridge up to the end of the line.

This view looks back at the entrance of the Industrial Park and another pick up location.

The same perspective but now you can see the mainlines and the approach to the Industrial Park much better.

This view captures the run around.
The tracks aren't all connected, but you can get a feel for how it will fit.

End of the line.

Sat, Aug 14, 2021

Video Overview of the Industrial Park

Length: 00:00:31 sec.

Edman Chapel from Rob Linke

Length: 00:00:31 sec.

I'm going to take out these 9" straight tracks and put in three (3) re-railer tracks.
I'll use these as station platforms for excursion passengers.

Here are the new re-railers installed in place.

A drone view of the newly installed and tacked down Industrial Park tracks.

And the entry tracks to the Industrial Park.

Tim Sivesind had these three (3) tall bar tables I'll use for operations.
This one is near the north power district.

This 2nd tall table can be used for staging projects and tools.
This one is located near the Control Tower and the south power district.

And finally, the 3rd table will be used to stage paperwork at the Powder River Basin.
I may get one more table for a location tbd if needed.

Installed safety crossbucks for excursion passenger passage.

Excursion cars in place.

Project Progress Report

Count	Priority	Key
2	A	Top - This Week
2	B	Top - Next Week
4	C	Mid - This Month
9	D	Mid - Next Month
4	E	Low - This Year
3	F	Low - Next Year
32	G	Completed/Done!
56

Project Priority List
Priority	Origination Date	Latest Update	Project Name	Project Description	Done! Date
A	5/13/2021	5/13/2021	ballast RIP Shop	finishing touches
G	8/13/2021	8/14/2021	Lay and fasten tracks in Industrial Park	Followed track plan and secured track and cleaned each rail ready to test on Monday	8/13/2021
G	8/14/2021	8/14/2021	Replace 9" straight track with rerailers	I will use the re-railers as station platforms for the excursion train	8/14/2021
A	7/1/2021	7/1/2021	Finish wiring Crossover 2.5	Will need to figure this out.
B	5/11/2021	5/11/2021	West Chicago Station	Platform/lighting
B	5/11/2021	5/11/2021	Finish Bridge/Underpass	Melrose Park downtown curbs, sidewalks, gutters, buildings
C	5/11/2021	5/11/2021	Winfield/Berkeley Station	Platform/lighting
C	5/11/2021	5/11/2021	Oak Park Marion Street Station	Lighting/kitbashing
C	5/18/2021	5/18/2021	Mainline ballasting	Between Crossover #2 and WeGo Diamonds - back tracks in front of WeGo downtown
C	6/4/2021		Finish decoder installation	UP SD50 #53