Basement Train Layout: Week 443

Sun, Jan 22, 2023 thru Sat, Jan 28, 2023

Sun, Jan 22, 2023

Time to put some guard rails on the CNW SD38-2 locomotives I bought back in January 2007.

YIKES! That's a very long time to not have any guard rails...

You can see I've started to put on the side, front,
and back guard rails...

Now you can see I've added the white hand rails
on the front and back steps.

This picture shows both locomotives completed.

Another view...

A little history lesson...

Duration: 00:00.30 sec.

Mon, Jan 23, 2023

Train Day!

w/Rob Fair & Jordan Osborn

6-8pm 2 hrs.

Getting ready to start our evening...

Rob is running Mixed Freight Train 5B with Power Code C6

Duration: 00:00.31 sec.

I will be running Northwest Commuter Train 1B

Duration: 00:00.24 sec.

We had to pull the trailing locomotive and switch
out the coupler during our run tonight.

Running EB then crossover to take the WB mainline into

UP Proviso Yard

Duration: 00:00.15 sec.

Tue, Jan 24, 2023

No train activity tonight.

Wed, Jan 25, 2023

Back to West Chicago to finish the scene...

These next few pictures are the BEFORE ballast pictures.

New West Chicago Station platform and tracks.

At the east end of the platform. This is the farthest
I will go with the ballast tonight.

A video of the finished ballast on the track project.

Duration: 00:00.26 sec.

Thu, Jan 26, 2023

Working on the RR...

West Chicago after cleaning up the ballast debris.

Another view.

You know what?
I think I'll start making the road that goes by the diamonds.
I'll need to look up the name of that road.

I found it.
It's W. Washington Street.

Cutting out the base of the road way.

Gluing in the pieces...

Now we wait for the weights.

That took 61 minutes.
I like the timer.
It helps me track the time very easily.

Fri, Jan 27, 2023

After subbing today, I was able to work on the RR...thanks Jan!

More work on W. Washington Street, West Chicago

Filling in the road bed.

Oops! I moved.
Just a picture of the weights keeping everything
in place for the glue to set up.

Here, that's much better...and clearer.

Here's the prototype picture of W. Washington St.

I also moved to the Powder River Basin aka Harvard
and worked on the mainline station tracks.

Replacing the bad brass flex track with sectional
silver track. Much better performance.

Just need to wire them up and tack them down.

I ran the feeder wires and will probably put another
switch for this section just so I can shut off the power
if needed.

Sat, Jan 28, 2023

Full day today, but still some time to work on the RR...

Early before everyone gets up.

I found the road crossing guides. I was wondering
where they were. They ended up being in the storage
area by the Chicago Terminal.

I also remove the plastic bolsters and see if this makes
a difference on performance around the bend at Elmhurst
Station.

I need to label this car as a "Test Car in Consist"
next time we run Train 5B.

I also need another car to protect the other tanker on
the other end of Train 5B. So I decided to replace
the wheel sets with brand new metal wheels.
Hopefully this will help this car's performance.