Week 462

 Sun, Jun 4, 2023 thru Sat, Jun 10, 2023

Sun, Jun 4, 2023

Working on the RR about 30 mins.

Finishing off the sidewalks on the left side.

Cutting and fitting sidewalk pieces on the other side.

The scene is really coming together.

Painting the sidewalks.

Tomorrow I'll have Rob Fair weather the sidewalks.

Mon, Jun 5, 2023

Train Day!

w/Rob Fair & Jordan Osborn 6-7:45pm 1.75 hrs.

and Marcus Thorsen 6-7:15pm 1.25 hrs. 

As planned, Rob Fair will be weathering the sidewalks
at Oak Park Marion Street

Tools of the trade.

Let's get to work.

Are you kidding me?
Jordan at the controls.

Rob & Marcus in dialog to start off the meeting.

Marcus will be joining these pieces together for 
a fluid transition from piece to piece...

...as Rob gets a good angle on the work at Marion St.

Marcus works on blending the connecting parts.

Rob assists from the back.

One of the 7 techniques: stippling for dirt affect.

Sidewalk weathering almost complete.
See sidewalk on the right? Street sidewalk complete.
The sidewalk near the building needs a bit more weathering.

As Marcus works on the scenery,
Curt gets a test train ready to run.

I'm going to leave this space the way it is even though the video doesn't display.

I want to try my best to figure this out and then repost this video.

Very frustrating!

This is the test train we used to run behind the
wall Marcus was working on tonight.

One of the walls had a lighted bill board
so I am going to drill the hole for the wires.

Rob Fair shows the plastic tube we used to guide
the wire. It went in perfectly on our first try.

Tue, Jun 6, 2023

Laying out the street/sidewalk lamps.

I marked the spots where I'll drill the holes.

Getting ready to test each LED.

Using the small 3v battery all the lights worked!

Also adding streets lights to Washington St. in 
West Chicago

I used the same 3v battery to test these too.
All illuminated as expected.

Wed, Jun 7, 2023

No train activity today.

Thu, Jun 8, 2023

I stopped by Menards today to pick up some Blue Wireguards - 150

Item: $10.99

Tax: $.88

Total: $11.87

I was able to start drilling holes for the street lamps on Marion Street.

I've started installing the street lights on this side
of the tracks near Wheaton.

I've also began installing the lamp posts on
Marion Street, Oak Park IL

Fri, Jun 9, 2023

Whoa! I had today off so I got a lot done on the RR

Check this out...it's a lot!

I found a billboard that caught my eye. 
You like?

Then I decided to glue the tops of the base to the post
since it wasn't secure.

I'm showing all the light poles waiting for the glue
to set.

More light poles waiting for the glue to set.

Even the ones I'll use for Washington St. in WeGo.

I will use this power pack to light the billboard...
wait for it...

All lit up.

Close up.

I even wired up one of the street lamps to make sure
I have the proper pieces in place.
I used the DC Track voltage on full with a 1k Ohm

I drilled out all the holes for the light posts.

A look from the station.

I'm also going to install a street light here for the 
employee station stop.

Finally, I drilled out the holes for the
light posts on Washington St. WeGo.

Two more. That's it for Friday!

Sat, Jun 10, 2023

Back at it. More light work. Pun intended.

I'm getting ready to install these light posts.

These too...

It looks like a disaster area, but really it's going
to be all right in a little bit.

I thought I had to glue the bottoms to the end of the post,
but really I needed the post further down the hole
to make the post stand up. Oh well. Live and learn.

A look from the other side.

And looking from the other directions all set up.

Close up of Marion Street.

I also lit the employee stop.

There, you can see the light better.

Now there are two lit items along Proviso Yard
besides the three Proviso Yard lights on either ends

I had to get one more close up of the Chik-fil-a billboard.
Although it is a 2D picture, it sure looks 3D.