Basement Train Layout: Week 469

Sun, Jul 23, 2023 thru Sat, Jul 29, 2023

Sun, Jul 23, 2023

Lots of work done on the RR today...check this out:

Finished the roadwork to the cabins under construction at Powder River Basin

First I had to plug up the gap between the facia and the roadbed.

You can see the caulk I used to fill the gap.

All the way down to the third cabin...

Then I put down some full strength Elmer's glue.

I sprayed some water on the full strength glue
and smoothed it around. Then I poured on some
fine filtered sand.

Another look at the roadway and "parking lot"

Lastly, I used a dropper to squirt a 50/50 solution of
glue/water over the freshly poured fine sand.

Here's another photo of the wet lots.

And a picture of the supplies I used for the project.

Unloaded Coal Loads at Melrose Park Power Plant.

Returned loads in tray back to Powder River Basin to fill up next empty coal train that arrives.

Coal loads unloaded and put in tray to
transport to PRB by hand.

This is where the tray sits waiting for the next
empty coal train from the Melrose Park Power Plant.

Switched out inoperable couplers on Life-Like CNW GP9 #1518 locomotive

New couplers installed. Now let's see if they work.

I put the locomotive through a rigorous
inspection. So far so good.

Prepared Piggy-back Train 2C for next run.

I used both couplers on #1518 and,
as I did, prepared the Piggy-back train
for WB departure on EB track.

Mon, Jul 24, 2023

Train Day!

w/Rob Fair & Marcus Thorsen 6-8pm 2 hrs.

also with Jordan Osborn and his cousin, Jonathan, 6-7pm 1 hr.

Welcome to Train Day!
Rob & Jordan begin our session.

Jordan's cousin, Jonathan, stopped by to take a look.

Jonathan took us out to his car and showed us a box
of HO scale trains he purchased at a local garage sale.

We got side-tracked on a discussion about
global warming. Very interesting.

It was about at this time Jonathan and Jordan
left the building.

Meanwhile, Rob & Marcus got back to work.

Marcus finished installing the wall.
Next week he will attach the trim pieces.

Our next project will be to add a staircase
to the platform I am viewing in this picture.

I pulled this staircase from another scene on the RR.
I really didn't like where this was located because
you really couldn't even see it. I will show you that later...

After Rob got home, he sent me this
picture of a staircase he has on his layout.

Tue, Jul 25, 2023

No train activity today.

Wed, Jul 26, 2023

No train activity today.

Thu, Jul 27, 2023

No train activity today.

Fri, Jul 28, 2023

Why so many days in a row with no train activity?

Today is Ben's wedding day, that's why!

Sat, Jul 29, 2023

After our final clean up from the wedding, I was able to make some time for the RR.

I decided to make an emergency scene at the bridge overpass with the new cars I wired up for lights.

Since it looked like their brake lights were on, I decided to make a reason for their brake lights to be on...

I went to ACE and got an emergency flashing light used for the back of a bicycle.

The cost was $2.64 plus .23 tax total $2.87

Guess what else came today?
This will give me enough lights for both Engine Facilities.
The cost of this item is $12.99 S&H $6.99 tax $1.10 total $21.08

I started to install the light fixtures, but then decided
to test the LEDs and to strip the wires a bit longer than
the little tip that was there when delivered.