Sun, Dec 3, 2023 thru Sat, Dec 9, 2023
Sun, Dec 3, 2023
Starting off this week where we left off last week...
...at the workbench.
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| I ended up fixing this broken hand rail AND replacing both couplers. |
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| Nice! |
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| Next was to consist these two together. I've had a lot of problems with these two so I may need to use JMRI to restart to factory settings and start over. |
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| Well, too many issues, so I'm starting over. I called up JMRI on the computer. |
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| After resetting both locomotives to factory reset, I worked on speed matching them to similar speeds. |
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| Here are my notes to track the changes... |
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| I must have made 8 adjustments before deciding on the final steps to use for each locomotive. |
Now, hopefully this will work for operations tomorrow night during TRAIN DAY!
Mon, Dec 4, 2023
Train Day!
with Jordan Osborn & Marcus Thorsen
6-7:30pm 1.5 hrs.
Lots of discussion today,
and failed train operations.
UGH!
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| Opening discussion... |
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| More discussion - Hamas, Israel, Palestine, you name it... |
And then there was a short...here's the progression...
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| The display shows, "Loco" |
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| The light flashes and makes a clicking sound... the first "o" shows on the screen... |
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| The first "o" makes a run across the display... |
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| Moving from first to second place... |
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| 2nd place to... |
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| 3rd place, then to... |
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| 4th place... |
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| Finally to the 4th position. Then repeat. |
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| Jordan taking our final parting shot. Train 5A pick up at the RIP tracks complete. This is where the trains started shorting and we don't know where the problem is located that is causing the short. More trouble-shooting tomorrow... |
Tue, Dec 5, 2023
I got up early this morning to check out the short...
Here's what I found:
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| I took off one car at a time starting with the lead locomotive, until I found the car that caused the short. I found the car right at Washington Street. You can see the gap between cars off the tracks and cars on the tracks. |
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| This car is the culprit. It's on the workbench so I can check the continuity between the wheels. Maybe one of the wheels isn't insulated which would short the tracks. |
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| Ready to try another run. |
Came back tonight and ran Train 5A and found more problems...
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| More cars either uncouple or derail. Will I ever be able to get to the point where there are no problems? |
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| The yellow car needs new metal wheels. The SD60M has electrical problems. |
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| I ran 4 laps yesterday. I'm ready for the 5th lap tonight. |
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| Ready for the last lap. |
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| Train 5A heading into the yard. |
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| Heading WB on the EB track heading into Proviso Yard CNW EB tracks. |
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| Train 5A led by Power C2 enter Proviso Yard CNW track 1. |
As soon as I finish this run, pick up the cabooses, and put away the locomotive
we will call it a day.
Wed, Dec 6, 2023
I decided to work at the workbench tonight.
I have several cars that need attention.
Eventually I'll get to those locomotives, still a little fearful of that project.
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| Here are all the cars that failed on our last TEST run. |
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| Some of these cars I'm going to leave at the workbench so I can run the train without these cars to see if that train can make it to the winner's circle without these. |
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| All cars are taken care of. Either at the workbench, or on the layout. You saw the ones at the workbench above... |
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| Here are the two that were easy fixes and ready to be added to Train 5A on the next WB run. |
Do you remember that black gondola car?
It was the car that shorted out the layout this week.
Well, I figured it out...
The trucks on this car are made with metal so when I added metal wheels it was too much.
After I switched the wheel sets back to plastic, the problem was solved.
Very interesting...
Thu, Dec 7, 2023
No train activity today.
Fri, Dec 8, 2023
I've been working on the RR...
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| Look what came in the mail today! The people and some light fixtures. |
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| I also did some rolling stock repairs. Adjusting coupler height using washers. |
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| And replacing a horn hook coupler on one side with a knuckle coupler. |
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| Time to work on the UP SD60M 6332 |
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| First I removed the side frames. |
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| Then I lifted the shell... |
Sat, Dec 9, 2023
More work on the RR...
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| After removing the shell I found a strand of wire that was loose. |
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| I also thought maybe this connection needed to be secured. |
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| Before securing the shell, I thought I better test it out. |
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| Testing proved successful. |
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| Back in business! SWEET! |
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| Hey! Look what else came in the mail! YEAH! |
More light fixtures for the station platforms.
Well done to the Engine surgeon.
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