Week 495

Sun, Jan 21, 2024 thru Sat, Jan 27, 2024

Sun, Jan 21, 2024

Let's finish off the light install in the UP GP50 #53 locomotive

I glued a piece of styrene to hold the rear LED light bulb.

Then I glued in the light bulb and the leads.

Installing the front headlight now.

That project took me 1 hr. and 21 minutes.

Here's the finished product.
I tried to install a strobe light on top of the cab, but
the circuit board didn't fit inside the shell. Shucks!

The workbench after the job was done.

Here's the strobe light circuit board and wires I
will try to use for another project.

Mon, Jan 22, 2024

Up early to produce weekly update.

Installing lights back into UP GP50 #53.

Click here

to view YouTube video

Duration: 3:53 min

Train Day!

w/Rob Fair 6-8pm 2 hrs.

Jordan Osborn 6:15-7:45pm 1.5 hrs.

We begin our session with Jordan at Central Control Tower.

Rob starts the evening with the paperwork at the
Powder River Basin.

He is well into his assignment: Switching the arriving
Unit Coal Train 2A WB into the East Yard to fill
the cars with coal.

While Rob works in Wyoming, I will run the newly
equipped locomotive with the newly purchased cab car
from Chicago to Geneva and back.

On the Train Order Board that is priority train 17 & 18
shown in the top line labeled "Commuter".

Jordan stayed busy keeping the switches in line for me.

Last step: Putting the locomotive back at the 
Chicago Terminal Engine Shop.

Meanwhile, rob has loaded the coal and now preparing
to move the cars from the East Yard to the West Yard.
The train will depart from the West Yard heading east
to the Melrose Park Power Plant.

Rob starts to build the train starting at Track 1
(as shown) to Track 3.

Train is complete and ready for departure.
Not tonight, but soon.

Click here

to watch YouTube video of Rob Fair switching 

the Powder River Basin Unit Coal Train 2A EB

Duration: 3 min. 41 sec.

Tue, Jan 23, 2024

Got up early and worked on video of last night's operating session.

See previous day's entry to view video.

Wed, Jan 24, 2024

Spent about 1 hour updating paperwork for Unit Coal Train movements.

I will have a series of reports for the Unit Coal Train moving from the Melrose Park Power Plant

to Powder River Basin, switching, and then returning back to the Melrose Park Power Plant.

The paperwork will cover one round trip - start to finish.

Running Piggy-back Train 2C tonight.
The CNW GP9 is pulling out the train consist from 
Global 2 while the main power B3 waits on the main.

2/3 of the train is pulled from Global 2

That's our train, now we just need to connect to
Power B3 which are 2 SD40-2 UP DC locomotives

The CNW GP9 gives the train a push to connect to
the main power B3 at the top of the picture

Annual Fee for Power Director Video Editor Paid

$77.16

Thu, Jan 25, 2024

No train activity today.

Fri, Jan 26, 2024

Up early working on some Cars in Consist paperwork...

Sat, Jan 27, 2024

I'm going to try to tackle the street light replacement at Powder River Basin today.

Here we go...

I'll need to take out the old.

Make sure the lights work.

I checked all four light posts and they all worked.

Strip the ends to give me more wire to work with.

After the ends are trimmed...

I connect them together.
Red to red and black to black.

Next I glue the stand in place.

I used the magnet case as my guide.

Then I installed the resistors.
I don't think it matters, but I connect the resistors
to the Anode (+) end. It helps keep it consistent
throughout the layout.

I found out if I was careful I could assemble each
lamp post and have room to insert it through the hole
in the layout where I will mount the lamp posts.

Check out my weekly update for more on this project.

Click here

to view YouTube Video of

Season 2024 Blog 495

Duration: 6 mins. 30 sec.