Week 502

Sun, Mar 10, 2024 thru Sat, Mar 16, 2024

Sun, Mar 10, 2024

My son, Ben, helping bring the new cabinet downstairs
to the basement train room.

My son-in-law, Brian, helping
on the other end.

Success!

My other son-in-law, James, gets a train update.
He actually asked if he could see what's happening!
Thank you James!

Cabinet full of "stuff". Everything cleaned up!

Still making minor changes
on what goes on the shelves.

Installed easy on/off switches so I don't need to unplug
the cord from the power strip when I do night trains.

Mon, Mar 11, 2024

Train Day!

w/Rob Fair 6-8pm 2 hrs.

Jordan Osborn 6-7pm

Special Guest: Chrissa Osborn (Jordan's Mom)

Rob will be taking out the 1960s Train 3A tonight.
Power assigned is B3 UP SD40-2 DC Analog units.

Jordan chillin' at Central Control Tower

Jordan's mom stopped by for a visit.

Getting a closer look behind the scenes.

We finished the night off starting work at the
Berkeley/Winfield station.

Preparing to install the station platforms.

Cutting the cork to use as the base.

Gluing in the cork base

Adding the station platform to the base.
The station improvements have begun at Berkeley/Winfield station.

Tue, Mar 12, 2024

Making progress on the Berkeley/Winfield station platforms

Adding the wood trim.

Finishing touches.

Worked on it for 15 minutes.

Wed, Mar 13, 2024

Time for more work...waiting for glue gun to warm up.

Cutting out the base and the platforms for the station side.

Gluing both in place.

Adding the wood trim.

Staining the wood trim.

Tomorrow I will paint the platforms and then, after the paint dries, weather the platforms.

Thu, Mar 14, 2024

Painting the platforms black

All done!

Installing the crosswalk to platform 2

Gluing down the crosswalk pieces.

Checking clearance for the commuter car - Track 1

Checking clearance for the commuter car - Track 2

Checking clearance for the intermodal car - Track 1

Checking clearance for the intermodal car - Track 2

After the glue dried this is how the crosswalk turns out
Nice!

Now for the ballast!

And the yellow safety lines.

Finally, after those two things, weathering

Fri, Mar 15, 2024

We took a drastic turn for the better this week.

Instead of working on the lights at the CNW Engine Facility as planned,

I've changed my mind and instead am working on the Winfield/Berkeley Train Station.

Here's more progress to report:

Working on the base pieces for both station platforms.

Base pieces in place.

Now it's time to install the yellow safety line.

Yellow safety line in place.

Laying out where the light posts should go.

Marking where each post should be installed

Drilling out the holes for light posts & building lights.

Cleaning up the mess and putting in the building lights.

All the light posts and building lights in place.

Clean up the mess.

Add weathering to the station platforms.

Getting ready for ballast

Sprinkle on ballast for both Tracks 1 & 2.

Sat, Mar 16, 2024

Up early to get some more work done at Winfield/Berkeley station...

Ballasting STEPS

STEP 1:
Use eye dropper to put in solution of water and Dawn
dishwashing detergent. I little dab will do ya.

STEP 2:
Use similar solution but include some glue in this
application. Still using an eye dropper.

STEP 3:
Use a cloth to wipe down the rail tops before the
moister dries on the rails.

Looking good! Now we wait for the glue to set.

I went ahead and ballasted the next section up to
the Proviso Yard lead switches.

Finally, I painted the white platforms a gray color
to match the current sidewalks around the stations.

And NOW...
for the road and parking lot...

Entry road

Really taking shape.

Just about complete.

Special Guest:
My grandson, Josiah!

Weekly Layout Update

Season 2024 Blog 502

Click here

to view YouTube Video

Duration: 4:47 mins.