Week 620

Sun, Jun 14, 2026 thru Sat, Jun 20, 2026

Sun, Jun 14, 2026

Driving by the Elburn Metra Train Yard on the Anderson Road overpass...

Seen on our travels today.

Mon, Jun 15, 2026

My grandson, Josiah, and I finally got some time to play trains...

Josiah kept busy keeping up with his train - the
Unit Coal Train 2A bound for the Powder River Basin

Checking out the Signal Bridge #1 making sure
he has a green signal.

Getting ready to move to a new location.

I asked Josiah to tell me what it was like to be the engineer
of the unit coal train tonight. You can hear his answer
in the link to the YouTube video production found
in the Saturday's entry later in this week's blog.

Tue, Jun 16, 2026

Setting up the next Train Order Board Sequence Train 7

Sequence Train 7 Mixed Freight Train 5C EB

Mainline Power will be C5 CNW GP38-2 & GP50
4634 & 5053 DC Analog

Conductor's Train Cars in Consist Manifest sheet

Using Mainline Power to pull out cars for EB Train 5C

Entire train pulled out of yard and waiting for
dispatcher's clearance to proceed.

Caboose of same train just clear of Proviso Yard
East Yard switch.

I will mark down .25 of an hour for the time of
operation for prepping Sequence Train 7

Wed, Jun 17, 2026

Hopefully Josiah and I can run Sequence Train 7 

Mixed Freight Train 5C EB on it's 5 lap journey today.

Yes we did...

Josiah set up the layout this afternoon.

Here he is getting ready to run Sequence Train 7
Mixed Freight Train 5C EB 5 laps.

Josiah likes to move around and follow his train...

...usually dancing as he goes.

SPECIAL GUEST
Elliott Brooks

Elliott stayed with the Berg Family for a semester during 

Billy's junior year in High School and my Sophomore year at Wheaton.

The three amigos/hermanos.

Thu, Jun 18, 2026

Finishing touches on Sequence Train 7 dropping
off 6 cars from Mixed Freight Train 5C EB at
Industrial Park Transfer Track

After switching the Train Cars in Consists for 5C
the CNW road light power returns to Engine Facility

Oops! I forgot to pick up the caboose.

After picking up the caboose I return the light power
to the CNW Engine Facility (CNWEF)

One more look at Power C5 on Track 5 at CNWEF

Here's the manifest sheet which shows the cars
I dropped off. Two at MPPP5 and 6 at IP TT.

Here are the two loaded coal hoppers I dropped off
on Track 5 at the Melrose Park Power Plant

Here are the 6 cars on the Transfer Track.
Two for the industries in the Industrial Park.
Four for the Grain Elevator.

Now on to Sequence Train 7.25
Moving the incoming Unit Coal Train off the
mainline into PRB East yard.

Mission accomplished!

Final view of Mission Accomplished.
That took about 17 minutes.

Fri, Jun 19, 2026

Working on the RR - Ballast maintenance on the mainline.

This track was fixed long ago, but finally on the
work order list to complete today!

Need to fill in gaps formed from repairs to mainline
with ballast.

Using homemade medium ballast "pink lady"

This section is one of three thatwill be finished today.

Here's the middle of three sections.

And here's the other end of the three sections.

Next phase of the project is to wet the ballast
and then glue it down to secure to the roadbed.

Final step is to add the workers.

All six workers have a job to do today.
Focus is on the far workers.

Focus on the near workers.

All six track maintenance workers
working on the railroad.

Finishing the last part of Sequence Train 7.25.

Placing coal loads in Unit Coal Train 2A-P3.

Coal Loads added.

That took less than
5 minutes.

Sat, Jun 20, 2026

 Wrapping up the week...

Click here

to view Weekly Layout Update

Duration: 06:58 min:sec

Description

What's ON Track this week?

*Special Guest: My grandson, Josiah

*Unit Coal Train WB to Powder River Basin

*Sequence Train 7 Mixed Freight Train 5C EB

*Special Guest: My friend, Elliott

*Re-ballasting Mainline Track with Track Maintenance Crew

*Thanks for watching and providing your comments!