Week 325

 Sun, Oct. 18, 2020 thru Sat, Oct. 24, 2020

This week's goals:

1. Purchase transformer for California Avenue Metra Maintenance Facility

2. Purchase sub station for Melrose Park Power Plant

3. Finish up projects from last week.

Sun, Oct. 18, 2020

Still on vacation.

Mon, Oct. 19, 2020

Still on vacation

Tue, Oct. 20, 2020

Coming back today from vacation.

Wed, Oct. 21, 2020

I stopped by B&G Train World in Elgin to buy goals 1 & 2

I bought these two items.

The substation will go here at the
Melrose Park Power Plant.

And the transformer will go here at the
California Avenue Metra Maintenance Facility

And this is what I paid for these items.
Transformer: $13.50
Substation: $31.50
Taxes: $3.83

Thu, Oct. 22, 2020

Now it's time to paint the parts...

Painted the substation a flat gray (2X).
Ran out of flat gray and used the lighter gray for some parts (NOW).
Painted the chain link fence a metallic gray (ACE).

Painted the transformer flat gray (2X).

Fri, Oct. 23,2020

I dropped my phone in the dish water yesterday.

Had to buy a new phone today.

Are the pictures any different using this new phone?

Starting to assemble the transformer kit...

I read the directions.
Laid out the parts.
Now it's time to cut them off the spur.

Time to glue.

Just need to add some extra paint detail and decals.

Transformer temporarily in place.
I still will add the chain link fence and a few other details.

Sat, Oct. 24, 2020

Train Day!

Moved from Mon. this week to today!

Rob Fair from 1pm-3:15pm (2.25 hrs.)

Here's what we did...

I'd like to try to recreate the power tower to the 
left of the roadway. Let's see how we do...
(see picture below for what we made
out of these two utility poles).

Rob Fair mixing the ground scape for the base of
the substation.

First he covered all the holes on the base with tape.
Then he painted the areas where
there would be ground scape.

Here's the finished product.

Now it's time to do the same thing for the
transformer base at the
California Avenue Metra Maintenance Facility.

Here's where the substation will be located.

Rob finished the ground scape at California yard.

Filling in a section between the transformer base
and the road.

Now it's time to work on the power tower.

In the meantime, I found the proper paint to spray
on the chain link fence parts.

Now it's time to set the transformer in place.

First, we secure the floor of the transformer.

Length: 00:00:32 sec.

Now we set the transformer in place.

Length: 00:00:30 sec.

Transformer now in place, ready for operation.

Remember the picture we started today?
Here's the final "kit bashed" product.

A very busy workplace today.

Jordan stopped by to deliver the RT4 which finally
came from Digitrax. It traveled there and back twice.
Jordan only stayed a few minutes but he was anxious
to get this back into my hands.

Thanks Jordan!

You're a great neighbor!

Week 324

 Sun, Oct. 11, 2020 thru Sat, Oct. 17, 2020

This week's Goals

1. Finish out buildings at the California Ave. Metra Maintenance Facility

2. Begin work at the California Avenue entrance

3. Finish details not completed last week...

Sun, Oct. 11, 2020

Step 11
I determined the shed on the left is ok as is.
The shed on the right where the weights are in place
needs a bit extra lift so I cut a piece of "asphalt" to fit.

I also revisited the switch stand which got stuck
again and used polish remover to unstick the mechanism.

Mon, Oct. 12, 2020

I  had a little time before my doctor's appt. this morning to work on the RR

I finished freeing up the switch stand so Rob can
finish the chain link fence tonight.

In preparation for Train Day! I moved the CNW mixed train to Proviso Yard.

Length: 00:00:30 sec.

Train Day!

with Rob Fair and Jordan Osborn

6-8pm 2 hrs.

Rob Fair getting his tools together for tonight's work.

As Jordan Osborn readies for his duties for tonight.

Jordan and I will finish moving the trains tonight.

The coal train needs to be unloaded at the Power Plant.

The CNW mixed freight needs to be parked at Proviso.

Both locomotive pairs will be put away at their prospective tracks

at the CNW engine facility.

Rob finished the chain link fence around the 
California Ave. Metra Maintenance Facility.

Another view.

It's on to the grove of trees between Global 1
and California Ave. Metra Maintenance Facility.

Another view.

After Rob finished the base, he begins to fill
in the perimeter with foliage.

Taking shape and looking good!

Step 12
Filling in the background.
I took this photo to match the previous series.

Tue, Oct. 13, 2020

Clearing the mainline using train movements.

This is what you call "operations"...

First, taking the switcher out of the Locomotive Shop

Length: 00:00:31 sec.

Next, we'll take the long journey to meet our cars

Length: 00:00:33 sec.

Then we switch off the mainline into the siding

Length: 00:00:37

Making sure the switch is flipped we continue thru the yard

Length: 00:00:30

Reaching our destination

Length: 00:00:14

Final destination: Global 1 yard

Length: 00:00:18

Wed, Oct. 14, 2020

Jan and I are leaving on a jet plane today.

We'll return from Durango CO

on Tue, Oct. 20, 2020...

Thu, Oct. 15, 2020

Vacation

Fri, Oct. 16, 2020

Vacation

Sat, Oct. 17, 2020

On vacation, but do I have a treat for you.

Here's a link to the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge RR

This is Day 4 on our vacation, so go past the balloons and the hike to start the train part...

Click here to D&S NG RR

Also, since I'll be taking you to my vacation blog, feel free to check out the rest of our vacation.

It probably won't mean as much to you as it does to me, but you can still view if you want.

Week 323

 Sun, Oct. 4, 2020 thru Sat, Oct. 10, 2020

This week's goals:

1. Finish grove of trees and chain link fence

between Global 1 and California Ave. Metra Facility

2. Work on California Avenue entrance.

3. Work on California Avenue out buildings.

Sun, Oct. 4, 2020

Bringing out the coal train from Powder River Basin.

These next videos show the process and movement of cars

out of the Powder River Basin

Length: 00:00:30 sec.

This video shows the hook up to the back of the train

Length: 00:00:08 sec.

Here is the train leaving Powder River Basin

Length: 00:00:30 sec.

And finally, the train makes the crossover to left hand running.

Length: 00:00:33 sec.

Mon, Oct. 5, 2020

Train Day!

w/Rob Fair and Jordan Osborn

6-8pm 2 hours

 Rob Fair starting off tonight making
posts for the chain link fence.

Jordan Osborn greets the crew to start off the night.

My wife, Jan, thought she could sneak by
without making a cameo appearance.
No way, I had to capture the moment.
Although she made it very clear,
"I'm not here for the trains."

A rare shot of me working :)
Here I'm drilling holes for
the chain link fence posts.

Rob Fair has picked up the action and started 
installing the posts.

Rob Fair reacts to a spider on the layout.
I do have several of them that visit now and again.

Now Rob attaches the fence to the posts.
Looks good, Rob!

Meanwhile, back at the control tower, Jordan
and I make lists of Train Types and power units.

Here's the list that matches the power units with 
the train types.

Videos showing the Coal Train from Powder River Basin

delivering coal to the Melrose Park Power Station

Coming from the mainline to the spur line

Length: 00:00:30 sec.

Begin first leg into the yard at the Power Station

Length: 00:00:16 sec.

End first leg into the yard at the Power Station

Length: 00:00:30

Begin second leg into the yard at the Power Station

Length: 00:00:08 sec.

More work on the chain link fence.

Oops!

The very last thing we did was discover a switch stand too close to the fence post. We had to remove the fence post to get to the switch stand. We thought we glued the post to the switch stand. After further review and nail polish remover, I discovered the switch was stuck due to the ballast and not the glue from the fence post. After Rob and Jordan left for the night, I went back to fix the problem.

Tue, Oct. 6, 2020

No train activity today.

Wed, Oct. 7, 2020

No train activity today.

Thu, Oct. 8, 2020

Working on the RR...

Goal #3 California Ave. Metra Maintenance Facility outbuilding foundation

These are the outbuildings that need foundations
added to get them up to street level.

Step 1
Clear the area.

Step 2
Remove the shoulder from the road.

Step 3
Load the shoulder material into trucks.

Step 4
Haul the material away for later use.

Step 5
Cut out template for "foundation".
I'll be using styrene and an "asphalt" layer for the "foundation"

Fri, Oct. 9, 2020

Working on the RR this afternoon...

Step 6
Using the template, I cut out the "foundation" and
"asphalt" layers I will use to elevate the buildings.

Step 7
Here is the cut out piece of styrene that will bring
the buildings up to street level.

Step 8
I may or may not use the asphalt layer.
I need to see how it all fits together.

SPECIAL GUESTS

After dinner, Mom and Dad came down to check on the progress

After giving an update on the RR, I ran a train
while Mom and Dad counted the cars.

Dad still counting...

We had 31 cars on the train.
Mom and Dad ask good questions when the come 
and check out the layout additions.

Sat, Oct. 10, 2020

Work continues on the RR...

Step 9
Securing the styrene underlayment overnight.

Step 10
Putting the buildings back in place and making
determination if we need to add more layers.

See next week's blog (Week 324) for more progress.