Week 333

 Sun, Dec 13, 2020 thru Sat, Dec 19, 2020

This Week's Goals

1. Begin work on Clinton Ave. wall sections

Progress: Decide how to proceed during Monday Train Day.

2. Begin work on California Ave. Metra Maintenance Facility entrance off Sacramento Blvd. 

Progress: Not Started, hopefully we'll start on Monday.

3. More Weathering Locomotive Roster 

Progress: Started Fri, Dec. 11, 2020. Six done, nineteen to go.

4. Coming soon: Work on streets/parking lots in Industrial Park

Progress: Laid out markings, but not officially started yet.

Sun, Dec 13, 2020

Dang! I thought this  picture turned out.
I must have moved a bit as I took the picture.
This was supposed to be the BEFORE shot.

And this one is the AFTER shot.

AFTER - different perspective.

Checking out the weathered locomotives

Length: 00:00:27 sec.

Mon, Dec 14, 2020

Train Day!

w/Rob Fair and Jordan Osborn

6-8pm 2 hrs.

Rob Fair getting ready for tonight's project.
He'll be tackling Goal #2 tonight.

Jordan Osborn greeting our arrival.

Removing the work station.
Goal #2

Here's what we're working on.
The entrance to California Ave. Metra Maintenance
Facility.

Rob Fair cutting the foundation for the building.

One more look at the line of weathered locomotives.

All the weathered locomotives back in place.

Video of a train meet (not "match")!

Where did that come from?

Length: 00:00:30 sec.

Tue, Dec 15, 2020

I needed to do some sign printing so I decided to print out the signage for the 

Metra Maintenance Facility at California Ave.

Laying out the signage.

Another view.

Also working on the entrance off Sacramento Blvd.
I took these Google photos for Rob to use on Monday.

Moving into GOAL #1. Here's some progress...

Entrance/Exit to parking garage under terminal.

Prototype

Added the posters.

Wed, Dec 16, 2020

SPECIAL GUESTS

My Mom & Dad came over for dinner tonight
and then came down to check out the train.

After Mom & Dad left I worked out another prototype
picture which I will model along Clinton Ave.

Here's where the underpass will go.
Just below Rt.66 above.

Thu, Dec 17, 2020

Today I weathered my first CNW locomotive.

I also finished weathering the last of the UP fleet.

Now it's time to start the wall along Clinton Ave.
in downtown Chicago near the Chicago Terminal.

Here's the prototype photo that I will  incorporate
into the model.

Assembling the wall...

Finishing up the final section.

All the pieces are glued together.

How does it fit in place?
Pretty good, I'd say.

Fri, Dec 18, 2020

Before painting, I need to put the top layer which
is called the cornice.

Time to paint.

Done!

Now to paint the dock doors which I will use as
windows blackened in to look shaded.

On to the next project while the paint dries.
I mounted the Metra signs on styrene to make them 
stand out a bit.

Here are the signs ready to be mounted on the building.

I attached this one using the Gorilla super glue
you see in the picture.

Front sign installed.
Still need to mount the side signs.

Sat, Dec 19, 2020

I added the wall supports to the back wall and then
painted to give the finished look.

Another view of the same photo.

After painting it's time to install the "windows".

Windows installed and now for the parking garage
entrance and exit.

Details added.

Close up / model.

Close up / prototype

Model angle to match...

...prototype.
What do you think?

Finally, one last thing before we close out week 333

Mounted the sign on the Metra Maintenance Facility.

Also the west dock.

You'll have to wait for morning to check out the east dock.

Instead of waiting until next week, I took the next picture Sunday morning so you could see the results right here and now...

The sign is a little lower than I thought, but it will do.

This Week's Goals Progress Report

1. Begin work on Clinton Ave. wall sections

Progress: Began project this week. See Start up Tue, Dec 15 entry...more to follow...

2. Begin work on California Ave. Metra Maintenance Facility entrance off Sacramento Blvd. 

Progress: Started Mon, Dec. 14 Train Day!

3. More Weathering Locomotive Roster 

Progress: Started Fri, Dec. 11, 2020. UP fleet complete. Started CNW; finished one.

4. Coming soon: Work on streets/parking lots in Industrial Park

Progress: Laid out markings, which means we've unofficially started planning, but not construction.

Week 332

 Sun, Dec. 6, 2020 thru Sat, Dec. 12, 2020

This Week's Goals:

1. Finish final details on CNW Powerhouse

Progress: Interior walls, roof panels, roof details, membrane

2. Begin work on Clinton Ave. wall sections

Progress: Review design and layout

3. Begin work on California Ave. Metra Maintenance Facility entrance off Western Ave. 

Progress: Not Started

Sun, Dec. 6, 2020

Cutting out the wall sections and roof panels for CNW Powerhouse

Not secured, but adding details to CNW Powerhouse.
It's going to be tricky cutting around the chimney.

Mon, Dec. 7, 2020

My Christmas present arrived today.
Just in time for...

Train Day!

w/Rob Fair & Jordan Osborn

6-8pm 2 hrs.

Kato C44-9W Union Pacific runs like a champ.

Length: 00:00:27 sec.

Adding motive power to the UP fleet.
Christmas present is the engine on the left foreground.

Rob Fair working on the wall sections in the
CNW Powerhouse.

Jordan Osborn greeting our fans.

Rob Fair continues the placing of pieces.

And when they didn't fit quite right he went to 
the workbench to make it right.

Track cleaning car in front of C44-9W

Length: 00:00:11 sec.

More of track cleaning car with Christmas present...

Length: 00:00:06 sec.

Final picture of the night.
All the walls in place and secured.
Roof panels in place, but still need to
secure RTUs (Roof Top Units).

Tue, Dec. 8, 2020

No Train Activity Today

Wed, Dec. 9, 2020

More Christmas presents
arrived today.

Time to build the RTU for CNW Powerhouse.

My goal is to finish these
four RTU in the bottom 
right corner

Mission accomplished!

Another view of the 4 RTUs (Roof Top Units)

Thu, Dec. 10, 2020

My last Christmas present arrived today.
Much smaller than I expected.

I will continue to assemble &
prepare the RTUs for painting.

Done! Now it's time to paint.

I tried the paint, but nothing came out.
So I switched caps and had success.
That's called "Experience".

And here's what the RTUs look like after painting.

Now it's time to paint the roof panels.

Top OFF!

Top ON!

RTUs in place.
Next step? Secure RTUs to roof panels and this
project will be history!!!

Hard to tell with the shadows, but here's where
I'm going to plant the trees that came today.

Fri, Dec. 11, 2020

Another try at capturing the border shrubs.

Finishing up the roof details on the CNW Powerhouse

Closeup

I'm not sure what got into me, but I thought I'd try
my hand at weathering my new Kato C44-9W.

I used "asphalt" paint and watered it down - 
no specific formula.

I'm getting tired of the shiny plastic look, so it's time to step up my game.

I tried two locomotives tonight...

Really hard to see in this photo.
I'll take another closeup tomorrow.

I added black tape which I will paint later.

Jordan Osborn stopped by this afternoon for a few minutes.

What u talkin' 'bout Willis?

Since the engine track is a bit too short...

I thought today would be a good day to extend it.

Sat, Dec. 12, 2020

Need picture of RTUs and roof panels now complete

Finished project...

GOAL #1 DONE! Completed Sat, Dec. 12, 2020

Now on to weathering...another first...

Here's the AFTER photo of weathering my first loco.

Here is the BEFORE photo from yesterday

BEFORE weathering.

My third locomotive weathering attempt.
BEFORE

AFTER

And still another attempt.
BEFORE

AFTER

I also finished "planting"
the shrubs along the perimeter
at the Melrose Park Power Plant.

Not on the goal list, but I wanted to get started
on the streets in the Industrial Park.

One perspective.

Another perspective of the same area.

I also started GOAL #2
Here's one idea.

And here's another idea.

If you look at the prototype I think  you'll agree the first one is closer to the prototype than the second one.

This is the prototype taken from a different angle
than the model picture above it.

This Week's Goals Progress Report:

1. Finish final details on CNW Powerhouse

Progress: DONE! Finished Sat, Dec. 12, 2020

2. Begin work on Clinton Ave. wall sections

Progress: Started Project Sat, Dec. 12, 2020 laying out the pieces to see what we have...

3. Begin work on California Ave. Metra Maintenance Facility entrance off Western Ave. 

Progress: Not Started, hopefully we'll start on Monday.

4. Weathering Locomotive Roster 

Progress: Started Fri, Dec. 11, 2020. Four done, twenty-one to go.