Week 132

Week 132

Sunday, February 5, 2017 thru Saturday, February 11, 2017

Monday, February 6, 2017

TRAIN NIGHT!

Rob Fair couldn't make it tonight, but Jordan and I got together and did three things...

1. ballast track at Kedzie Avenue Station

2. Installed lights over the doors on the Kedzie Avenue Tower

3. Finished installing the trim along the station platform at Kedzie Avenue.

Jordan Osborn expanding his work area.

I forgot to take the "before" shot.
But here's the "after" shot of the newly laid ballast.

Look closely over the doors and you'll see the holes for the wall mount lights.

And here the wall mount lights are installed over the doors.

This is the "before" shot of the unfinished station platform trim work.

And this is the "after" shot with the trim in place and held in for proper hold.

Jordan Osborn, "What just happened?"
That was a quick night on the railroad.
Time goes fast so better be efficient.
And tonight we were!
We got a lot accomplished.
Good work Crew!

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

TRAIN DAY!

Dean Hatzis and Jordan Osborn waited outside in the cold for me to arrive home.

Ed Nelson pulled up shortly after I got home.

We managed a few jobs in the next hour.

Here's what we accomplished...

Ed Nelson works on the details at Kedzie Avenue Station.

Here's the brick wall at Kedzie Avenue Station.

Jordan Osborn takes inventory on some boxes of donated train stuff.

While Ed Nelson continues the Kedzie Avenue details, Dean Hatzis continues work on the layout trim.

Ed securing the brick wall at Kedzie Avenue Station.

Another shot of the whole crew working at their jobs.

Before calling it a night, Dean Hatzis and I discuss the parts to the new Midland Warehouse building.

Thursday, February 9, 2017
Today I did some painting to prepare the way for the MIDLAND Warehouse building on Western Avenue.

I finished painting the front panel (far left) and the ledges to the window sills (cream color).

In the prototype the window frames are black, so I spay painted the window frames gloss black.

Yes, we're making progress and getting closer to making this really happen.

Finishing the South Power District.

Dean Hatzis thought we could wrap it up by this summer.

I believe we're on schedule.

Friday, February 10, 2017
Well, tonight I worked on the large Western Avenue Warehouse.
I'm bound and determined to continue to make progress on the South Power District so as not to slow down the crew. So here we go...

As you know, I painted the window frames black to match the prototype.
Now it's time to install.

So far so good. Putting things in order for the next steps in assembly.

With the window frames in place (this is the back view to show the original color)  I begin to assemble the walls.
First the base of the front wall (bottom right corner).

Next, I check out the other walls prior to assembly.
This is the front view to show the new paint scheme.

Saturday, February 11, 2017

The base of the front wall is in place.
Next we attach the side walls.

And then we attach the front and back AND the elevator housing, skylights, and the roof.
That was a lot in one step.

Week 131

Week 131

Sunday, January 29, 2017 thru Saturday, February 4, 2017

It's so hard to believe we're in Week 131 of the Project RR. 

We've been at this for 2.5 years.

If you think about it, we've really made a lot of progress since we only work once a week for 1.5 hours.

I'm very proud of what we've accomplished.

Sunday, January 29, 2017

I wanted to make sure I finished up what we discussed at our last train session.

Here's the finished product...

I installed all the lights on the "skinny" building at Western Avenue.
This is the back loading dock view.

This is the front of the building facing Western Avenue.
I think it was a brillant idea to put on the front wall mount door lights.
It really looks great, don't you think?

Monday, January 30, 2017
TRAIN NIGHT!

It was just Rob Fair and me tonight.

Here's what we did...

Rob Fair had to pull some wires that got crimped and then resolder and repackaged into the base of the GE AC6000.

I continued work on the chain link fence.

Rob Fair attaching the base unit with new speakers installed into place. 

Here's Rob with his little GE AC6000 on the line.
Next week we have two more things to do.
Repair some fallen MU cables and reinstall the couplers on both ends.
NOTE: while we were testing we also cleaned the wheels with GOO GONE.

Here's the west end of GLOBAL 1 with chain line fence complete.

I've started to turn the corner.
Question: Do you notice anything?
Answer: see below...

Here's another view of the finished chain line fence on the western end of Global 1.

Answer: No horitzonal support on the bottom of the chain link fence.

Tuesday, January 31, 2017
I stopped by HobbyTown and checked to see if they had the Walthers Building.

They did!

I bought it and a street kit from Woodland Scenics

Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Emily's B-day today!
Also Train DAY!

Ed Nelson and Josh Jones couldn't make it tonight, but everyone else was here.

Here's some pics to capture tonight's activities...

Dean Hatzis continues installing the trim around the South Power District.

Carlos Baez removes the tape at the corners of the "skinny" building on Western Avenue.

Jordan Osborn is just getting over a cold so not as photogenic as his usual self.

Dean Hatzis putting some power behind the drill.

Another look at the Kedzie Avenue Metra Station

Jordan Osborn and Carlos Baez checking out the parts in the new building kit.

Dean Hatzis continues work on the trim.

Dean Hatzis and Carlos Baez discuss plans for the new building.

The same two finish off trim work for the night.

Week 130

Week 130

Sunday, January 22, 2017 thru Saturday, January 28, 2017

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Jordan and I went to B&G Train World Hobby Store in Elgin IL to purchase a few items that we need to proceed.

Here's a picture of what we brought home.

Wall mount lamps to finish off the "skinny" Western Avenue building.
Plastic pieces for curbs and cutters.
Stone block walls for the Western Avenue underpass.

I couldn't wait to install the wall-mount lamps.
One is installed above the roof access door, the other is installed above door by the back loading dock.

Here's the outside view of the wall-mounted lamp above the door near the back loading dock.

Monday, January 23, 2017

Our session tonight was from 5:30-7pm.

Rob Fair working on installing the new speakers on the GE AC6000.

The two amigos (Josh Jones & Jordan Osborn) getting back together again.

Josh Jones painting the trim work for the station platforms.

Meanwhile, back at the workbench, Rob Fair continues to reassemble the AC6000 with new speakers.

Moving on to the next project...here is Josh Jones now painting the stone wall white.

Whah lah! The finished product.
Let's take another picture without the bright light in the background.

There, that's much better.
Nice work, Josh!

Oh, oh. this doesn't look good.
The last picture looked just about finished.
Now this looks like we're going in the opposite direction.
Must have hit a glitch.

As they guys kept busy on their projects, I did some chain link fence work.
The west end is nearly complete.

Tuesday, January 24, 2017
I was working on the railraod a bit tonight.

Here's a quick update...

Check out the progress on the chain link fence.

Also, getting closer on the "skinny" Western Avenue building.

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

TRAIN DAY!

Working only 1 hour (from 4-5pm) for six weeks. 

Carlos, Dean, & Curt all attend a Conflict Resolution class at church tonight. 

So...we gotta quit early so we can eat dinner and get to church on time.

Here is the crew waiving to Carlos who couldn't make it tonight.
Carlos did a very good thing and visited a prayer meeting at church tonight.
Left to right: Ed Nelson, Dean Hatzis, & Jordan Osborn

And here's what we did tonight...

Dean Hatzis & Ed Nelson (with Jordan Osborn checking in) apply the first piece of trim work.

Dean Hatzis workiing with Ed Nelson installing the first pieces of trim to the layout.

Making progress...

This was accomplished with less than an hour to work with.
We'll pick it up from here next week.

Saturday, January 28, 2017

On our TRAIN DAY this past Wednesday we discussed some project work that needs attention before our next session.

Here's a quick recap of that discussion...in pictures.

See the set of windows facing up?
Well the windows facing down on the opposite wall had no window frames.
I'm gluing in some black felt paper to cover those window openings.

I realize this is a very weird shot.
The front wall of the "skinny" building is sitting flat on the corner of the layout.
Why? So I could mount the wall mounted lamps.
The guys decided we needed some over-the-door-wall-mount-lamps for the front of the building.