Week 212

Week 212

Sunday, August 19, 2018 thru Saturday, August 25, 2018

Sunday, August 19, 2018

Jan's B-day today.

No train activity.

Monday, August 20, 2018

Train Day!

 with Rob Fair

6-7:30pm

Rob Fair gets ready to solder.

For some reason, the overhead lights went out.
Rob Fair is checking the connections.

This time with no flash.

Soldering the LED light bar.
We are preparing for the Lake Street bridge lights.

Before we install the lights we need to cut a piece of hardwood to simulate a wall.
But, before we do that we need to fill in the gap between the sidewalk and the wall.

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Emily sent me this picture with the caption from Ida...

"Is this Boppa's train?" -Ida
Also enjoying the ride are Mabel and Henry.

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Train Day!

With Ed Nelson and Jordan Osborn

4-5:45pm

Jordan Osborn prepares for our afternoon session.

Ed Nelson is getting ready to paint the LED light bar.

Nice work!

Ed Nelson gluing the wall in preparation for installation.

Now we need to do the other side.
First, we need to measure and cut the hardboard.

Jordan Osborn changes out the knife blade so our work can be sharp and effective.

Back at Lake Street...
Ed Nelson and I drilled the holes and now getting ready to install the LED light bar.

We decided it would be much easier to remove the bridge.
So we did.

We  installed the spacers to make sure the glue would cure in the proper position.
Ed Nelson is using a black marker to help hide the wires.

Lights on!

Here's a better view of the lights on at night.
I like the look.

Next up...

Installing the street lights.

Thursday, August 23, 2018

No train activity today.

Mom and Dad stopped by for dinner and Rook.

Friday, August 24, 2018

No train activity today.

Saturday, August 25, 2018

Driving the train today at Kuipers from 8:15am to 6pm.

Week 211

Week 211

Sunday, August 12, 2018 thru Saturday, August 18, 2018

Sunday, August 12, 2018

Special Guest: Ron Beers

Bummer, no pictures!

But I'll have him and his wife, Becki, back to visit soon.

Monday, August 13, 2018

 Train Day!

6-7:30pm

Rob Fair stopped by today and we installed some fancy street lights on Lake Street.

Rob Fair drilling the holes for the street lights.

One street light already put in place.

Now all three are in place.
I bought three, but need to purchase 5 more.

Then Rob changed gears and started work on the city viaduct which will go directly over Lake Street.

Rob Fair cutting out notches for the vertical supports to rest securely.

His accomplishment for the evening.
Nice work, Rob!

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

No train activity today.

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Train Day!

4-5:15pm

Something new tonight.
We started off with pizza and chicken wings.
Thanks Jordan and Chrissa.

Full plates, Peace out, Run trains!

Ed Nelson and Jordan Osborn prepare to run some trains.

Ed Nelson keeps his eye on the prize.

Jordan Osborn observes from the engineer's seat, while Ed Nelson spots the train on site.

Twins leading unit coal train and realigning crossover #4

Length: 00:00:23 sec.

Metra Highball and another view of the Twins leading the Unit Coal Train

Length: 00:00:31 sec.

After Train Day, Jan, James, & Josiah paid a visit to the trains.

James getting the hair back so it doesn't get in the way.
Boy, does Josiah ever look different.

Street level and above street level watching with Daddy and Son.

Length: 00:00:30 sec.

More of Father & Son

Length: 00:00:17 sec.

Thursday, August 16, 2018

No train activity today.

Friday, August 17, 2018

No train activity today.

Saturday, August 18, 2018

First Day on the job at Kuipers Family Farm Fall Fest!

Engineer at the Train Depot.

Week 210

Week 210

Sunday, August 5, 2018 thru Saturday, August 11, 2018

Sunday, August 5, 2018

No train activity today.

Monday, August 6, 2018

Train Day!
Cancelled tonight.

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

No train activity today.

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Train Day! Cancelled today,
...but I did have some time with my grandson, Josiah..

After turning on all the lights, Josiah was ready to run some trains.

He keeps his head on a swivel so he doesn't miss any passing trains.

Length: 00:00:13 sec.

Thursday, August 9, 2018

No train activity today.

Friday, August 10, 2018
Watching my grandson, Josiah Crockett today.
Guess what we did?
Choo choo...Jordan Osborn also stopped by...

Look at me.

Look at each other.

Look down.

Wedding Train at Kuipers Family Farm

As I was running the train at Kuipers Family Farms I noticed this hawk on the cross.
He stayed perched on the cross for over 30 minutes.
Hard to see, but he's on the very top part of the cross.

Upon coming home after driving the wedding train James Crockett visited the train layout...

Length: 00:00:22 sec.

James Crockett stopped down to check out the train and even took some time to run some.

Saturday, August 11, 2108

Corner Cookout 70 Whittington Course

Week 209

Week 209

Sunday, July 29, 2018 thru Saturday, August 4, 2018

Sunday, July 29, 2018

Leave for mini-vacation to Dave & Rhonda Meyer's home in Colon MI 

Monday, July 30, 2018

Mini-vacation Colon MI

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Mini-vacation Colon MI

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Returning from mini-vacation in Colon MI

Thursday, August 2, 2018

No train activity today.

Friday, August 3, 2018

Special Guests:

l.tor. Charlie Zielke, Jan Berg, Mom, Ben Berg, Dad, Emily Zielke

Saturday, August 4, 2018

To prepare for Train Day on Monday, I needed to paint the "H" beams for Lake Street City Viaduct Construction.

First, I will paint using the black spray paint.

Flip over the beams and put on a second coat of black.

Finally, cover both sides with brown for the weathered look.

Also did a little work on CNW Powerhouse. I will end up cutting the bottom off and using the bottom of the windows as the base. I will order double doors for installation at street level. Probably also extend the trim to include a portion of Clinton Street in downtown Chicago.

Week 208

Week 208

Sunday, July 22, 2018 thru Saturday, July 28, 2018

Sunday, July 22, 2018

No train activity today.

Monday, July 23, 2018

Train Day with Rob Fair and Jordan Osborn!

We worked from 6pm - 8:15pm (2.25hrs.)

Here's what we did...

Jordan Osborn and I will work on the DCC system components.
Lots to learn...

Rob Fair will continue his work on the Lake Street City Viaduct construction site.
Here he is working on the support beams. We're getting closer to constructing the entire "L" girders.

Rob Fair measuring twice to cut once.

Jordan Osborn keeps up with the paperwork.
You know, there's more than what meets the eye in this train operation.

Here is the deck bridge that will span the tracks that lead to Chicago Terminal.

Rob Fair secured the girders to the end pieces which will then be connected to the "I" beams which will support the bridge over the tracks.

Rob Fair shows his handy work on the base of the "L" tracks which will be over Lake Street.

Another view of the deck bridge with "C" clamps in place.

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Josh Jones and Jordan Osborn came over for about 45 minutes (4:30-5:15pm) to help me run trains on the new DCC system.
I wanted to see if we could really run two trains in different directions.

Check this out...

My two Amigos (Josh Jones & Jordan Osborn) ready to test out the new DCC system.

We first brought out the commuter train westbound from Chicago Terminal.

Length: 00:00:26 sec.

Jordan Osborn and Josh Jones handling the controls at CCT.

Still shot of the next video...

Check out this video of two trains passing each other going in opposite directions.
Yes it can be done in DCC!

Length: 00:00:19 sec.

Upper and lower level trains running.

Length: 00:00:10 sec.

Trains rounding the curve at Melrose Park.

Length: 00:00:23 sec.

Trains meet around the South Power District bend.

Length: 00:00:16 sec.

Lots of videos tonight.
Gives you a pretty good idea of what the DCC system can do now that we couldn't do before.

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Train Day!
with Ed Nelson (Jordan Osborn couldn't make it today).

We continued to test the DCC System

Ed Nelson at the controls of the mainline freight.
We had to clear the mainline to run two commuter trains tonight.

Another view of Ed Nelson at Jump 2 (using a DC throttle to run a DCC controlled train).

There's the freight on it's final approach to Proviso Yard where we'll park this train.

Before Ed left for the day, we did a partial mock up of the CNW Powerhouse right off Lake Street in Chicago.

Thursday, July 26, 2018

Working on the RR...

I worked a bit on the CNW Powerhouse.
Starting to take shape.

Friday, July 27, 2018

Sleepover with Mae, Henry, and Ida...
We went to a movie, went out to eat, came home to play trains, before catching fireflies and then going to bed. Here is what we did with the trains:

Ida Zielke at the controls taking charge of one of the commuter trains.

Henry Zielke running the other Commuter Train.

An overview of tonight's action...

Length: 00:00:24 sec.

Henry starting dancing as he followed his train.

More dance moves...

I tried to capture Henry's dance on video, but I was too late.

I just missed Henry dancing, but here is his exit.

Length: 00:00:20 sec.

Saturday, July 28, 2018
Before we got the day started, Henry came downstairs to run some trains...

I captured Henry running alongside his train again in the monitor.

I kept watching him and he came out on the other side still tracking his train.