Progress Report 08.21.10

Not much progress, but progress nevertheless.

Officials from the Peconic Railroad visited the Rock today.  The Peconic Railroad approves of the plans laid out by the Rock's engineering team.  There was only one slight modification requiring the movement of the station to the junction of the new mainline and the former competing railroad.  Also a small connector track between the competing railroad and the new mainline will be abolished.  Officials found the redundancy of connector tracks to the main and siding not necessary. 

The Peconic management surveyed other progress since their last visit including Stockdale, Joliet, Davenport Yard and Rock Island's industrial area.

Peconic Shops foreman inspected the #454 RS-2.  It was decided to swap chassis' as the electronics in the originally installed unit had picked up the alzheimers.  After reprogramming pertinent locomotive information, the #454 was tested and running well again.  Peconic Shops crews then looked at the troubled passenger fleet.  These particular cars are most troublesome.  Factory equipped wheels are too wide, replacement metal wheels create shorts, and plastic alternatives don't provide proper tracking.  After working for quite a while on the fleet, it was decided by management to sell these units at auction.  Peconic Shops did take one particularly testy unit back to their home shops to dissect the problem for research purposes.  Before Aunt Maude can form her protest group in Bureau, it was also announced by the Rock that the passenger fleet will be replaced with equipment from the Peconic Railroad.  It is expected that the Rock will take delivery of these in late September.

Later, construction crews worked through the evening constructing the Stock Paper Company in Joliet.  The large buildings towering over Joliet is quite a site.  Locals applaud the industrial progress made in the town. 

Track crews are expected to begin construction Monday or Tuesday in Blue Island.  Management is excited as the last bit of track is nearly complete for Phase I.