Saturday, July 24, 2010

100 Day Report + 5

Today is day 105 as an N scaler...

Progress continues on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad!  Progress was slow over the past week with family in town, but we continued to make a push to get a little done each evening.

The biggest accomplishment of this past week was laying track up the ovalix.  Still one loop shy of completion, the track laying process has gone well.  Preliminary testing up and down the ovalix to date has been successful. 

Today, I was joined by the creative work forces of the Charleston, Roanoke & Eastern and the Peconic Railroads.  I wasn't quite sure what we would accomplish, but desired to continue working on the subroadbed.  We pushed forward and made significant progress!  I'm happy to report that the subroadbed for Phase I of the CRI&P N Scale layout is complete!!!  Subroadbed was cut and installed from Stockdale (at the top of the Ovalix) through Joliet (out and back across the upper peninsula) and over to Blue Island completing the benchwork!  Wahoo!!  What an awesome feeling to get this far so quickly!! 

Many many thanks go out to Marcus Neubacher of the Charleston, Roanoke & Eastern Railroad and Larry Keller of the Peconic Railroad for their help, inspiration and dedication in construction and design of the layout! 

Overview of the peninsula with the newly installed subroadbed on the upper level.  Cardboard (safety) strips were added to the ovalix to avoid any untimely suicide drops by locomotives or cars.





New subroadbed installed between Joliet and Blue Island on the upper level.






Track laid on the ovalix.







Stockdale subroadbed installed on the upper level.







Joliet subroadbed installed on the upper level.







The over/under at Joliet, IL on the upper level.  Another view of the subroadbed between Joliet and Blue Island, IL






Davenport Yard under construction







Upper level subroadbed installed.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Rail crews continue to work at a feverish pace

Utilizing all remaining rail left from the original order, I managed to cross the Mississippi River and make the turn into Davenport.  A few late nights and a lot of glue later, I was able to continue laying track down to the West Davenport crossover.  I'm missing half the crossover, but was very pleased with the progress.  I'm very happy with the decision to make the yard curved vs. the straight alternative originally planned.  The addition of the car and back shops by Marcus looks great!  They fit nicely in the open area between the yard and wall.

Here are photos of recent progress plus a grain train's journey from Bureau to West Davenport, IA.  Sorry about the quality of some photos.  Lighting in the room is horrible.  We will need to figure out an alternative solution.

Late in the evening, the first train crosses the Mississippi river.








Love the river crossing!!







A view from over near McGee Creek










Extra Grain West @ Bureau with two U25Bs pulling a 13 car train







Extra Grain West @ West Bureau Siding Switch








Extra Grain West passing the grain elevator







Extra Grain West passing the grain elevator

Extra Grain West passing the grain elevator
Extra Grain West at the approach to East Rock Island
Extra Grain West @ East Rock Island Main/Siding switch
Extra Grain West @ Rock Island passing the Sunrise Feed Mill and Valley Fuel & Produce facility
Extra Grain West @ Rock Island. 
White paper on the left is the station.
Extra Grain West @ Franklin Farms headed downgrade to the Mississippi River
Extra Grain West @ McGee Creek
Extra Grain West @ the approach to the Mississippi River Bridge
Extra Grain West crossing the Mississippi River
Davenport, IA
Freight House + East Davenport Industrial Park
Davenport, IA
Freight House + East Davenport Industrial Park
Carrie Ave Shops @ Davenport Yard
Carrie Ave Shops @ Davenport Yard
Davenport Yard
White paper on right is Davenport Passenger Stati






West Davenport
#7 Crossover
West Davenport Industrial Park
Kohrs Cold Storage (left), Continental Grain Company (left back) with river barge dock


Extra Grain West @ Davenport Station







Extra Grain West @ West Davenport










Extra Grain West @ West Davenport
Carrie Shops in the Background





Rock Island GP38-2 @ Carrie Ave Shops







Rock Island GP38-2 and GP40 @ Carrie Ave Shops







Extra Grain West @ West Davenport







Extra Grain West @ West Davenport