Progress Report 04.13.11

Replaced the couplers on five locomotives this morning before work.

After work, I completed adjusting CVs on the remaining locomotives that I could easily program (without inputting the entire speed table).  Matched loco sets for the upcoming op session.

This evening, replaced the couplers on two more locomotives finishing that project.  I finished painting the roads in Davenport and downtown Stockdale. 

In Joliet, I installed the sidewalk down by the Card House plus the Blair Line wood grade crossings.

Progress Report 04.12.11

This morning before 7am, crews were hard at work painting the roads in Joliet.  All the roads and industrial lots have been painted.  I'm horrible with selecting colors, but I think the gray I picked out is pretty good.  The roads will be weathered and detailed after the next op session.

This evening after supper, crews continued painting.  Crews completed the roads Davenport Industrial Park, Rock Island, Joliet (completed this morning) and half of Stockdale.

Began the process of putting Joliet back together.  It was pretty destroyed after all the recent construction.

I worked on programming CV codes for speed matching/control.  I have found out that the Atlas (Lens) factory installed decoders can only be adjusted by changing CV29 to 50 (override factory speed table) and then manually entering the speed table settings in CV67 through CV94.  This makes it hard to adjust the speed when testing.  Other decoders were easy as I simply had to set the min, max and midrange voltage.  The speed table adjusted to those three settings automatically.

Replaced the couplers on six locomotives. 

Progress Report 04.11.11

For the last two nights, I have worked on the DPM Woods Furniture kit to be used as the General Electric Plant in Davenport.  I have learned DPM and I just don't mix well.  The building is standing, but a far cry from a quality construction job.  The side facing the layout looks decent enough.  With some filler and paint, she might look decent.  I seem to do better with Walthers kits.  Only the shell of the building was constructed.  As with many of the kits constructed the paint, details and accessories will be added later.  Oh well.  Life goes on.

For operators, there has been a change in the Davenport Industrial Park.  Due to the orientation of the building (in particular loading docks), the box cars are loaded/unloaded on the river side now.  The steel and scrap metal cars are placed on the other side adjacent to the Electrolux track.

Earlier this evening, I worked on sanding some roads, "planted" two farm fields and started creating the base for a dirt road back behind Franklin Farms for access to the barn.

Progress Report 04.10.11

Not much progress today.  I only got around to doing some light sanding on the roads.  I did take a few pictures.