Progress Report 10.23.12 - Lighting and Road Crossing Projects Complete

Late last night, I installed the remaining LED lighting.  This complete's the layout lighting project.  I do need to permanently mount the power supplies and affix the feeder wires properly.  That shouldn't take long though.  Simply getting the upper level canopy constructed with the lights installed is an accomplishment.

Overall view of the room with the upper level lighting canopy

The latest section to be installed last week.

The new lighting illuminates the upper level nicely.

Cat Cam view of the LED light strip.

Chicago Staging Yard was always dark in the past.  Not anymore!

Downtown Blue Island looking good under the new lights.

Another dark corner of the room in West Blue Island - looking good under the lights.

Pictures of the Road Crossing Update Project in Blue Island

New wood grade crossing installed in front of the Illinois Fruit & Supply Co.

New road crossings in the Blue Island Industrial District

This morning, I was having a hard time focusing.  I couldn't find tools that were right in front of me.  I did manage to get the cork blocks installed on the fascia (great idea Steve Holzheimer).  These are used as a common place at each town to store brakes (thumb tacks) when required.  I found a 12"x12"x1/2" thick cork sheet online that works well.  It's easy to cut with a utility knife and straight edge.

Removed and replaced seven  plaster road crossings with laser cut wood crossings.  This completes this project.  There are a few places where the plaster road crossings will remain, but don't seem to be causing any issues.

Bureau Junction, IL

Bureau Junction, IL

Bureau Junction, IL

LaSalle, IL

Neighborhood Park at Bureau Junction, IL

I remembered yesterday that I need to close the heat vent over Ottawa.  Last year, I had a problem with a rail kink in that area and I believe it was due to the heat blowing down on the layout.

I started work on the base scenery between Peru and LaSalle.  I had a vision this evening and started installing the styrofoam base.


Pre-Session To Do List Update
1) Complete base scenery between Peru and LaSalle, IL (started)
2) Complete base scenery in West Bureau, IL
3) Complete base scenery between Utica and Ottawa, IL
4) Complete base scenery between Ottawa and Joliet Grain Co.
      * This should complete all base scenery on the layout.
5) Ballast the section between LaSalle and Utica, IL
6) Figure out an appropriate color for the pond by Franklin Farms so that it doesn't look like a nuclear waste dump!  Pour Mod Podge to create lake scene.
7) Plant all trees in my possession
8) Continue ballasting where I can.
9) Work on large Westclox building
10) Complete road crossing project
11) Clean up wiring for LED lights (partially complete)

Progress Report 10.21.12 - Grain Train Thoughts, Pre-Session To Do List

This evening, I was "playing with the trains" as my mom says running a test grain train back and forth across the layout.  For the next session, I was planning to have a unit grain train run from Silvis (inbound from Iowa) to Chicago.  I decided to yard the train and have some of the traffic come from the local pickups.  This way the newly appointed yardmaster can assemble the train and find a crew to send to Chicago.  It provides some operating interest for the yardmaster.  This opens up some new ideas for me.  Outbound loads from the grain elevators may be collected over a few op sessions and then sent out on a unit train vs. simply staging a unit train that magically appeared during the night.

I was thinking I need to create another pre-session To Do list.  I do much better if I have a list to motivate me to complete tasks.  So, without further ado, here we go:

1) Complete base scenery between Peru and LaSalle, IL
2) Complete base scenery in West Bureau, IL
3) Complete base scenery between Utica and Ottawa, IL
4) Complete base scenery between Ottawa and Joliet Grain Co.
      * This should complete all base scenery on the layout.
5) Ballast the section between LaSalle and Utica, IL
6) Figure out an appropriate color for the pond by Franklin Farms so that it doesn't look like a nuclear waste dump!  Pour Mod Podge to create lake scene.
7) Plant all trees in my possession
8) Continue ballasting where I can.
9) Work on large Westclox building

That should be more than enough to keep me busy for a while.