The ROCK on Video

This morning, fellow N Scale modeler Ben Earp came over to video the layout.  I believe it went well.  I'm looking forward to the finished product.  The video will be released March 1st on YouTube.  In the meantime, check out Ben's video channel on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/user/NSTrainFan and http://benearpphotography.com/.  Thanks Ben for coming out and sharing the ROCK with the world.  I really appreciate it!

This evening, I worked on repairing a few cars from the RIP track.  Oh, how exciting!  Not!, but a necessary evil.

Progress will probably slow over the next week or two.  My goal is to thoroughly clean out the layout room and organize all my parts, scenery supplies, etc.  Anything that is not required, needs to be sold on eBay.  I'm excited to be working on scenery and now detailing buildings and scenes.

Progress Report 01.24.13 - MOW Bureau Junction to West Switch LaSalle

This evening, I painted the rock cliff a base color in the curve between Peru and LaSalle.  I then worked on spreading ballast (and glued) from Bureau Junction to the west switch at LaSalle.

I also added some foliage/brush along the farmland in Joliet on the upper peninsula.  It really adds a lot to the area.  The entire layout is looking great!

To recap on the ballasting project, here's what has been completed so far:
West Kelly Yard to East Kelly Yard Throat - Main and Siding completed
Rock Island, IL - Main and siding completed
Bureau Junction - One leg of wye on Peoria Branch side completed.
East Switch Bureau Junction to Utica - Main and siding completed
East Ottawa Bridge to Joliet West Switch - Mainline completed

Various pics of the layout...

The darker areas are due to the glue still drying.

Progress Report 01.23.13 - MOW Bureau Junction to LaSalle

This morning, I painted the rails between Bureau Junction and LaSalle.  I used a different paint this morning as my other paint had run out.

I came back this evening to find all my turnouts painted shut.  Shoot!  I managed to pry them all back open without issue.  Good grief!

I ballasted (spread and glued) the main and siding through LaSalle this evening.

I received in more tree foliage material today from Woodland Scenics.  I have a bigger variety of reds and oranges now.  I'm looking forward to making some more trees and planting them on the layout.

Progress Report 01.22.13 - Gluing Ballast + Belrose Silica Construction

This morning, I glued down the ballast from West Joliet to the bridge before Ottawa, IL.  It's looking good!

Rummaged around in the boxes under the layout looking for a building kit.  I replaced the structure at Rock Island Fuel with another building I had from a oil distribution facility.

I ran a test grain train from West Kelly Yard up to LaSalle before having to tie it down due to leaving for work.

This evening, I completed the test train up to Chicago and returned to West Kelly Yard.  All appears to be working well.

Constructed the conveyor belt system from the quarry over to the main Belrose Silica plant.  Sand is extracted from the quarry and then pumped up to the building via hose.  The sand undergoes initial processing before traveling via conveyor over to the main Belrose Silica plant.  I looked at photos of the Ottawa Silica plant from Bing Maps.  This is what I scratchbuilt tonight.

Progress Report 01.21.13 - MOW West Switch Joliet to Ottawa

This morning, I was unable to work on the railroad as my entire routine was off due to the girls being out of school plus a sleepover last night.

This evening, I began to ballast the mainline between Ottawa and Joliet, but failed to remember I needed to paint the rail/track first.  Shoot!  Vacuumed up the little bit I put down so far.

Painted the track/rails from Ottawa to UD Tower at Joliet.  Spread ballast from the bridge just east of Ottawa down to the west switch of Joliet.  It still isn't glued yet.

Pictures of today's progress:

Progress Report 01.20.13 - The Great Clean up

Good gosh!  I hate having to clean up the layout room!  It's such a chore!  Modelers need a contract service for this task.

It took a couple of hours, but I managed to get the room cleaned up and vacuumed.

Regarding progress, I planted all the JTT trees I had, removed all the Woodland Scenics trees (they will be sold on eBay), glued the ballast from Franklin Farms up to the bridge at East Rock Island.  I also glued all the trees and brush installed yesterday.

Here are pics of the factory produced forestation.  They JTT trees and homemade trees mesh well together.

This evening, I cleaned up all the mainline and sidings for the length of the railroad.  I'm not concerned about all the industrial track for the video.  I'm surprised I was able to clean the room and clean the track tonight.  Not bad!  I'm ahead of schedule now.

Bureau Junction is looking good!

Bureau Junction

Park along Hennepin Canal at Bureau Junction

Rock Island, IL

I added a few more trees in Moline, IL

Rock Island, IL

Trains staged for video - #217 Ottawa Local pulling a cut of sand from Ottawa Silica.

#113 Joliet local stopping at the station to pick up orders.

#43 Chicago to Council Bluffs sitting in the hole at Rock Island.

An overview of the recently forested Bureau Junction.

Extra Grain East to Chicago departing West Kelly Yard.

Scenic Express Super Trees.  I still have a lot of trees to make.