The ROCK 3.0: Progress Report 09.18.14

Today, I cut and marked the red tabs for overweight cars at Belrose Silica and Ottawa Silica.

Earlier today, I cut apart all the pieces to construct the remaining two Train Cat tank car loading platforms.  That is half the battle with these brass kits.  

This evening, I touched up the paint on the fascia plus painted the drop leaf section.

The ROCK 3.0: Progress Report 09.17.14

This evening, I worked on a few things.

I spray painted another Evergreen C-Channel styrene strip to make Overweight Tabs.  These will be painted red with a black diagonal stripe on top.  Crews will not have to record weights, but will need to be aware of any cars that are overweight (over 263,000 lbs).  They will place a red X tab on top to mark them.  They will have to be set off and reduce the load per the plant manager's instructions (usually anywhere there is an open track).

Spent more time looking for my black paint to touch up the fascia.  I'm convinced now that I let my wife borrow/use the black paint for school.  Hopefully, I will have some paint to use tomorrow evening.

I painted the area in West Ottawa Yard and the Tank Area of PQ a light gray.  I then sprinkled on Woodland Scenics Gray ballast.  The ballast sticks to the paint.  I then vacuumed up any excess.  It's all pretty plain now, but I will try to weather it and add grass tufts.  Even plain, it looks better than plywood.

This is West Ottawa Yard at the Repair-in-Place (RIP) Car facility.

Also, is the Caboose Track along the west yard ladder.

I had the signal in place to exit Ottawa Yard.  I had tested it a while back.  I installed the panel and connected the wires for the signal.  It will be functional for the op session.

New signal.  I need to paint the back black so it will bleed through.

I have three of these signal bridges.  One has the LEDs that didn't work from BeNScale.  

I'm thinking of placing the non-functional signal bridge at East Utica as it is hard to see that signal.

I would add this signal at the west end of the yard that would basically act as the East Utica signal that crews can easily see.  I'm still pondering this issue.

The control panel.  Only the one toggle on the lower left is connected.  It will display red or yellow for exiting the yard.

This is where I would like to place my signal bridge with operating LEDs.

You can see the dwarf signal exiting the yard.

The ROCK 3.0: Progress Report 09.16.14

First, I would like to give a shot out to WillModels on eBay.  My friend Allen told me about this seller.  They have some great 70s (and other) era N Scale vehicles for sale.  Check him out as the quality and service is superb!  http://stores.ebay.com/willmodels?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

Late last night, I worked on the fenced in lot for the utility trucks of Peru Power.  I might consider expanding it as it is a little smaller than I thought when I placed the trucks inside.  We'll see though.  I removed some of the bushes as well on the hill in front of Westclox.  My wife thought it looked like someone had planted them there vs. them being natural.  We both agree it looks better now.

WillModels Utility Trucks sitting in the lot.  The wheels have not been added yet.

I finished up the operator's instructions for the op session and printed.  The operators will have no other paperwork than their instructions as we will be implementing the Tab-on-Car system this session.  I'm anxious to see how well it works.

Repaired a coupler on a depressed center flat car that I damaged since the last op session.  Note to self: move equipment out of the way when working.  My bad.  It's good as new now.

This evening, I worked on cleaning up the tools and such I had stored behind Peru Power and Westclox.  

Weathered Water St and Putnam St.  Painted the yellow lines.  

Installed the telephone poles from Utica to the end of the layout.  The painted poles look awesome!!  I'm very pleased with them.

Spent the rest of the time looking for my black paint to touch up the fascia.  The skirting under the layout is good and bad.  It looks good as it hides stuff.  The problem is it HIDES STUFF.  Half the time, I can't find a thing.  It is lost in the black hole behind the curtain.  

Water Street.

Peru Power Substation.  The plant itself will be just to the right of the substation.

Water Street.

Putnam Street / Water Street Intersection

The Peru Power lot at the corner of Water and Putnam St.

Looking east in front of Westclox.

Westclox.

The telephone poles look great after I painted them.

Mill St in Utica looking west at Westclox.

Looking west on the Rock Island Mainline.

Water St and Putnam St. just west of Westclox.

The ROCK 3.0: Progress Report 09.15.14

I was sad to read today that Joliet's Union Station will be closing down in a week or so after being open for 102 years.  Evidently, they constructed a new Metra station east of the Ex-AT&SF / Ex-GM&O crossing at UD Tower.  I'm glad I got a chance to visit it Summer 2012.

http://rockislandpacific.blogspot.com/2012/07/railfanning-former-rock-island.html

Less than two weeks until my next Op Session.  Oh, great news!  I have four core operators and found out one and then two wasn't going to be able to attend.  October is too busy so I was going to roll with a light crew.  I found out tonight that one of the guys will be able to attend now.  So, I will have a crew of four that should work out well.  Very good news!

Now, I need to work on my To Do list.

Tonight, I worked on static grass in Peru and Utica with my daughter's help.  I used Silflor Autumn 4mm grass over here vs the 6mm grass over in South Ottawa.

The ROCK 3.0: Progress Report 09.14.14

Tonight, I worked on several things.

I moved three Caboose Industries ground throws at the west Ottawa yard ladder.  I installed them using the pre-drilled holes by the person that constructed my turnouts.  The holes were too close to the rail and a few freight cars and locomotives would get caught on them.  I tried trimming them back, but that didn't work.  I removed the ground throws and installed extension bars using flower wire.  Thanks to my friend Larry for donating some to the layout not long ago.  All are working well now.

I repaired a turnout on the east yard ladder with two broken points.

I worked on weathering the driveway at PQ.  It turned out pretty good.  Although, I have a feeling I will re-visit again.  It's hard weathering such a large lot.  It will do for now.  PQ is going to look awesome when fully scenicked and all structures and details present.

I installed the newly painted telephone poles along the back side of Ottawa Yard and along PQ.  I think they look really nice.

The telephone poles look awesome.  I'm really pleased with these.