The ROCK 3.0: Peoria is Born Again

Early this morning, I made a Lowes run to pick up more black paint.  Ran some other errands, came back to the house, cut and installed the fascia.  I painted part of it, but need to go back and paint two more sections.

Laid out the tracks in Peoria in preparation for my friend Larry to come up and work on the layout.  Found out quickly somewhere along the line I miscalculated.  I went back to check my counts as they were ok for what I needed, but evidently what I purchased previously was not enough.    I figured out later that I failed to include the turnouts at East Ottawa in my count, plus I had to replace one that broke (old Micro Engineering turnout) at East Bureau (the original turnout for the yard throat of LaSalle yard).  Larry and I made an emergency run up to the hobby shop in East Spencer.

Larry was very helpful in working out the details of the transition pieces that crossover onto the lift out section of Bureau Junction.  We decided to go with Atlas curved snap track pieces.  We guessed on 15" Radius for the main track coming off the main from the East.  On the tighter curve of the wye (for turning locomotives), we guessed 12 1/2" radius.  We guessed right as the track pieces purchased were perfect!  Now, when I take out the lift out section, I just slide the rail joiners back and remove these short 2-3" snap track pieces.  It works well.  I appreciate Larry's help with figuring this out.  On the drop leaf yard, I have track that just goes to the edge and matches up.  That works well there, but for the curved sections, we had to come up with another plan.

Looking south toward Peoria

Looking north from Peoria to Bureau Junction

The ROCK Company helicopter flying over Bureau Junction

Before Larry came over, I was able to cut and shape the track for the wye.  Upon our return after making a hobby shop run, I cut in the snap track pieces.  Glued down the cork roadbed.  Larry headed home.  I continued to work on it more gluing the track for Bureau Junction.  I also worked on shaping and cutting the track down to Iowa Junction in Peoria.  I managed to get two of the three tracks cut before having to head out for the evening.

The Glass Containers have migrated to Bureau Junction

* Interesting tidbit about Peoria.  On v1.0 - revision 82 (?) we had the Peoria Branch.  It resides at the same location of where the new Peoria is today.  Peoria has been reborn!

Looking down Washington St of v1.0 Peoria.

There was much more industrial switching on v1.0 Peoria.

Now it is all about the interchange.

Goals Update

So, this is what I need to accomplish in the next 6 days.  

• Tear down old TV cabinet off wall
• Construct new Peoria Section and Lift Out piece
• Install new turnout for Peoria Storage Track off Main 1 at Peru
• Add ground throws and repair others at East Bureau Junction
• Add ground throws between West Ottawa and Belrose Silica.
• Re-work track at LaSalle for Bureau Junction
• Run new bus wire and attach to new portion of the layout.
• Lay Track in Peoria (working on it!)
• Install all ground throws for all turnouts in Peoria.
• Wire up new track in Peoria.
• Install Auto Reverser on Wye.
• Construct sand track trestles.
• Install new Sand Clean out Track at Ottawa Silica
• Glue down new Crossover at East Ottawa Yard.
• Install slide switches at East Ottawa Yard crossover.
• Drop feeders on new tracks added to original layout, test.
• Repair three broken turnout points on old turnouts.
• Paint Fascia (in progress)
• Install NCE UTP Panel at Peoria
• Install NCE UTP Panel at West Bureau Junction
• Add new crossover at East Utica.
• Add new crossover to access Utica Storage Track.
• Stage Layout
• Clean Track 
• Clean Locomotives
• Prepare paperwork
• Clean Layout Room
• Photograph and Video updates
• Prepare paperwork for operating session.

I'm starting to feel like Tweak from South Park.  The pressure!  The pressure!