Progress Report 11.24.12 - Ballasting

This afternoon, I worked on the layout while my daughters painted pictures on the floor.  I ballasted the section of track between LaSalle and Utica as well as about 60% of the Bureau Junction interlocking.

I'll have to wait for the glue to dry to see if I need to go back and touch-up.  Hopefully, it will turn out ok.  Ballasting hasn't been my greatest accomplishment, but generally looks ok.

Progress Report 11.21.12 - Scenery Progress

Worked on the layout for about thirty minutes tonight.  I sanded the highway between Peru and LaSalle, IL.  I trimmed up the sides of the road.  The road required some more plaster in places.  I added that and will hopefully finish sanding tomorrow so I can paint the roads and move on to ground cover.

I used an india ink wash to act some character to the rock cut between LaSalle and Utica, IL.

Progress Report 11.20.12 - Prep for Ballast

This morning, I had intentions to sand the roads in the new scenery between Peru and LaSalle, but the plaster was still a little soft.  I will work on that later.

Instead, I painted the ties/rails Railroad Tie Brown between LaSalle and Utica and at Bureau Junction.  I plan on ballasting over the long weekend.

Progress Report 11.19.12 - Back on Scenery

This morning I went back to work on scenery in the area between Peru and LaSalle, IL.  I added some styrofoam and lathered up some joint compound.  I completed the rough scenery on the other side of the track from the Peru Water & Power Plant.

Below are some pictures, but it's hard to see with everything being white currently.

The road from the aisle in front of the Westclox Plant toward the corner where it will go off behind some scenery.

An overall view of the area.

New hillside across the tracks from the Peru Water & Power Plant

New hillside across the tracks from the Peru Water & Power Plant

New driveway down to the plant from the highway shown in the first few pictures.

A view from the hillside across the tracks from the Peru Water & Power Plant looking back toward the Westclox plant.

This evening, I went back to work for a short period, but managed to get the styrofoam cut and installed between the two levels of Peru and West Ottawa/Utica.  

I was planning on lathering up the styrofoam with plaster in the morning.  I got a second wind after the girls went to bed.  So, all the areas between the two levels of the layout in photos 1 thru 3 is now filled with styrofoam and plastered.  Wow!  I think I'm back!

Progress Report 11.17.12 - Finally, some real progress!

After an early curfew from doing nothing but being lazy downstairs (mom is spending the night - I retired to the layout room).  I thought about working on scenery but opted to keep working with these locomotives.  What a mess!  I worked on it for 1 1/2 hours, but managed to re-power the three GP7s with Bachmann chassis.  Adjusted all the coupler boxes as the Atlas shells sit higher on the Bachmann chassis.  Test ran the locomotives in various switching conditions and all work great.  Finally!!!  Progress!  The locomotive issues have been driving me insane lately.  I hate when things don't work right.  Now, maybe I can get out of my funk and move back to scenery.

The Atlas chassis will be sold for scrap to a customer on eBay that buys parts.

Progress Report 11.14.12 - Back Shop Report

I managed to make it back in the layout room for a second day in a row.  That's progress my friend!

Anywho, continued working with some of the troublesome locomotive fleet.  I believe I have the EMD E7 ready for service.  It seemed to be running better, but needed an adjustment on the coupler.  I had to glue the coupler pocket down, but should be good now.  If this locomotive makes it back into service, I will use this for the massive combined passenger train next session and move the FP7s to general freight service.

I worked on the Atlas GP7s a bit.  Those have always been troublesome.  I was hoping to get at least two working, but now I'm wondering if that is possible.  It appears those will most likely be moved on eBay.  Atlas is usually better than that.  I must have received a bad batch.

I'm still waiting on my decoder to come back from TCS.  Once that is in, I should be able to get the one GP40 back in service.

Last session, we ran 17 trains.  This session, I'm planning on only running 14 trains, but utilizing one crew member for full-time yard duty service.  Hopefully, it won't be too slow between trains.

Progress Report 11.13.12 - The Road to Nowhere

Whoa!  A post?  Holy cow it's been a long time!

Saturday, ROCK Management spent the day observing operations on Marcus Neubacher's Charleston, Roanoke & Eastern Railroad.  It was a great time and inspiring to see the scenery progressing.

Back on the range, I have been in a major funk lately and not sure why.  I think I must have some rare Asian flu or something.  I have just been exhausted and had no desire to do much of anything lately.  I need to get my groove back!

This evening, I finally made it back into the layout room.  No monumental progress was made.  I think the first 10 minutes or so, I simply stood around looking at everything.  Finally, flipped on the LED lights.  Sanded the new rural highway added between Peru and LaSalle, IL.  Also, sanded the driveway down to the Peru Water & Power Plant.

Majority of my locomotives are top notch and run like champs.  Then, I have a few that run horribly and need a lot of TLC.  I attempted to work on one tonight, but wasn't successful.  I spent majority of my time working with that.  I'm pretty frustrated with the poor performers.  I might just cut my losses and start unloading those on eBay.