Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Progress Report 01.12.11

Last night I completed the installation of the rope lights.  While not as effective as I would have thought over Davenport Yard, the addition of the rope lights made a big difference on the peninsula and over Bureau, IL.  I ran two strings of lights for the entire distance on the first level.  This left me with one extra set in case of failure.

For the past couple of nights, I have been working on modifying and creating waybills.  With the addition of a new local and new industry added, I had a lot of waybill work ahead of me.  I'm nearly finished and hope to finish tomorrow while waiting on my mom at the hospital.

Tonight, I did the unthinkable.  I threw away the instructions on a kit.  I modified the kit to fit a corner space on the layout.  Instead of the small footprint, I doubled the size of the facility.  This goes against every fiber of my being when constructing a kit.  I never....let me reiterate, never! alter from the plan.  I never scratchbuild anything, but am always amazed by other's ability to create something completely different with the same materials.  This was just a baby step tonight, but one that I'm very proud of.  I have talked about scratchbuilding structures before, but tonight I made the plunge.  I'm looking forward to constructing the very large neighboring Archer Daniels Midland Elevator soon.

Here are pictures of the new ADM Milling Co in Stockdale, IL.














Sunday, January 9, 2011

Progress Report 01.08.11

Constructed the Walthers Glacier Gravel kit for the Central Stone plant in Chambersburg, IL.  Looking forward to constructing the benchwork for the limestone plant and Meredosia branchline (down to the window).

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Progress Report 01.06.11

Change is a brewing in Stockdale.  The CRI&P's Engineering team was on sight this evening surveying the town.  A major upgrade is in the works. 

Below are photos I took outlining planned improvements, plus some areas that I'm open for suggestions.

Moving the freight station from West Stockdale to East Stockdale in the single track.  I believe the station will fit with some minor eave trimming on the rear (without requiring a track realignment).  The dark lines on the benchwork indicate the new Stockdale downtown area.  The road would cross to the right of station.




The new large grain elevator in Stockdale.  This facility also serves the adjacent flour mill.  Illinois Valley Grain that was formerly in the foreground would be moved to the N&W Meredosia Branch on the west side of town.





With the era being pushed up, Bader Ag has grown and now moving to Stockdale.  This will be the home of the new Bader Ag offices which will be a sheet metal "modern" building.  They will have a three car capacity receiving seeds, fertilizer and farm implements.




The Walthers box represents the Walthers Red Wing Flour Mill which will be adjacent to the large grain elevator.  The industry will feature two tracks: one for loading bulk flour in pressureaide covered hoppers, one for loading box cars with bagged flour.




West Stockdale. To the left was the former sight of the passenger station.  The branchline will feature three industry spurs.  One for Illinois Valley Grain Co, one for Billy J Hucks Machine Shop and further down by the window will be the lead for the Central Stone Company (which will be out over the ovalix).  I'm open for suggestions in this department.  I thought it would be better to have the smaller grain elevator further away from the very large elevator in town.  Thoughts?

Another view of the same area.







Top of the ovalix - site of the Chambersburg Central Stone Company limestone plant.






This is the area for which I don't know what to do with.  It is a small area to work with.  I have a wye track to the left at the flour mill that could branch off to this area.  Any ideas on what to do or should I leave as a natural area?  Maybe farmland or wooded?




The new WPSX coal train on the siding at Davenport.







Another view of the coal train.  Love the caboose on the rear!







Newly built station at Davenport.  I love it!







Overhead lights off in the room to give you a sense of the light put out by the rope lights.  I have/will install two strings of lights over the entire lower level.





New Milwaukee Road Difco dump cars by Walthers (on super sale at MBK).  The Hay Brothers loads fit nicely and look great.  They also add weight for better tracking.  I will ship out limestone from Central Stone in Chambersburg and receive in empties or loads of dirt to fill in the quarry.  I bought four of these all with the same number.  They will be renumbered into CRI&P cars.



Great Northern Walthers Difco dump car with a Hay Brothers dirt load.







Rock Island under one installed string of rope lights.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Progress Report 01.03.11

Installed some rope lights over West Davenport and Davenport yards.  The lights aren't as bright as I thought they would be, but it does remove some of the shadows.  I hope to continue installing lights this week. 

Before leaving Christmas vacation, I finished up the Davenport station minus some minor painting.  Both this depot and the Stockdale depot were placed on the layout.  I wasn't happy with the paint job on the Leeton Depot kit completed while on vacation.  I'm not sure what I will do with that one, but it won't be one of the main stations.  I might investigate outsourcing painting of the structures.

Worked on creating car cards for new cars that arrived over Christmas.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Progress Report 12.29.10

Field Research:
Well, today was interesting for me.  I was given the opportunity to do a little field research by riding in a grain semi-truck to deliver a load of soybeans to the local grain elevator.  While uneventful for most, I was in heaven living out some childhood dreams today.  It was a great adventure that I will never forget.


Structure Progress
While on vacation, I have been working on two laser cut structure kits.  I have never constructed this type kit before, but feel I'm doing ok with it.  Below are pictures of Stockdale's station.  It looks old and beat up, but this is the ROCK.  I'm pleased with my first time.  Maybe not an award winner, but definitely a sense of pride and joy for me as I have accomplished yet another challenge in model railroading (the hobby of a thousand jobs).




Scenery Progress:
Although not quite ready for scenery, it didn't stop me from acquiring materials today.  I took a trip with my father-in-law and family friend out to the rural farmland of IL.  We stopped at a shop to find some of the items on my wish list.  Picked up a bucket of silica sand (used in sand blasting) which seems perfect for N scale ballast.  Also, picked up several container loads of lime for the future Central Stone limestone quarry that will be installed on the layout (Acquisition and Industry update coming soon).  Tomorrow, I hope to go on the search for some weeds to use for trees on the layout.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Progress Report 12.26.10

On the 26th day of December, let there be light!

Went out shopping with my in-laws late last night purchasing six sets of Christmas rope lights heavily discounted for the layout.  I will install them when I return home.  I'm looking forward to having proper light on the lower level.  Right now, it can be very dark on the layout.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Progress Report 12.21.10

Progress has been rather slow as I have had other things to occupy my time.

Tonight, I worked on the very troublesome crossover and turnout for track 3/4 in West Davenport staging.  Upon a detailed inspection, the trucks would pick the turnouts.  Filed down the points and bent the guide rail for better clearance on the straight route.  Later tests saw a significant improvement in performance.  Hopefully this will resolve the issues.  I hate when things don't work properly.

Made up car cards for the new cars recently acquired.  I need to work on waybills too, but haven't had much free time to work on those.

The first Atlas coalveyors arrived today.  Awesome equipment.  Looking forward to running my first unit coal train on the layout!

My visions of a Limestone plant in Stockdale (inside the ovalix) are developing.  I have performed much of my field research.  Now it is time to locate some steals n deals on the building kit and rolling stock.

I hope to work on constructing some building kits while on Christmas break. 

From the crew on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, wishing all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!