The ROCK 3.0: Project Update

So, I went back through the blog and found a few projects I was reminded of that need to be worked on.

#1) One of my "A-Team" operators Larry Keller had requested a crossover at Ottawa Silica for quick run around moves.  Approved!  Rail for turnout has been ordered and will be constructed.

#2) At the last session, we began experiencing issues with the turnouts at the A/D track at Ottawa Yard.  The turnouts installed currently are the highly suspect Micro Engineering turnouts.  If you look at them wrong, they will fall apart on you.  Rail has been ordered and replacements will be constructed. 

It has been a while but I will build these turnouts myself.  I plan on just taking my time with them and doing it right.

#3) Peru Power: I require another Walthers Northern Light and Power kit to complete the back walls of the Peru Power main structure. The remaining wall sections are not brick so I plan on using styrene for those.  Walthers kit ordered.

For now, I believe I have enough styrene to complete the back walls of LOF and most likely get a good jumpstart on the structures at Ottawa Silica.  I will hold off on ordering that now.

My main focus though will be working in the LOF (i.e. Project #1) area.  It shouldn't take much to complete the LOF factory building and additional building flat on the background.  I need to build some covered conveyors and piping between between the buildings as well.  I have a lot of scratchbuilding materials so I should have everything I need.

I need to paint my structures though.  I have a cheap airbrush that I picked up at Harbor Freight and a compressor from Home Depot but need a hands-on lesson.  One day, I will get up enough nerve to try it.

So, as far as recent acquisitions, I mentioned the Soo Line SD40-2 acquired the other day.  

Another project of custom painting a Kato E8 that had been in the works for over a year now had come to a stalemate.  Plan B has been activated now.  Here is the loco in primer paint ready to depart for Tucumcari tomorrow on freight train #01 for paint in the Rock Island Red/Yellow paint scheme.  This locomotive will become power for my Peoria Rocket.  It is estimated this power will return sometime next month.

While hanging around South Ottawa, I caught the RI crew testing the loco down 

by Ottawa Avenue this evening.

The RI crew was nice enough to stop at the crossing so I could videotape the Mars light on the unit.  

Here is the prototype of the paint scheme for the model that will become power for my 

Peoria Rocket.

After grabbing a bite to eat for dinner, I wandered over to Utica to hang out for a bit.  I caught a late #113 Joliet to Bureau Turn traveling east with a string of Hooker tank cars.  I hear they are being used at some of the chemical companies down south in Peoria.  The opportunity arose for me to acquire some of these cars earlier today.  Management hasn't made a final decision but thinks the cars will work great for the expanding Peoria based traffic.  

A late #113 Joliet to Bureau Junction Turn headed back east through Utica at the Mill Street crossing.

Ooh!  Look a CR&E coal hopper!  This as well as five others were decaled up by
my friend Marcus Neubacher.  Thanks Marcus!

The Hooker Tanks on loan currently until management can decide if they will be a good fit

for the Peoria chemical traffic.

I also snapped some photos of a few box cars as well.

As #113's caboose rolled by, I noticed Billie Joe (B.J.) McKay was loading up a truck load of clocks over at Westclox to deliver to distribution warehouses.  As a kid, I was a big fan of the show watching it with my dad.  I think it is pretty cool to have a replica of the truck now in N Scale.

The detail on this truck is amazing.

In other news, thanks to track diagrams provided by Harold Krewer, I learned I had the cars spotted in the wrong locations at Phialdelpha Quartz.  I spotted the sand hoppers on the far track closest to the mainline.  They are actually supposed to be unloaded on the #2 or middle track.  I had assumed dry chemicals were being loaded on the middle tracks from the Bing Map photos I had seen, but now realize those are large sand hoppers being unloaded.  It appears they received caustic soda on my #1 track (I number all tracks up from one closest to the aisle up), unloaded sand on track #2 and shipped liquid chemicals of some sort on my track #3.  I'm still unclear exactly what they produced there.  I need more tanks though!  Good thing a package of them arrived from Nebraska today.

Here is the Utica map.

Here is a photo of the cars aligned on the proper tracks now.

Those three sand hoppers on track #1 closest to the aisle are mis-spots.
I found those when moving when moving the cars around.  They should have went back 

to LaSalle at the last op session.

Tanks unloading caustic soda on Track #1.

Sand being unloaded on Track #2.

Tanks being as well as some PQ hoppers being loaded with finished chemicals on track #3.

The next crew will have to handle these mis-spotted cars.

That reminds me!  I need to create some new tabs to correct this snafu in car routing.  Add that to the To Do list my good friend.

Speaking of donuts, I was looking at Google Earth of Utica today.  Wow!  They have really built up the sand operations at Belrose Silica (now Unimin).  They added another loader and sizeable yard to the east of the existing loadout that I model back in Rock Island days.

The left circle represents what I model on the RI.  Belrose Silica is on top and PQ on the bottom. 

In the right circle is the new loadout and yard added.  Wow!  That's a lot of sand being moved!

In other personal news...

So, I was going to make a joke about me being wired up on this heart monitor today.  I'm about 30 hours into my 48 hour test.  So, far no shortness of breath attacks.  Go figure.  

Anywhoe, so, like I said, I was going to make a joke about my heart monitor as I feel like I'm wired up to pick up satellite tv with all these wires connected to me.  So, when staging up train #113, everything was working fine, then I noticed my throttle froze.  I unplugged and replugged in, but still frozen.  I reset the system.  When I did that, the throttles were still froze and now one of the Atlas Soo locomotives was running buck wild crazy at full speed.  What in the world?  I reset the NCE system a few more times, but still the same thing each time.  I took the locomotive off the layout and restarted.  The throttles were all responsive again and I could control my train.  What is with that locomotive?  It was one of the locomotives acting queer before too.  Two of them have done this.  One RI GP38-2 and one Soo GP38-2.  Both are made by Atlas.  I may have switched the chassis on these units, but I don't recall for sure.  I think I need to send these off to my friend Allen to check.  Something is shorting these locos and creating a failure on the layout.

I haven't worked on the layout in months and on the second day, mystery electrical shorts.  Lovely.  

The ROCK 3.0: Where to Turn?

So, tonight, no work was performed on the layout.  I had considered expanding the layout to include Bureau and the Peoria Branch, but until we decide on how to proceed with reorganizing the guest bedroom, I really can't work on that plan.

So, that leaves me at a loss.  What should I work on next?  Much of the basic stuff has been completed.  Now, it comes down to finishing up the various scenes.  So, I ask my blog readers, which project should I start on?

Project #1 - Complete Libbey-Owens Ford Glass Plant Scene

Project #2 - Complete Ottawa Silica Scene

Part 2 of Project #2

Project #3 - Complete Ottawa Yard Scene

Project #4 - Complete Philadelphia Quartz / Belrose Silica Scene

Project #5 - Complete Westclox Scene

Project #6 - Complete Peru Power Scene

What I really want to work on is expanding the layout.  I get these ideas in my head and have a hard time letting go.  If I did go that route, I would need to construct some turnouts.  I have the materials to do so.  Maybe, I should work on that.  That takes time.

Decisions....decisions...

The ROCK 3.0: The Westclox Promise

Many of you might have noticed if you follow the blog via the Facebook page, that while on vacation, I noticed there was a Westclox brand clock in our bedroom at the beach rental.  It reminded me that I need to focus on the layout once again.  So, in turn, I will do my best to hold true to the "Westclox Promise" as my friend Allen called it.

So, what have I been up to since the last op session on April 19th (last reportable work on the layout)?  A lot, just not layout related.

As you remember, just prior to the op session, I had a cancer scare.  Surgery to biopsy and remove the infected area came back clear thank goodness.

To add to the excitement, I also endured another !@#$%^ kidney stone.  Man ol' man, I wouldn't wish those on anybody!

It was a busy end to the school year with my wife and kids as always.  That led into a very busy summer schedule.  I don't recall any summer ever being quite as busy as this year.

Many home improvement projects were performed.  My wife and I ripped up all the carpet downstairs in our house and laid over 700 sq ft of laminate flooring.

My wife and kids then left for twelve days to visit family in Missouri.  Unfortunately, I couldn't go due to lack of vacation (due to numerous emergency trips to Illinois between November and January due to deaths in the family).

While they were gone,  I busily completed the trim/moulding for the flooring project, installed a new kitchen faucet and hung new rods and curtains.

One additional project I worked on was installing LED lighting under the cabinets in our kitchen.  I used the same power supply and LED strips used on v1.0 of the layout.  I purchased a wall switch, face plate and metal insert to add to the wall.  The project was incredibly cheap (like $30 or so total), but made a huge difference lighting up our countertops.

You can see the new LED lighting under the cabinets, as well as the new laminate floors installed in this photo.  Next, I have plans on replacing the kitchen lighting and completely renovating our half bathroom downstairs.

As if I didn't have enough going on, I started getting this weird shortness of breath issue going on.  It would come on randomly (rest or active).  I ended up wasting away at the "Urgent" Care followed by an overnight stay in the hospital with numerous tests.  So far, no definitive results of what might be causing it.  The symptoms scream a heart attack or similar affliction, but all heart tests have come back normal.  Doc seems to think it could be silent reflux.  I had never heard of the term until now.  It is like acid reflux, but without the pain.  It can cause the shortness of breath.  I have changed my eating habits including the very big challenge of removing soda from my diet.  That has always been a tough one for me, but this episode has scared me straight.  I have been soda-free for twenty days now and very proud of my progress.  In turn, I'm also consistently losing weight which is a great byproduct of the diet changes.  

About ten days ago, Doc doubled my Prilosec prescription, my attacks have dropped from numerous times a day to once or twice for every three of four days.  So, I'm leaning toward the silent reflux as well.

I still have numerous doctor appointments to figure out what the heck is going on, follow-up appointments from other issues, etc.  This year has been a crappy medical year maxing out my out-of-pocket amount quickly.  Thank goodness my boss provides an excellent health insurance plan.  The most recent one involves a 48-hour heart monitor to finally put to rest that it is not my heart causing the issues.  Hopefully, the results from that will come back normal.  

Well, enough about me.  This is what the layout room looks like currently. I believe someone set a bomb off in it.

Just wow!  The layout room was a dumping room during the construction progress downstairs.

Uh...our family craft table/workbench is under there somewhere?

First step is to clean the place up!  What a mess!

But before I do that, I want to introduce some new motive power on the ROCK. Many of you recall that we visited many former RI sites last summer as well as explored various places in Iowa.  Well, I fell in love with the Ex-Soo Line up in Dubuque, Iowa and decided to introduce a Soo freight to operate from Dubuque down to Ottawa and return as part of my official modeler's license.  It started off with a weathered GP35 and then a second non-weathered unit.  I believe I will sell that second unit though as I just acquired a Soo Line Custom paint SD40-2.  I love how smooth those Kato units run!  I'm very pleased!

Back to the room....

I managed to clean up a little bit this evening.  More stacking stuff in like piles and putting away my tools.  It looks much better already though!

The ROCK 3.0: Decal Project Progress

I received in some of the cars to decal yesterday.  So far, things have been moving along well.  I used Micro Sol to remove the factory decals, but leave the paint.  Typically, just brushing it on and letting it sit for a few minutes.  I then use a pencil eraser to scrape away the decal.  Atlas cars, by far, are the easiest to remove with minimal effort required on my part.

Here are photos of my progress.

The original Athearn GSC Bulkhead Flat Car - Union Pacific Paint

CRDX - Atlas Pressureaide Covered Hopper

Reporting marks removed.

Rock Island Pressureaide - Still needs reporting marks added. 

Rock Island Bulkhead Flat Car - Still needs reporting marks added.

I noticed the L is a little crooked.  I need to see if I can adjust that. 

Trainworx gondola on the left, Micro Trains re-decaled on the right.

I don't think they look too bad.  I would like some more of the bulkhead flat cars for sure.

The ROCK 3.0: Future Projects

Well, while milling over the prospect of expanding the layout, I really should get back to work on something.  The other day, I thought, I should dig out my Rock Island freight car book (Rock Island Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment) and see if I can make some new freight cars for the layout.  Surely, I can find something in there that I like that is already made, but just not in the RI paint scheme.  I had successfully redecaled a bunch of sand hoppers already.  Who is to say I can't create some more RI rolling stock that is either prototype or close enough for my taste.  I, by no means, am a rivet counter.

So, looking through the book, I came across these three cars.

Project 1 - ACF Pressureaide Covered Hopper
The first is the ACF 4-Bay 5,250 CuFt Pressureaide Covered Hopper.  These, of course, are manufactured by Atlas and are readily available on eBay.  I always liked these back in my day as a HO (Scale).  These would be easy to reproduce with the Microscale #60-19 Rock Island Freight Car - Assorted Block Lettering decals.  It's just like decalling a sand hopper, but bigger!

The ROCK had a total of 12 of these cars (RI 13988 through RI 13999).  I believe I will construct three of these cars for the layout.

Either one of these would be a good starting point.

Even this one with the patch would be an interesting twist.

Microscale 60-19 Freight Cars - Assorted Black Lettering Decals

Project 2 - Rock Island 53' Bulkhead Flat Car

The second project is a 53' Bulkhead Flat Car.  The ROCK assembled their own flat cars through 1958 from components supplied by others.  The series I will model will be the 91800-91811 numbers.  I will use the Athearn GSC Bulkhead Flat car as a starting point.  Again, I could use the same decal sheet #60-19 for the lettering on these cars as well.  I think I will construct three of these cars.

Project 3 - Rock Island Steel 52'6" Gondola

The third project I would like to try is a basic 52' Rock Island Gondola.  I already have some Trainworx Rock Island Gondolas that are similar, but have the speed lettering.  I would take a brown Trainworx gondola, remove the existing lettering and replace with the Rock Island block lettering.  By the way, I have always been a fan of the block lettering.  I have no idea why as it is so basic, but I  like it.

I figure I would just use a TrainWorx gon and remove the existing lettering and replace with the Rock Island block lettering (using the same Microscale 60-19 decals from above).  I think I will construct one or two of these cars.

The ROCK 3.0: Traffic Management Department Update

So, as a follow-up to my last post, I created a new tab on the spreadsheet to log all the cars to be picked up by tab color at each terminal point.  It will automatically calculate the total number of cars that would need to fit in the storage tracks at Bureau Junction, LaSalle and Chillicothe.  If I find that the storage track totals are too high, I will adjust the number of cars picked up until we are within the limits.

Bureau Junction has two storage tracks: Peoria lead (15 cars max) and Silvis lead (7 cars max).  Although LaSalle Yard will have two tracks, I need to keep one open for the UTSW.  So, I set the max storage at LaSalle to ten cars.  Chillicothe will have a max of 18 total.  The spreadsheet will be updated after the track is laid and actual measurements can be made.

I then re-ran my scenario to visually see (with limits in place) how traffic will flow across the layout.  I think it will work well.  I already want to run either one of the Turn Locals.  Both seem like they would be a lot of fun to operate.

Storage Track Calculator

Here is the layout at the beginning of the session.

Follow along with train #113 Joliet to Bureau Junction as it travels from East Staging Yard to Ottawa, LaSalle, Bureau Junction and returns.

Second in the line-up would be train #130 Peoria to Bureau Turn.  Here's how it would play out.

Enough scenarios already!  We need to get building!  Well, I have a plan now.  Next up, seeking approval from the CEO.