Progress Report 08.31.10 - 09.03.10

It has been fairly quiet on the range lately...

Clerk Report:
All car cards have been created.  All the 4-cycle waybills have been generated in a spreadsheet, but need to be transferred to the actual forms.  We have a surplus of some cars and require a few additional ones.

Track Dept Report:
Track foreman Johnson reports that West Davenport Yard is complete.  Foreman Little and Foreman Johnson met in Blue Island to discuss the lack of run around track.  A decision was made on the appropriate corrective action.  A crossover will be added from the Main to the siding before the split.  The run around track is rather short, but should be manageable for the local crews.

Operations:
I have been reviewing the local operations in my head.  Stockdale will definitely be a bear!  The grain and melon trains won't be far behind in their complexity.  A lot of reverse and run around moves will be required to successfully complete the tasks.  I'm looking forward to the inaugural operating session!

Progress Report 08.30.10

A little progress was made today...

All car cards have been made.  The number of waybills required for each industry have been calculated. Throughout the week, I will work on creating waybills.  I have 165 four-cycle waybills to create.

Tonight, I measured the layout for the fascia. 

Track crews are still on schedule for completion by Labor Day.

Progress Report 08.27.10 - 08.28.10

Created 100 car cards.  Established a new database for creating waybills. 

Worked on the layout.  Cut and glued the main and siding from the CB&Q Junction up through Burr Oak Yard (staging).  Installed the connector track between the main and siding.

Saturday ~
Cut and glued the competing railroad track and majority of industry tracks for Blue Island. 

Looking toward Blue Island from the CB&Q Crossing at Joliet

Need more track for this.

Former competing railroad crossing.  Lumber mill.

Looking back toward West Blue Island

Looking toward East Blue Island

Main & Siding separation

Main on right, siding on left.  Freight house on right.  Chicago Wholesale foods behind along the wall.

Overall view of Blue Island

Another view of Blue Island with staging in the lower left.  View of former competing railroad crossing the main and traveling behind the freight house where it crosses the main again near the lumber mill.

Progress Report 08.25.10

Track crews took the night off as they were called out for domestic issues for the CEO, but progress was still made earlier today by the clerical team.  Clerks worked on the tedious process of creating waybills, asset management, and fulfilling customer requirements.  I created a spreadsheet to list my industries including spot capacity, commodity shipped/received, required car pool, and desired frequency.  I then compiled a list of all my cars including the car pool type, reporting marks, etc.  I then began matching up industries with the requested car pools to create 4-cycle waybills.  I have them all created except for the grain covered hoppers.  I will work on that tomorrow.  Regarding the waybills, I only have a generic "off layout" set currently.  Tomorrow, I will review each waybill and assign a routing for the car to depart and enter the layout. 

This was a big step toward the operational goal in November.  I'll be glad to get this part over.  I'm anxious to move forward and start scenery. 

Progress Report 08.24.10

Residents cheer with praise as the first test train pulls up to the station in Blue Island! 

A small piece of benchwork was engineered and installed at West Blue Island.  The mainline has been cut and tested from the CB&Q connector track in Joliet to just past the freight house in Blue Island.  Track Foreman A.T. Little reports that crews are still on schedule for completion by the end of Labor Day Weekend.

Progress Report 08.23.10

Progress continues as crews lay the groundwork for laying rail in Blue Island.  Cork for the main and siding were laid from the first diamond in West Blue Island to staging. The cork was laid out (not glued) for both staging in Burr Oak Yard (Chicago) and West Davenport.  Crews are expected to start laying track Tuesday evening.

Management has declared that all track for Phase I will be complete by the end of Labor Day weekend.  Crews must push forward to keep this ambitious goal!

New Paper Mill in Joliet, IL

Here are photos of the newly built paper mill in Joliet, IL.

Kraft Mill

Main production building

Truck loading docks in the front.  To the right of the kraft mill will be storage piles of wood chips

Extra car sitting on the storage track adjacent to the main production building

Fredrickson Trailer delivering some scrap paper to be used in production of new paper

Main road by the paper mill.  It will have small city buildings on the right.  Access to the paper mill facility on the left.

Another view of the plant.

A view from the CB&Q main.