May 2Tonight was a quiet night. John Purbrick ran a train around to test the system. Ed Drozd worked on a CO2 tank for CocaBubblie, Alvar Saenz-Otero paid a brief supervisory visit. John McNamara worked on a TNP Superliner diner of his. Andy Miller worked on his MP54’s. Ken Terrell worked on a kit of his. May 5 [[pictures]](/old/progress/reports/2001/5/../../../images9461.tcl?year=2001&month=5&day=5)Back to work! Bill and Malcolm worked on the BK cutoff; Malcolm also worked on making more plans for the layout. Ed worked on super-detailing the CO2 tank for the CocaBubblie plant, replacing the plastic walkways with etched brass parts! He also began to test the clearences of the helix area, since the helix will present some challenges for re-reailing trains! Alvar, James, and Jeff worked full-time on System3. Alvar worked all day to finish wiring the second Block Card. It is now fully wired, and awaiting a PIC processor (we’re sure he got it right the first time, sure…) James worked on the software side of System3 and got the advance part of it almost functional, to the point where Jeff was called in so that the three of them needed to work together to add ‘reverse’ feedback from System2 to System3. May 9Malcom made some measurements around the layout. Ed Drozd assembled a train of auto carriers. Andy Miller worked on a graphical representation of a new building for Gifford City. By printing out these graphics on our color inkjet, he can make very attractive mockups. The three aforementioned people also participated in a mammoth coin-counting exercise. It seems that with massive construction going on in the building, there are lots of thirsty construction workers, and the machine needs filling three times a week. John McNamara, with the assistance of Ed Drozd, worked on one of his TNP-lettered superliners. John Purbrick, Alvar Saenz-Otero, and James Knight worked on programming the System3/System2 interface that will be used to add System3 control to the Staging Yard while running the rest on System2 (an interim measure). The call-on feature is now fully operational with System3; the reverse feedback began last Saturday is also now working. Alvar also put together the communications board for the original Sys3 block card, so that this weekend we can start testing the two cards. All three made sure the system was back to ‘normal’ operation before leaving late at night. May 12 [[pictures]](/old/progress/reports/2001/5/../../../images6ff5.tcl?year=2001&month=5&day=12)Bill \& JP tried different under-the-track permanent uncoupling ramps for the BK area. JP continued to lay track in the BK cutoff. Meanwhile, Ed superdetailed both the CO2 tank of Coca-Bubblie, as well as a new locomotive; he used the locomotive to test the autoracks of the club. Alvar began work on the roof of the green building. James continued to work on System 3. May 30Track-laying crews are rapidly approaching Berkmannville! Malcolm Laughlin cut an enormous number of ties and John Purbrick installed substantial quantities of custom-colored ballast. John McNamara and Ed Drozd did some work on their customary projects, the roundhouse office and the Coca-Bubblie building respectively. Alvar continued to work on the radomes for the green building, which need to have a nice smooth surface. He then installed the necessary terminal strips in the S-Yard area so that all the tracks can be wired. Ken Terrell did his customary thing - test System 2’s ability to acquire blocks faster than his 300 mph Talgo equipped with a newly-detailed AEM-7. James and John P. worked on the interface between the Sys3 software and the cabs that JP built a while ago. Once this communications links is established, and when the tracks are wired, Sys3 is ready to be fully tested in S-Yard!!! Alvar Saenz-Otero handled the sales of our remaining few 50th anniversary box cars. Bob Walker, a returning visitor from California bought the last two kits today!