The Hills Line is an eight-mile industrial spur of the Iowa Interstate Railroad serving the eastern Iowa towns of Iowa City and Hills. This HO Scale version replicates the practices, policies, and procedures found on the prototype to provide guests and operators a flavor of real-life railroading.
Recent Posts
Hills City Park
Located just off Main Street on the west side of the town of Hills, the Hills City Park is a young railfan’s dream. The park lies adjacent to the prototype Hills Line offering views of the industrial track from atop the swing set. I had to include it on The Hills Line. The parking lot … Continue reading Hills City Park
Field of Dirt
“People will come, Ray“-Terrence Mann, Field of Dreams– The area surrounding the Eldon C. Stutsman complex on The Hills Line is nothing but dirt. That makes sense, since a lot of trucks, farm equipment, and heavy machinery traverse the area everyday. But it doesn’t make for a lot to look at. No one ever said … Continue reading Field of Dirt
Now Twist
“Here you find the young and old Twistin’ the night away” -Sam Cooke- I really need to listen to my friend Scott Thornton more. As I was installing my corn field on The Hills Line, Scott mentioned to me that he twisted the stalks to rotate the corn on his now former IAIS Milan Branch … Continue reading Now Twist
Vertical Horizon Extension
When I originally build the backdrop for the town of Hills, I only built what I assumed I needed for the scene. The plan was that the Eldon C. Stutsman structure would block most of the horizon, eliminating a lot of wall space that needed to be covered. When I actually built the Stutsman complex, … Continue reading Vertical Horizon Extension
