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One of my aesthetic goals for The Hills Line was to create a seamless fascia. While that serves absolutely no purpose towards the design or operational intent of the layout, it does help create a more pleasing appearance to others, regardless of their familiarity with the prototype. I originally used joint compound to fill the … Continue reading Bondo
"If they can dye this river green today, then why can't they dye it blue the other 364 days of the year?" -Deputy Marshall Robert Biggs, The Fugitive- If progress begets progress, it would make sense that improved progress begets improved progress. Following the improvements to my version of the CRANDIC's lattice-truss bridge over the … Continue reading Muddy Waters
"Rivers flow not past, but through us" -John Muir- It took me some time before I was able to determine the name of the small creek just north of Hills, Iowa. But thanks to some first-hand information from local residents I discovered what could simultaneously be the best and worse possible name for a body … Continue reading Force of Nature
There's no such thing as the perfect layout space, and our basement proves that as fact time and time again. Over the lifetime of The Hills Line, as well as other layouts I've built in that space, I've made what I feel are significant compromises to make a model railroad fit in our lower level. … Continue reading Cornering
The Hills Line 