A Tale of Two Bridges

Officially speaking, the first structure built for The Hills Line was the deck of the CRANDIC's lattice truss bridge over the Iowa River. That needed to be completed so I could lay track and get the railroad running. It was a few more months before I finished up the truss itself. As I previously mentioned, … Continue reading A Tale of Two Bridges

Haunted By Waters

"Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it." -Norman MacLean- While additional detail parts may eventually find a place, I'm ready to call the first significant rural scene on The Hills Line complete. The 10,000-foot view shows the relative placement of most of the elements. All the foliage and flora follow … Continue reading Haunted By Waters

The South 40

Up until now, progress on The Hills Line has focused on the more industrial Iowa City with its tight clearances and numerous grade crossings. I'm now working in the town of Hills, a stark contrast with its agrarian open spaces and features. One key feature of any rural area in the Upper Midwest is a … Continue reading The South 40

Crash Into Me

A few months back I came across Lance Mindheim's post on freight car coupling on his website. As with all of his writings, I found it informative and motivating. Since reading it, and more specifically watching the video linked within the post, I’ve tried to become more aware of the sudden and complete stop that … Continue reading Crash Into Me