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Roads and grade crossings on a model railroad are two things that every visitor to our layouts can quickly identify and relate with. That comes from the simple fact that we interact with roads on a regular and ongoing basis. On The Hills Line I've begun construction of US Highway 6, a major arterial road … Continue reading Curb Appeal, Part One
I have a love/hate relationship when it comes to making mockups on a model railroad. On one hand, it annoys me to spend time on something that I know will end up in the trash instead of on The Hills Line. On the other, I really hate redoing things I've already done, so taking the … Continue reading The Case for Mockups
My grand plan of using Google Streetview images for photo backdrops on The Hills Line has, so far, been somewhat successful. To date I've been able to use or modify existing photos from in and around Iowa City, saving me the hassle and issue of traveling east to get what I need... which considering the … Continue reading Something Borrowed
I'll let you in on a secret. The best hobby shop on the planet is Home Depot. The Atlanta-based home improvement warehouse has just about everything you need to completely build a model railroad... minus track, locomotives, and freight cars. That limitation nonwithstanding, I've found that if you wander the aisles with a prototype-modeler mindset … Continue reading Tanks Fer Nuttin’
The Hills Line 