"Compromise is like the middle of the road; always safer to walk on than the edges." -Dwight D. Eisenhower- The north end of the modeled portion of The Hills Line features what I believe is the signature scene of both the prototype as well as the entire Iowa Interstate Railroad: The IAIS's deck-girder bridge in … Continue reading The Curve
The last portions of track to lay on The Hills Line are for the variety of bridges on the layout. In the past I would cut in standalone bridge track where appropriate, but this time I wanted to try to integrate the flex track directly into the bridge decking. That way I avoided the inevitable … Continue reading Gandy Dancing: Bridges
If it feels like I'm taking forever to get to tracklaying, you'd be correct. But the extended effort now should benefit down the road when the rubber meets the road... or the ties meet the foam. First off, the deck and bridge ties for the Iowa River bridge are complete and installed. The bridge is … Continue reading Prepping for Track
My hometown of Charleston has the unofficial motto of "Too Poor to Paint; Too Proud to Whitewash". Having lived in Iowa longer than I lived in the Lowcountry, I am no longer burdened with such limitations. The fascia and roadbed for The Hills Line are now painted and presented in their finished hue. For the … Continue reading Green Means We’re Growing
