Watch The Hills Line with James McNab on Trains.com Video
Trains.com Video
Purchase the first season on DVD from Kalmbach Media
KalmbachHobbystore.com
I revel in both the writing and works of noted model railroad custom builder Lance Mindheim. As a result, I've adopted most of his concepts and practices in the art of model railroading for The Hills Line, and consider him a mentor, colleague, and friend. https://youtu.be/r4QyVZv6TZU?t=106 Recently he shared a video of his Downtown Spur … Continue reading Mindheim Sound
Real railroads are disgusting. They're covered with dirt and grime and sludge and oil and waste. Modeling them effectively therefore requires an appropriate amount of dirt and grime and sludge and oil and waste. That's easily done with weathering methods on locomotives, rolling stock, and even buildings. But the crud should also extend to other … Continue reading Every Litter Bit Helps
There are several phrases used in this hobby that have long been attributed to the leaders of this hobby. Allen McClelland coined Good Enough, Tony Koester defined Layout Design Elements, and David Barrow brought Dominos to our lexicon. I'm no leader, but I'm claiming Endless Horizons, at least in the realm of model railroading. The … Continue reading Transitions
Continuing where we left off... the next phase of construction involves turning plain styrene sheets into something representative of the actual structure. My weapon of choice is photo wallpaper, made famous by Lance Mindheim. I often rely on Google Streetview for acquiring images from afar, since Iowa City is a two-hour drive for me, one … Continue reading J&M Automotive
The Hills Line 