Make no mistake about it. The prototype Hills Line exists because Eldon C. Stutsman, Inc., the massive agriculture supply dealer in Hills, Iowa, continues to receive product by rail. However, the secondary customer on The Hills Line also puts on a good show, at least in my modeled era. Space constraints prevented me from modeling … Continue reading City Carton Recycling
"We're gonna light up the dark of night like the brightest day in a whole new way" -Joe Raposo/Children's Television Workshop- The formal owner of the prototype Hills Line is the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway, a subsidiary of Alliant Energy. Considering its history as an electric interurban, the ownership makes sense. And considering … Continue reading The Electric Company
Time to get to work on the signature scene of The Hills Line, the Iowa Interstate's deck-girder bridge over the Iowa River. The first detail needed are the cutwater retaining walls that wrap around each of the bridge piers. I searched for a suitable commercial product, but all were too bulky to simulate the prototype. … Continue reading Bridge Over Troubled Water
Finishing up US Highway 6, a major arterial thoroughfare in Iowa City, and the first road constructed for The Hills Line. Last time I built out the curbs, medians, and other elements. On this entry we'll paint and detail the road to match the prototype. My weapons of choice are, as always, whatever cheap and … Continue reading Curb Appeal, Part Three
