Sunset Hill's Illiana Train Society

Visual elements for Sunset Hill’s Illiana Train Society “Bull Moose Line” Train Garden.
                                                          The Lower Mill Pond 

A Waterfall above the Upper Reflection Pond will send water splashing and gurgling down a trough of field stone into to the Lower Mill Pond.  As the water rises in the Lower Mill Pond a filtration  pump will recirculate 4,000 gallons of water per minute through a hidden piping system to the headwaters of the Water Fall above the Reflection Pond. This re-circulation will create a never ending downhill stream of water to the Lower Mill Pond basin.


That water feature is the heart of the garden railways design, giving the venue a stone covered background hill for the lower tracks to circle. 
In addition it offers the “Bull Moose Line” a unique right-of-way to travel over and under the cascading waters.



 Plus a pond large enough for G-scale boats.

The Bull Moose Line - Sunset Hill’s Illiana Train Society

The "Bull Moose Line" G-scale Railway Garden is being rebuilt at Sunset Hill Farm County Park locatedat 775 Meridian Road, just north of Valparaiso Indiana.



A Name Change To more closely identify with the move to the Sunset Hill Farm County Park the membership of the  Society voted to change their name to “Sunset Hill’s Illiana Train Society"
* Sunset Hill's Illiana Train Society Relocation Committee
Lance Molenda, Owen Todd, George Sarver, David Ransom, David Casey, Gary Barneko
* l Rather than build a layout as most G-scale modeling groups do, the Relocation Committee is seeking  $52,000.00 in donations  to use outside contractors toreplicate the original “Bull Moose Line” over the septic field 
on the north side of Sunset Hill Farm County Park.

The committee members hope to open the venue for public viewing sometime in the
Spring or Summer of 2019.

Sunset Hill's Illiana Train Society Membership Application


The Sunset Hill’s Illiana Train Society (ITS) is a not for profit group of G-Scale enthusiasts from the states of Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. It’s a family affair - membership is by family.
Society family members are interested in all areas of G-scale model railroading. Among our goals is the education of the public about garden railroading, railroad modeling and the construction and running of garden railways. To that end, we show our individual garden layouts at various times to the general public and maintain a public venue  called “The Bull Moose Line”  at Sunset Hill Farm County Park to promote G-scale railroading.
Activities include monthly member meetings, held on the 4th Tuesday of the month, “How to Clinics,” model railroad show attendance, steam train excursions, visits to member’s railroad garden and an annual picnic in August and a Holiday party in December.
Every Saturday, beginning in 2019, members will …

Sunset Hill's Illiana Train Society - Train Garden Progress

Two Years and Counting...


Unlike typical railroad G-scale modelers who construct their layout from the ground up, 
Sunset Hill’s Illiana Train Society's Relocation Committee 
is collecting $52,000.00 in donations to employ outside contractors to build the 
“Bull Moose Line”

Sunset Hill's Illiana Train Society Relocation Committee
Lance Molenda, Owen Todd, George Sarver, David Ransom, David Casey, Gary Barneko



 Porter County Park District has provided assistance to build the railroad garden  when equipment and staff where  available







Subcontractors in the process of building the I T S Train Garden retaining wall for the "Bull Moose Line"
on the ground above the old septic field




Final exterior touches to the prefab shed were made by Amish craftsmen
 after delivery to the site.



This she shed takes the place of the branch line train station that was originally envisioned by the group.



Send donations to:

Valparaiso, IN …