Operations – Illiana Garden Railway Society

IGRS Portable G-Scale Diorama

Using the life work skills of its members, plus a generous donation of track from member Don Coleman (who was retooling his own layout) the IGRS built a 14′ x 16′ Portable G-Scale Road, during the winter of 2003. The Portable emulates an outdoor Railroad Garden in look and operation. It is an educational exhibit designed to promote G-Scale railroading as a hobby in schools and various fairs in the tri-state area of Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. Complete with a three track rail-yard, switches, dual loco shed and station. There are inset holes for live plant placements along the right-of-way. The IGRS Portable made its first appearance in April of 2004, to the delight of onlookers, at the Marquette Mall in Michigan City, Indiana, Train Show. With this showing, the IGRS took its initial steps to promote G-Scale railroading as a hobby on the road.

The Bull Moose Line

Building the Illiana Road began in May of 2004 on an open plot of grass covered lawn, near a drive path, on the South-West corner of the Samuelson Greenhouse property. A suitable, easy access location, it is not more than five hundred feet away from where the Canadian National winds its way through Indiana on the old Grand Trunk right-of-way. IGRS members Max Samuelson, Tom Krieger, George Janjecic, David Ransom, Don Hewlett, Ed Briesacher, Al Gengler, Art Maxwell, Paul Urlich, Dave Besterman and Carl Hinderer participated in the first phase of construction.

Gold Spike Inauguration

On the fourth Wednesday of July 2005 at 7:00 P.M. the IGRS inaugurated the Society’s Garden Railroad, with the driving of a gold spike at the terminal of each of the four main lines. The Illiana Road was christened with a champagne toast to its first public run as the whistles of the model locomotives blended with the whistle of a Canadian National freight passing by. And to the applause of the assembled IGRS members, a series of G-Scale trains moved out onto the main line from the depot staging platform. Under the watchful guidance of Dave Ransom, the evenings designated engineer, “The Bull Moose Line” became fully operational.