Ray & Karen Holich
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The Rock River Pass Railroad is built on an Oriental rock garden which is over 25 years old and contains a dried river
of rock. The garden was inspired by Japanese Gardens we have seen around the country. The railroad has six loops. Each main loop is 175 feet long. The large loops are wired for DCC (Digitrak). The right-of-way from the garden to the patio is quite narrow hence the word Pass in the name. The Railroad has a circus which is located just west of the town of Rock River. The town buildings are made from Jig Stone molded concrete blocks. We made a house with a fireplace, a Fire Department, a jail for Elroy and Jake, a Church complete with brass bell in the steeple and stained glass windows. In addition there is a station house, out house and a shed. By the shed is a display we call "Old Chicago" made from Jig Stone castings. There is a two flat, a Chicago two-flat and two stores. One of the stores models Lehrman's Hardware (named for Karen's grandfather) and a hot dog stand. The farm area has a scratch-built barn made from cedar decking cut to size and several bird house buildings. And, just like the movie, several big fish in the river. Another area has buildings of a Southwest style. In 2011 we installed a Dallee Trolley which stops for several seconds in front of the loop. I installed DCC Bitswitch loop controls on each loop to allow two trains to run on each loop without running into each other.
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