The Northwest corner of Illinois and the Southwest corner of Wisconsin are referred to as the driftless area: These were the only areas of these two states that were not covered by sheets of ice during the Ice Age. This resulted in an area that was left in its natural pristine state with natural beauty and natural resources. The area around Galena was found to contain an abundance of lead while 40
miles to the north, Mineral Point was found to have a large deposit of Zinc. A source of transportation was needed to move the ore from the mines to the smelter and eventually on to the manufacturing centers. I started In 1961 in my parent’s basement in Forest Park, IL with very limited space available. Years later (in 1977) my first wife and I had a home built in Darien. I decided not to build a new railroad, but to move part of the existing railroad from Forest Park and utilize it in my new and expanded area. The layout would then be what I always wanted-size-wise. I saved 1/3 of the original MP&GS and added a new 2/3, so that the new and improved MP&GS would be larger and better than the original layout. The new layout would include a longer main line, larger terminal towns, engine facilities and more scenery. The move was made. The expansion started, and on June 21, 1984 the hand-laid mainline was completed. A party and the driving of the golden spike completed the big event. The work on the MP&GS slowed and occasionally came to a stop several times-during 1984, as my first wife and I battled with the cancer that took her young life. But sometimes from adversity, springs hope… I was remarried in 1990 and our son was born in 1997. With the help of my son, Bob and good friend, Joe, the MP&GS is finally nearing its completion. The trains are running and the sun is truly shining. While the two railroads I have modeled are gone and lost to time and history, my MP&GS stills lives on in our basement.
