Talking Custom Model Railroads with Tony Koester

There are many different ways to build custom model railroads; every modeler has their preferences and things they avoid. When it comes to creating a layout from the ground up, each component of the scenery, trackage and wiring is your choice and dictates the final result. You have a lot of options when planning your custom model railroads, and it can be daunting to keep a focused vision of the end product as you go through the design and construction stages.

If there’s one person who knows a thing or two about maintaining a clear image during the building of custom model railroads, it’s Tony Koester. Tony is a longtime expert in the field of model railroading, and his breathtaking layouts have served as inspiration for modelers around the world. In this segment, host Allen Keller visits Tony’s workshop to pick his brain on the thought process and methods that go into designing and building custom model railroads, and he asks him a few important questions about the state of the hobby.

Tony’s thoughts on custom model railroads by committee

One of the great things about model railroading is its fantastic community component. Modelers love to share their experiences in creating custom model railroads, both good and bad, with other modelers. However, it’s important to remember that the hobby of building custom model railroads is very much an art form, and that means most of us want to do it our own way.

With that idea in mind, we wanted to get Tony’s thoughts on what it’s like to build custom model railroads with a group of people. Creating railroads by committee can be a tricky process to navigate unless the right pieces are in place, so we were curious how one of the greats feels about working with others on a project. After that, Tony answers a few more questions about the methodology behind building custom model railroads, including the rise of electronics in the hobby at the turn of the century. Find out what this pioneer has to say!