I grew up on a farm in southwest Minnesota, where, like many children in the 1970s, I had an extensive collection of farm toys. In the early 1980s, my father took me to a farm toy show, an experience that marked the beginning of my journey into model craftsmanship. Recognizing the cost of acquiring more toys, my father proposed that we begin making our own—thus, C&G Farm Toys was born.

Our first creation was a 1/64 scale stalk chopper, crafted from brass and soldered together. It was an instant success. At the National Farm Toy Show in Dyersville, Iowa, we opened the tailgate of our pickup truck and sold out within hours. This early success fueled years of designing and producing highly detailed scale models. By the mid-1990s, my career path led me into mechanical design, while my father continued refining his craft under Gary’s Toys, later rebranded as Scratch Cast.

In 2001, I transitioned from engineering to construction, but my passion for model building never waned. As my son grew up, I introduced him to HO-scale model railroading—though, admittedly, it was just as much for me as it was for him. I had always dreamed of building a model railroad, inspired by countless childhood visits to the expansive layouts at the Spencer, Iowa Fair. I could spend hours analyzing every detail, discovering something new with each lap around the display.

While constructing my HO layout, I began working on cabin remodels along Minnesota’s North Shore. Frequent drives past the Duluth ore docks reignited my fascination with industrial modeling. I purchased an HO-scale ore dock kit but quickly realized that the available models lacked the level of detail I desired. This led me to invest in my first 3D printer at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. My first print was a Jennie ore car, which soon evolved into a live-load Jennie, followed by a complete live-load system, including a rotary dumper, pit dump station, and an auger-driven ore transfer system.

Determined to create an accurate and scalable ore dock model, I embarked on extensive research—dedicating 2,000+ hours, collecting hundreds of reference photos, and reviewing patents and blueprints for gravity-fed ore docks. Due to space constraints in HO scale, I transitioned to prototyping in N scale, a format I quickly developed a deep appreciation for. Over the course of 2–3 years, I engineered a modular ore dock kit system, allowing modelers to construct docks of virtually any size. These kits are designed for seamless assembly, high durability, and realistic detailing, enabling completion within one to two days.

Expanding beyond ore docks, I have since developed kits for every active ore dock, excluding belted and boom docks, which are available as custom orders due to their complexity. My work has extended into designing ships, tugboats, industrial buildings, and agricultural structures, each meticulously crafted with sub-millimeter precision. Using resin printing at 0.005″ resolution and FDM printing for larger components, I strive for near-100% accuracy in every model. My process begins with full-scale 3D modeling, which is then downscaled to HO or N scale for production.

Looking ahead, I plan to continue designing and producing highly detailed, accurate models of structures, vehicles, and equipment that are either unavailable in the market or lack sufficient realism. My goal is to push the boundaries of model railroad engineering, ensuring that every piece I create meets the highest standards of authenticity and craftsmanship.