Bill Koster

Bill Koster founded Koster's Miniature Railroad Supplies, Inc. He also built the Blue Ridge Summit Railroad.

The Gold Spike Ceremony of the Blue Ridge Summit Railroad, June 1, 1998. Left to right Bob Fink, Richard Fink, Bill Koster.

Biography

From the slipcover of Large-scale Model Railroading:

Model railroading in all scales has always been a hobby for Bill Koster. First introduced to Lionel trains as a child and then modeling in O, HO, OO, S and N gauges, Bill turned to 1-1/2" scale in 1962 by purchasing a pair of trucks. The trucks were used for a gondola, followed by a 4 wheel switcher. He started building his railroad in 1968 and started a business of supplying large-scale model railroad parts in 1970. His full-time occupation is as an electronics technician. Bill resides in Homestead, Florida with his wife Alice and their children, Warren and Candice.

William C. Koster, 1978, from slipcover of "Large-scale Model Railroading".

From Large-scale Model Railroading, page 3:

In 1962 there was no live steam club in the state of Florida. We were not aware of a publication that could assist us along the way. We had not even heard of the "Brotherhood of Live Steamers."

Tidbits From Chaski

• The 5.5hp Honda gas engine coupled to an Eaton model 7 pump was first done by master builder Bill Koster.

• Back in the early '80s, I bought 24V Westinghouse motors from Koster (now CannonBall and further divided into MDM Locomotive Works) that used to be surplus aircraft engine starters rewound for use in his 1.5" engines. In Koster's design, the motors fit in-between the wheels and against the axle.

• Most of the Cannonball line is from Karlson KMP. Cannonball also bought out Koster Supply from Bill Koster around the same time. Since then Cannonball has added some other products.

Facebook

Mark Locke posted on Facebook, October 2023:

I have known Bill for virtually my entire 63 years. He was a good friend of my late father's. I remember visiting his home and riding his railroad. His Homestead house is unique, it was built on a man made hill that he had constructed on his property. As far as I know, it is the only house in South Florida with a basement, and his workshop was located in that basement. He is still fairly active in the live steam community.

Steam Outline Locomotives

Bill created two Steam Outline locomotives based on the ATSF 4-6-4. A great article by Bill himself appeared in Live Steam & Outdoor Railroading, July/August 2023, page 10 (LSOR subscribers click here).

Regarding the article Bill said:

I enjoyed doing that article about an early electric drive steamer. That shop picture was when I used half of my two car garage. We moved shortly after that to a part of my 26 foot x 60 foot basement, the only basement in Homestead, Florida.

Homestead Railroad

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  Aeriel view of Bill Koster's railroad at 1900 Northwest 9th Ave, Homestead, Florida, 1980.

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  Bob Fink's early oil electric at Bill Koster's track at Homestead, Florida, 1980. Photo by Raymond Heaton III.

More photos of the Homestead Railroad by Jay Finelli.

Footage of Bill Koster's Homestead track, along with some words from Bill

See Also

Florida Live Steamers Meet, November 1983

Bibliography

• "Large Scale Model Railroading", Thomas A. Hill, Wilfred Christian Koster, Koster's Miniature Railroad Supplies, 1978, 138 pages
• "Live Steam in the Sunshine Region", Wilfred C. Koster, Live Steam, Apr 1970
• "Riverside & Great Northern: 50th Anniversary Celebration", Wilfred C. Koster, Live Steam, Sept/Oct 2003
• "Memorial Steam Meet in Decatur: Kenny Davis' Railroad", W.C. Koster, Live Steam, Sept/Oct 2006
• "Golden Screw Ceremony at the L.O.H. & S", W.C. Koster, Live Steam, Jan/Feb 2007
• "Northeast Florida Live Steamers and Railroaders, Inc.: Culmination of a Dream", Wilfred C. Koster, Live Steam, Sept/Oct 2007
• "The Ridge Live Steamers: 50 Years and Still Growing!", Wilfred C. Koster, Oct 2017
• "Behind The Scenes At Koster's Miniature Railroad Supplies: 1970-1982", Wilfred C. Koster, Second Printing 2017
• "Welcome to The Blue Ridge Summit Railroad: Purlear, North Carolina", Wilfred C. Koster, Reprint
• "Keeping On Track", W. C. "Bill" Koster, Wilfred Christian "Bill" Koster, February 2022
• "Fifty Plus Years in a Wonderful Hobby", Bill Koster, 2019

References

• Corporation Wiki
• Blue Ridge Summit Railroad History
• Bill Koster Video