I was born in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan but I currently live in Wisconsin. My toy train layout leans toward the Hi-Rail side but I also enjoy postwar trains. My layout is based on the copper mining area of the Keweenaw Peninsula in Upper Michigan. In addition to toy trains, my hobbies include woodworking, antique tractors, and snowmobiling.

My real name is Karl but my  screen name Firesteel refers to the Firesteel river valley in which the Copper Range Railroad crossed using a series of three trestles appropriately named the Firesteel Bridges. These trestles still exist and are now part of the snowmobile trail system.