My name is Thomas Röder, I’m from Germany, and I am the fan designer of the Brick Railroad Locomotive from Series 8 of the BrickLink® Designer Program (BDP).

During my childhood in the 1980s, I was fascinated by pirates, astronauts, and—most of all—locomotives. This passion for trains extended far beyond the LEGO® world. Alongside a small 1:87 model railway layout, the large real-life locomotives that inspired it captured my imagination as well. But as life moved on and my interests shifted with age, LEGO bricks eventually disappeared into the background for a while.

Many years later, during the pandemic, I found my way back to the little bricks. A lot had changed since my childhood, and comparing the possibilities of then and now would hardly be fair. At first, I built regular sets, but it didn’t take long before I started creating my own MOCs (My Own Creations) and rediscovering my creativity.

With the launch of the BDP, I discovered digital building. My first steps in BrickLink Studio were still a bit rough—but as every LEGO fan knows, great models are built one brick at a time. Today, I mainly use Studio when I want to test ideas or when I’m missing specific parts.

In 2024, I finally decided to recreate the locomotives that fascinated me most as a child. Shortly afterward, the idea emerged to submit these models to the BDP.

And now, in 2026, one of these locomotives will soon be running its laps in your home as well. That fills me with great pride and gratitude.

I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported and accompanied this project. Without you, this journey would not have been possible.