Born in Great Falls, Montana, Robert West’s passion and love for trains began at an early age due to the constant traveling across the country he experienced with his father who was career Air Force. His grandfather Allen Parrish provided Robert with his "on the job training" through stories of his experiences as a chair car attendant and Pullman Porter for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. As a self-taught artist with architectural and technical illustration influence, Robert West has been painting images of trains and North American railroading for more than 27 years.
In 1989, GE Transportation Systems Inc. employed Robert West to paint large-format portraits of every high-tech diesel locomotive designed by the company's technical support staff and design team. Today, Robert West travels around the country to give lectures and attend railroad-related events. Known as "The Champion Painter of Trains" Robert West’s paintings and artworks are displayed in the halls and on the walls of a number of railroad corporations, suppliers and manufacturers.
Artwork always make great gifts, and Trainz carries a wide variety of Robert West's much sought artworks in both Steam and Diesel scenes.