What to take in case of an evacuation?

[Anonymous]

I recently had to evacuate the Houston Texas area because of Hurricane Rita. I loaded my car full of trains. My car was full from the trunk to the front seat. I even got my wife to take some of my trains with her. I couldn't take everything with me. I took locomotive engines with me about 40 of them. I had to leave most of my rolling stock and operating accessories at my home and my mother#8217;s house. I just did not have the room to move everything. My logic in choosing the engines is that they are worth more than the rolling stock and they are more prone to water damage. My question to everyone is what would you take if you had to evacuate and you couldn#8217;t take everything with you. I think engines are the first and best choice to take.

[eZAK]

In this order;

1) Money (i.e. wallet, C.C., keys, & etc.)
2)Medications
3)Full tank of gas
4)Water
5)Any irreplaceable items(i.e. jewlery, rare trains, etc.)

The rest will be left to the Nat. Guard to play with until the ins. adjuster gets there.

[Jumijo]

1) kids and wife

Everything else can be replaced. Period.

Speaking of evacuations, I hope Dougdagrump chimes in soon and tells us he and his family are alright.

Jim

[ChiefEagles]

Smart move on the engines and anything with electronics [train wize]. Rolling stock can be cleaned and repaired more easily. Everytime we get a possible hurricane or ice storm. I fill all the vehicles, boat, tractor, riding lawnmower, generator and several 5 gal containers with gas as we do not evacuate. I have been siphoning gas back out of my boat off and on all summer. If you do evacuate, you can tow boat and siphon gas out if all stations are empty. Good storage facility [25 gallons]. I do use Stabill. If you stay behind, catch all bath tubs with water [even if you are on city water]. Grew up in eastern NC where hurricanes are a norm.

[dougdagrump]

We have only been in that position once. When the situation occurs I think most of what you take is dependent upon the amount of advance notice one receives. In our case we had about a one hour notice to prepare to evacuate. Had they not been able to stop the fire where they did the next line of defense would have left our home and many others to burn. With very short notice you develop a dfferent mindset as to what to take and not take. We chose to take vital documents, photo albums, etc., things that cannot be replaced and just a few change of clothes.
Forgot to add, we ended up living out of the back of our PT Cruiser for several days in the garage because my wife wouldn't let me unpack the car until the fire was completely out.[:D]

[FJ and G]

We don't have floods and stuff where I live; just tornadoes. You really wouldn't have time to evacuate anything. Same thing I would think for earthquakes.

At least w/a hurricane, you have time to plan. I know that if I knew a hurricane was coming, I would definitely have enough time to gather my loved ones, dog, and most priceless things, being mainly toy trains. I'd leave the track and layout behind to weather naturally.

[Buckeye Riveter]

Evacuation, what is that?

You get two choices in Ohio where I live, tornadoes and blizzards. After you exit the basement after a tornados, there is nothing left if you took a direct hit. During a blizzard, you hunker down, hope the power stays on and eat all the food you stored in the basement that didn't get damaged by the tornado that hit you last spring.

Sometimes there is an evacuation for an overturned railroad freight car spewing toxic chemicals, but when that happens you have five minutes to get out of Dodge. Grab the wife and cat and leave, now.

[Dr. John]

First, take care of your family and yourself. Your life in more precious than toy trains. Then, take necessities: cash, credit cards, vital papers (Insurance policies!), birth certificates, Soc. security cards. We keep ours together in case we ever do have to leave. Practical clothing (leave suits and dresses behind - think clean-up efforts!) If you have children, some toys or books. Provide for your pets - they will need water and food, plus a leash for dogs. Remember that some motels do not allow pets. Photo albums and jewelry would be my next choice.

Taking trains would, to me, be a luxury rather than a necessity. IF I had time and IF I had room to carry them without endangering my family, sure, I'd take a few that have the most nostalgic meaning. You can always start over in ANY hobby at the appropriate time. Plan ahead! Chief had some great points about preparation. I've lived in hurricane zones for over 40 years and have gone through 15 hurricanes. You live and learn.

[FJ and G]

It amazes and saddens me that some folks who drove out left their dog or cat at home. Surely they had 2 minutes to grab their pet.

[andregg1]

Ezak I'm with you.
And I start to think about...because I live in Florida.

[Anonymous]

Specifically related to model trains, I have a box with 14 rolling stock that cannot be replaced easily. Plus two engines and the powerpack. Everything else will be ruthlessly left behind. One box; toss in car. No problem.

[jonadel]

We would take family pic's, video tapes of the boy's when young, family heirlooms and those are few. Any train related stuff would be a very low priority for me. We do have some framed prints that would be easy to load and do have sentimental value. The one thing my wife would really want to take would be the 6'4" grand piano that is over 75 years old and completely rebuilt a year ago, that is not going to happen.

Jon

[okiechoochoo]

We would take things of real importance. Meds, insurance policies, vital papers, change of clothes etc. Other stuff, such as our large train collection, are considered expendable and are fully insured. They can be replaced over time. One must have priorities. Where we live we have tornados. There is no warning. When that happens you just try to stay alive.

[Anonymous]

Let me clarify my point. I am asking what would you take if you could? I know everyone would take important things such as medications, heirlooms, important papers, pictures and family videos. I packed all of that stuff but I had room for some trains. My question is what would you take if you had space? Would you take your engines or railcars with you? I took the most expensive pieces I own.

[dougdagrump]

Jon, Just put very large casters and a towbar on the piano and your all set. [:D]
If given sufficient time I would of course srart with the higher value locos and work down from there.

[okiechoochoo]

Well, if I could take trains I don't know. I am a postwar collector of LN or better so I think I would take items that would be hard to replace in that condition. One would think that engines would be first up so I think some items like rare F3s would be taken, probably 2373 CP set and 2378 MR along with 2368 B&O. Then also I would take some rare variation 6464 boxcars. Always been glad I don't live in hurricane regions. Tornados are bad enough.

[jonadel]

Doug--

Picture this--The Titanic--listing severly to port and about to go Deep 6, yup--that's my wife with a seat belt on playing her piano, I'll have to think about what she's playing at this point.

Jon[:D]

[Anonymous]

My dog goes with me. I couldn't care less about the trains. They are just "things," and can easily be replaced. Truth is, I would be far better off if I didn't have so many of them.

[Anonymous]

All the regular important documents and necessities--water,etc. and the cats "Joey" and "Buddy" otherwise my wife wouldn't go. Also "Harley" the Beagle pup if dog-sitting for my son as is often the case.

Trains: I would sacrifice the stinking diesels and anything more modern than 1960. Then I would take the Southern and N&W steamers if room allowed.

And if you are an COF like me with a tater-sized prostate gland a pee bottle is essential otherwise you have to stop, raise the hood and pee in the grille while pretending to work on the engine[:I].

[selector]

I would take the video inventory I took for insurance purposes, and wife and dog. Of course, land ownership papers, hard-to replace documents, and insurance policies would have space in the car, along with photo albums. Everything else is just a marathon shopping trip away. Wife is one of a kind, so is the dog, and having important papers to wave under functionary's nose offers a lot of clout in a disagreement.

[garyseven]

I have a cat that I would make sure to evacuate - now, as for the other cat...

[Anonymous]

Since I live in Florida,....... I live in an RV. Takes me about an hour to have everything unhooked. The van on the dolly. the trains all picked up and stowed. Stop by the gas station, and the bank, and I'm outa here............. Next stop ....Kansas.....Hello Totto!!!

I feel sorry for people that live in houses without wheels!

[FJ and G]

Capt Turk,

On the travel channel they showed that some folks live out of their "teardrops". A teardrop trailer, btw, would be a great addition to a model train layout.

[Anonymous]

Highrailjon has one on his layout that is quite interesting! lol

[mersenne6]

Just a bar of soap. That way, if I get swept out to sea I can wash myself ashore.[:)]

[krapug1]

OK, besides the usual (Dogs, some Money, Papers etc) there is one Train that I would have to take, and that is my 1991 K-Line Reproduction of the Girls Train.

Why you ask ?, simple I need it to always lord over my sister. Back in January of 1959, Two Guys, the original store in Harrison NJ bought out the remaining inventory of the infamous Lionel Girls Train sets, and they sold them for about $15.99 or less, just to get rid of them. My father offered to buy my sister several of them, one to run and a couple to put away. My sister pitched a fit that the sets were demeaning, not to mention silly and stupid (granted they were), so my father never bought them.

As I remind her at every Christmas if we had "several" mint Lionel Girls Sets, our nephews college fund would have been off to an awesome start.
I remind her of this with the K-Line set running around the tree.

Ken

[Anonymous]

A CTT for the ads, my credit card and my cell phone.

That way I can strat ordering replacements from the Red Cross Shelter with my FEMA check.

[Anonymous]

Water, driver's license, money, passport, credit cards, AAA card, food, and most of the rest is gravy.

[Anonymous]

i'm not going anywhere! i'm going to stand my ground and surprise the looters.

there is nowhere to go; except maybe into a traffic jamb.