If I had a $Million$

[CBQ_Guy]

If I had a million, the layout would be exactly the same as it is now, except ALL the rolling stock would be RTR![:D]

[Junctionfan]

Put it in the bank and live off the interest. Continue working and put half the money into the bank to increase the return and the other half for just train stuff.

[dharmon]

Before or after taxes?????? If its a million after taxes then I'd....put half in the bank for later ....Pay off the house, pay off the car, pay off the in-laws stupid debt, get my daughter braces, and have an addition put on the house.

Then I'd buy myself a Mini Cooper and drive straight to the hobby shop and get me a BLI GG1 and a brass FEF-3.

I might make a no interest loan to my MRR club for a down payment, so we can buy a building and not have to go through a move again.

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

1 to 1 scale 24" or 30" gauge steam, REAL steam, not a ride on but a real plantation or field locomotive, ex-SR&RL RR type loco, Hawaiian suger cane loco, or I'd pay to have someone build me a exact replica of a 6-8 ton Porter or Carter steam locomotive, and enough track around my estate(LOL) to run it. Be REAL fun to wake up the neighbors at 6 am with a steam whistle, hey gotta get ready for an operating run early with those engines!

Well I figured this would only cost about $800k that leaves me with 200k to do something indoors.

My fantasy layout would be Los Angeles, 1939, before the freeways, suburbs and the city downtown generaly going into the stinkhole. It would be a long wrap around with Union Staion as the centerpoint in the middle of the warehouse. It would model from the harbor up Alameda to Union Station then along the riverbanks to the shop facilties that were once dominant there, one branch south from Union Station to the UP and SF yards in Commece and continueing down to Fulllerton, another branch would go north thru SP yards at the Cornfields and Taylor Yard north into Burbank, another branch would model the SF line north to Pasadena and out east to Claremont. Also included would be Pacific Electric lines and street running frieght trains down Alameda Blvd.
Almost entirely steam, few deisels, railroading in LA at its peak.

Scale G, O or HO depending on the warehouse...no smaller than HO otherwise the detail just blurs for me. [8D]

[Anonymous]

If i had that money to spend on a model railroad, i think i would run the northeast corridor. There are plenty of passenger routes running through as well as freight . And dont forget that urge you get when you build a city scene to have a subway system.

[railman]

first would come the pole building...size TBD...and a huge layout to boot. Proffesionally built, of course, so I can have all that extra time to ride Amtrak while it's being built.

[easyaces]

Geeeze Ferg, if we all had that kinda money, we'd all be to busy buyin trains and building layouts to our hearts content and nothing would get posted here![:D]

[Anonymous]

I'd model Conrail from Oak Island, NJ to Conway, PA in HO.

[on30francisco]

I would like to have a large space to build a layout. I would still model in On30 but I would also build a Large Scale indoor layout. I would do the modeling myself because that's the best part.

[Anonymous]

The world's largest layout with 10 Passenger Trains and 12 Freight Trains running at a time

[vsmith]

QUOTE:
I was thinking of the song too when I saw the topic. Now I wonder if Fergie is a fan, being Canadian and all, or if it was just a coincidence? Or maybe all Canadians wi***hey had a million dollars.

One Million Canada-ollars!, Hmm, lets see with the current exchange rate, thats what? about $1042.16 [?]


Running to hide before the Kodiak's are unleashed...

[Anonymous]

I would first buy an adaquate car, maybe an Aston Martin, and then concentrate on my layout.

[Roadtrp]

As others have said, a million doesn't go all that far today. If you can average an 8% return on your investment over time, that gives you $80,000 per year unless you want to start eating into your principal.

I don't think I'd quit my day job, but I would use the $80K per year on vacations, travelling the country and the world in deluxe sleeper accommodations on every 1:1 passenger train left. My model railroad would probably stay much the same as it is for a while. I'm not skilled enough at this point to be able to invest a huge amount in it overnight.

[Anonymous]

I'd bull dozer my ranch ( It's on a concrete slab) and build a new house with a huge basement with NO support poles with a deadbolt on the door to lock out all my women! 1 wife 4 daughters.

Carpenter Matt

[Fergmiester]

Ok so this question is slightly dated![|(] No it wasn't taken from the Bare Naked Ladies (I prefer Blues Traveller) but rather Linn Wescott's book entitled 101 layouts pg 60 titled If I had a Million. So OK the book was written in 56' regardless if I had a million it would be after taxes, I'll take the US Greenback, thank you Lupo and my wife doesn't know about it.

Bottom Line I'd still have one heck of a layout thankyou very much.

You bunch of Old Grumpy Men Shame on you!!! Yes you too BB 4005![:D][;)][dinner]

[Anonymous]

Where is the Bryant Street theatre anyways for Christ's sake?

And do they make pre wrapped bacon?

[MAbruce]

QUOTE: Originally posted by lupo

Dijon Ketchup ??
I have not the pleasure of knowing that [C=:-)] bigboy4005, If it is FRENCH [xx(]
I stay with HP sauce [(-D][(-D]
and those [:I][:I] 'bare naked ladies" [:I][:I]are they dressed in green???[:O]

How about a Fruit Roll-up???

[:P][:P][:P][:P]

A little BNL humor. Also part of the song (at least the live version).

[lupo]

Dijon Ketchup ??
I have not the pleasure of knowing that [C=:-)] bigboy4005, If it is FRENCH [xx(]
I stay with HP sauce [(-D][(-D]
and those [:I][:I] 'bare naked ladies" [:I][:I]are they dressed in green???[:O]

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by lupo

QUOTE: Originally posted by MAbruce

QUOTE: Originally posted by mrbornac

Not to be too cliche, but I would buy you a green dress, but not a real green dress, because that is cruel.

Sorry folks, a million dollars brings me thoughts of a certain song...

Well, as you can see, there won’t be much left of that million for my MRR empire. Probably a whopping $23.96.

A little lesson from someone in the treasury profession: A million dollars doesn’t go nearly as far as it used to. Aim higher next time!

My [2c] (after all of the above is deducted).

[:(][:(][:(]Well then I settle for a steak a burger and a large portion of fries and a Bud[:P][:P]

How about a little Dijon Ketchup with that? [:o)]

Bare Naked Ladies!!! [:0][:X][:I]Don't get your hopes up, its just the name of the musical group. Beside, its only a couple of guys from Canada.[:(][:D]

I was thinking of the song too when I saw the topic. Now I wonder if Fergie is a fan, being Canadian and all, or if it was just a coincidence? Or maybe all Canadians wi***hey had a million dollars.

[lupo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by MAbruce

QUOTE: Originally posted by mrbornac

Not to be too cliche, but I would buy you a green dress, but not a real green dress, because that is cruel.

Sorry folks, a million dollars brings me thoughts of a certain song...

Well, as you can see, there won’t be much left of that million for my MRR empire. Probably a whopping $23.96.

A little lesson from someone in the treasury profession: A million dollars doesn’t go nearly as far as it used to. Aim higher next time!

My [2c] (after all of the above is deducted).

[:(][:(][:(]Well then I settle for a steak a burger and a large portion of fries and a Bud[:P][:P]

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by acanrinus

If i had a million dollars, i spend 150k on a big house, with a big finished basement

150K for a big house? you ain't in Southern California are you?

150K wont get you a lousy condo here, the median price for a home here is now in the 300K's. Most new homes are in the 400K and up range, who's buying these homes? Rent is now averaging at $1300 a month, and people are still moving here in droves?

[MAbruce]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mrbornac

Not to be too cliche, but I would buy you a green dress, but not a real green dress, because that is cruel.

Sorry folks, a million dollars brings me thoughts of a certain song...

I was just going to say something along the same lines (from BNL). [(-D]

Seriously though, I’m not sure I’d be able to do all that much will a million. Let me throw the proverbial bucket of cold water of reality onto this (yeah, there’s one like me in every crowd). [:-,]

First, taxes will take a big whack out of this sum.
Next comes donations (more of a personal priority for me).
Next comes paying off the mortgage.
Then there are all those renovations to the house that need to be done.
Oh, and I can’t forget setting something aside for the boys college fund.
We also need a new mini-van.
Also have to set some money aside for investments (medium and long term).

Well, as you can see, there won’t be much left of that million for my MRR empire. Probably a whopping $23.96.

A little lesson from someone in the treasury profession: A million dollars doesn’t go nearly as far as it used to. Aim higher next time!

My [2c] (after all of the above is deducted).

[Anonymous]

If i had a million dollars, i spend 150k on a big house, with a big finished basement (and yes that is the price in my area and is in canadian) and build a prototype layout from my area. From Saint John NB to Moncton NB, and i would build it so as to grace the cover of MR

[Anonymous]

Not to be too cliche, but I would buy you a green dress, but not a real green dress, because that is cruel.

Sorry folks, a million dollars brings me thoughts of a certain song...

[AggroJones]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 4884bigboy
...have a HUGE layout. It would feature UP's Sherman Hill, SP's Techapaci loop and Cajon pass, Rio Grande in Colorado, ATSF's mainline to Chicago from LA, and SP's Clifornia coast route. It would be western railroading at its greatest!......lots of steam and diesel, and a huge layout to put it all on!

You little copy-cat! [;)][:p][:p][:p][:p]

[bow]The West side is the Best side![bow]

[Fergmiester]

Well thanks for all your great ideas guys. I think if I could do it I would start off with
1. HO
2. 18'x30' space
3. Suround sound and DCC with sound
3a. Full lighting for 24 hr simulation
4. block signaling
5. 2 main lines with sections of double track
6. Full steam servicing facility (transition time period)
7. A Really Big Freight yard
8. Rivers, Lakes, pastures, hills and mountains
9. A town or two
10. Bridges, Bridges and more Bridges
11. Really good scenery with at least a dozen industries and a couple of harbours
12. Lots of Brass Locos and yes a T1a or b, Selkirk, Royal Hudson, a CN Northern
13. And I really like the idea of several little layouts in the big layout idea.
14. Beer Cooler
15. Maid Service
and finally
16. Bancruptcy protection

[lupo]

I found this ad in the classified section: a lay-out with a house attached !

HO layout, 18 x 36 feet, digitrax radio system. Over 500 feet of track. Over 70 turnouts. Midwestern and small urban scenery. Located in prestigious gated mountain community 50 miles north of Atlanta. Golf, indoor and outdoor tennis and pools, fitness center, lakes and trails. Comes with a charming 3-level cottage. Master on main, bath, great room, sunroom, deck. Two loft bedrooms. Full walkout basement w/bedroom or study, bath, shop and layout. Totally wooded, no lawns. Four season climate with mild winters. Call Earl Brinson at [phone].

http://www.trains.com/classifieds/default.asp?id=ScaleModelTrains#7020

[Anonymous]

I would build this layout, but with DCC.

http://www.trains.com/Utilities/get_galleryfile.asp?idOLG={90E0A869-A526-4FD8-8217-0A245250FF88}1 (Copy and paste the whole link)

CAUTION - If you do not want to read a lot, don't click on the link. Also, since it is a large PDF file, it may take some time to download/display.

[Anonymous]

A scale layout of the river line, which I live a few blocks from, with NO detail ignored. Or maybe start my own railroad company with the help of a couple 100 other million dollars.[yeah]