What a lot of the discusion has been has nothing to do with the facts. A majority of people will never make it to a nursing home, only about 5% with an average stay of less than 2 1/2 years. Now as far as horder people with no assets, the relitives don't have to do a thing nor do they have to pay off any debts the person has (and I cleaned up a lot of places as a landlord but eviction and departure). We can hire trustworthy companys now to just haul it away and the national ones will generaly salvage the stuff they can resell. If a proper trust has been set up, even assets can't be touched once one reaches the final destination. What I am really trying to say is enjoy your life and don't let other peoples values influence you. For some downsizing is the right thing to do and a lot has to do with your condition and how well you planned for the future. I have seen what happens to people who give up (can we have that cartoon put up about the frog and bird, love that and that should be your attitude in my opinion).
LastspikemikeSo far, so good. I'm going to have to develop pretty serious infirmities before I even consider giving this hobby up.
Part of the reason that I accumulated purgable junk in the first place was that I would by used items with the intent of repairing them and making them useable again. Sitting at a bench, with strong magnification if needed, turning sow's ears into silk could be a way to extend your hobby career.
If you're not using it for the layout (that you might not have), trying to turn a small profit on the item could be the goal. You'd have to perform a quality rehab on the flip to get your money back, so there is an incentive to produce the best quality model and to use your knowledge of the prototype to build the most accurate model. Those skills and knowlegde may always be useful...and satisfactorily marketable....without needing a tremendous amount of mobility.
Also speaks to the point that anybody can sell beat up items listed as "junk parts" or "needs repair" for others' projects. Everything has value.
- Douglas
ATLANTIC CENTRAL The Milwaukee Road Warrior trnj At 77, I am finally "retiring" from model railroading. I would like to sell my equipment en masse and not piece by piece, if possible (perhaps in "lot" groups). Any ideas on the best way? I have mostly older Athearn and many Accurail cars, as well as a few more expensive things as well as over 100 mini-metal vehicles and five nice DCC equipped engines (3 Bowser, one Atlas, one Bachmann 44 tonner--all with Loksound 5.0). My MRC Prodigy express would be sold as well. I realize you want to keep everything in one lot, but I will just throw out there (for you or any other forum members retiring in the future) that I would certainly love first crack at anything 40s/50s era Milwaukee Road (or CNW) related that you might part with. Just send me a PM. I am always amused by people who respond on forums, chat rooms or facebook without having read all the replies. The OP recenty posted this: Wow! My question sparked quite a discussion. I appreciate all the input. The funny thing is, when I started to go through my freight cars and engines, I realized how enjoyable this part of the retired life is and what a task lay ahead to sell them! I think I will postpone selling my stuff for awhile! Maybe my great-grandkids might like them when they come along! Ha! Gotta go and move some minature freight! John in SC So I guess any Milwaukee and CNW stuff he has will not be available for a while yet...... Sheldon
The Milwaukee Road Warrior trnj At 77, I am finally "retiring" from model railroading. I would like to sell my equipment en masse and not piece by piece, if possible (perhaps in "lot" groups). Any ideas on the best way? I have mostly older Athearn and many Accurail cars, as well as a few more expensive things as well as over 100 mini-metal vehicles and five nice DCC equipped engines (3 Bowser, one Atlas, one Bachmann 44 tonner--all with Loksound 5.0). My MRC Prodigy express would be sold as well. I realize you want to keep everything in one lot, but I will just throw out there (for you or any other forum members retiring in the future) that I would certainly love first crack at anything 40s/50s era Milwaukee Road (or CNW) related that you might part with. Just send me a PM.
trnj At 77, I am finally "retiring" from model railroading. I would like to sell my equipment en masse and not piece by piece, if possible (perhaps in "lot" groups). Any ideas on the best way? I have mostly older Athearn and many Accurail cars, as well as a few more expensive things as well as over 100 mini-metal vehicles and five nice DCC equipped engines (3 Bowser, one Atlas, one Bachmann 44 tonner--all with Loksound 5.0). My MRC Prodigy express would be sold as well.
At 77, I am finally "retiring" from model railroading. I would like to sell my equipment en masse and not piece by piece, if possible (perhaps in "lot" groups). Any ideas on the best way? I have mostly older Athearn and many Accurail cars, as well as a few more expensive things as well as over 100 mini-metal vehicles and five nice DCC equipped engines (3 Bowser, one Atlas, one Bachmann 44 tonner--all with Loksound 5.0). My MRC Prodigy express would be sold as well.
I realize you want to keep everything in one lot, but I will just throw out there (for you or any other forum members retiring in the future) that I would certainly love first crack at anything 40s/50s era Milwaukee Road (or CNW) related that you might part with. Just send me a PM.
I am always amused by people who respond on forums, chat rooms or facebook without having read all the replies.
The OP recenty posted this:
Wow! My question sparked quite a discussion. I appreciate all the input. The funny thing is, when I started to go through my freight cars and engines, I realized how enjoyable this part of the retired life is and what a task lay ahead to sell them! I think I will postpone selling my stuff for awhile! Maybe my great-grandkids might like them when they come along! Ha! Gotta go and move some minature freight!
John in SC
So I guess any Milwaukee and CNW stuff he has will not be available for a while yet......
Sheldon
Yep. Saw that after I posted.
Andy
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Milwaukee native modeling the Milwaukee Road in 1950's Milwaukee.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/196857529@N03/
trnjThe funny thing is, when I started to go through my freight cars and engines, I realized how enjoyable this part of the retired life is and what a task lay ahead to sell them! I think I will postpone selling my stuff for awhile!
The same thing happens to me every time I think about selling my Battle-Tech stuff. Going through it all just makes me want to start playing Battle-Tech again!
-Kevin
Living the dream.
LastspikemikeBear in mind that some of your stuff isn't made new currently and may never be again. Make sure it isn't thrown away. Model railroad stuff hardly ever wears out.
This is very true. If you read responses from people who have sold things on ebay, in particular the MOBILEMAN44 thread about taking down the layout, prices for things can be higher than what you could have imagined.
In my recent purge of long held modeling junk (to me) I had a stash of LL Proto and Athearn BB Blomberg truck sideframes. I grouped them into lots of 6 pairs making the shipping costs worthwhile for the buyer. Sold quickly and at good prices.
Two Lots of 42 inch cintered Athearn BB diesel wheels complete with bronze bearings went for good prices.
Worm gears and gear covers.
Rolling stock that had some broken detail pieces, grouped into three car lots to make the shipping costs worth while.
Project diesel shells, even incomplete shells, always seem to be in demand.
Bachmann two motor GE 44 Tonners, even completely torn apart, go for a good price. I think folks use the small motors for other projects too.
The list I just gave yielded about $200 after ebay fees. Seems like a reasonable way to spend excess retirement time.
I agree with your approach. I am 72 and did not get started on my layout until I was 61. I want to continue to enjoy building it and running it as long as I can. So that is what I will do until I am physically unable to do so. I am concerned (my wife is VERY concerned) about how to get rid of everything when I am gone. So I am trying to keep all the EXTRA stuff to a minimum for now. And when I see that I am no longer able to enjoy it or I feel that my departure is coming near, then I will take action to get rid of it one way or another. Of course there is the risk that something sudden could happen to take me out of the picture unexpectedly, leaving the mess to someone else. But at this point that is a risk I am still willing to take. And I don't understand why you think this discussion might indicate "this forum is just less of a fit for me these days". Your opinion is valued and welcomed just like that of everyone else. Mine just happens to be the same as yours on this issue. Thanks wdcrvr
hon30critter Doughless What is the point of me saying this? Have a plan. Trains are no different than old clothes, appliances, tools, and spare parts. Sell it. Will it. Dump it while you're strong enough. Its your mess. Either clean up after yourself or discuss it with another who will agree to clean up your mess after you're gone. Hi Douglas, I couldn't agree more! My parents left us a mountain of useless, worn out, broken stuff. For example, there were eight broken clothes irons, some dating from the 1930s, and none of which could be repaired! That was just the tip of the iceberg! We spent six weekends emptying their house. We made 17 trips to the dump with a 12' x 5' utility trailer jammed full. We had three yard sales. The end result was that we spent more money on expenses than we gained in the yard sales. The Real Estate folks had offered to take care of all of it for us but my brother refused. He wanted to get "maximum value" for all the junk. Dianne and I have vowed to never do the same thing to our son. The train stuff will all go to my old club in Barrie. Cheers!! Dave
Doughless What is the point of me saying this? Have a plan. Trains are no different than old clothes, appliances, tools, and spare parts. Sell it. Will it. Dump it while you're strong enough. Its your mess. Either clean up after yourself or discuss it with another who will agree to clean up your mess after you're gone.
Hi Douglas,
I couldn't agree more! My parents left us a mountain of useless, worn out, broken stuff. For example, there were eight broken clothes irons, some dating from the 1930s, and none of which could be repaired! That was just the tip of the iceberg!
We spent six weekends emptying their house. We made 17 trips to the dump with a 12' x 5' utility trailer jammed full. We had three yard sales. The end result was that we spent more money on expenses than we gained in the yard sales. The Real Estate folks had offered to take care of all of it for us but my brother refused. He wanted to get "maximum value" for all the junk.
Dianne and I have vowed to never do the same thing to our son. The train stuff will all go to my old club in Barrie.
Cheers!!
Dave
Yeah, my mother happened to be a clean freak. But my experience with my mother-in-law harkens me back to my childhood when mom used to say "Don't make me clean up the mess you made." LOL.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL money you can't afford to loose, it's like "restaurant" money - are you ever getting any of that back?
Russell
ATLANTIC CENTRALSure, if my health gets seriously bad, I will have to do whatever I have to do
That was the point of my "preachy" post. No need to be offended. While not serious, I assume that most here who raise the issue find it just a little bit harder to do the things they used to do.
My inlaws were hard working people, non hoarders, self-employed and probably skimped more they should have on the health insurance. The FIL had two heart attacks, the last one left him with parkinsons like symptoms due to oxygen deprviation as he lay on the table while the doctors finally restarted the heart. After he passed, the MIL broke one hip, then the other. A combination of sentimentality for the good ol' days, immobility, and finances changed both of their approach to their abode from when they were younger and more capable.
My mother was a clean freak. Later in life when I visted my parents, I noticed that the corners of the floors and other hard to reach places, as well as the odd spots or stains here and their, were not as sharp as they used to be. The result of her bad eyesight and arthritis. Just couldn't do the things she normally wanted to do.
Maybe this is depressing. I think its reality, for nearly everyone. Another reality is that a basement full of trains is no different than a barn full of junk, for people who don't care about trains.
Having a son in law willing to call 555-JUNK would work for some. One plan would be to just go full speed ahead with life and Will the SIL $2,000 to pay the junk man. Wish my MIL would have done that, but she needed the money when she went into the nursing home.
As you said, not one plan fits all. Its all good as long as the intentions are good, IMO.
My asdvise is to sell peicemill what you really don't need, for me it was HOn3 stuff and brass I would never paint or bring up to standards. Now it is non DCC stuff that is not worth upgrading and redundent scenery stuff or lesser quaity everything. Very easy to sell this stuff on ebay in a couple of lots.
hon30critterWe spent six weekends emptying their house. We made 17 trips to the dump with a 12' x 5' utility trailer jammed full. We had three yard sales. The end result was that we spent more money on expenses than we gained in the yard sales. The Real Estate folks had offered to take care of all of it for us but my brother refused. He wanted to get "maximum value" for all the junk.
I have dealt with two Estates in the last 20 months, one family, one close friend. One was a house in a rural location, one a condo in a gated community. Once we went through and removed personal items and papers, I gave the beneficiaries two weeks to go get whatever they wanted such as furniture, TVs, food in the cupboards pianos.....on and on. Both places were then sold as-is contents included. The clothes were still hanging in the closets and in the dressers. It is just stuff and would have cost more to get rid of it any other way than making the buyer take it all as part of the deal. The house got demolished and all the contents went in the bins with the house to the dump. The people that bought the townhouse thought they would make a bundle selling the contents that came with their new home. Almost all of it was taken to the dump by the "Got Junk" people, they could not sell much.
I told my kids to let a MRR club come get it and they can keep what they want and sell the rest at a show. It all boils down to how much their time is worth and their time is worth a lot more than they would get selling used toys.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
A long time ago, a friend and I came across a guy selling his late father's collection. I let him do the negotiating and he made a low ball offer that I was almost embarrassed by but to my surprise, the guy accepted it. We divided up the booty. I kept the pieces I wanted for my railroad and sold off the rest piecemeal. I got enough from the proceeds to pretty much cover my share of the initial cost, which demonstrates that you don't get top dollar when selling en masse.
My LHS deals in used merchandise. Naturally they want to turn a profit. If you've watched Pawn Stars, generally they will offer about a third of fair market value for an item. That means if it sells for what they expect, one third goes to the original seller, one third helps cover their overhead, and one third will be their profit. That's an oversimplification, but that's pretty much how it works.
If you are going to sell to somebody who is going to resell it, you aren't going to get fair market value. That person wants to turn a profit. To get fair market value, you need to sell to someone who actually wants the item for himself. Those people are probably only going to be interested in individual items. You might find such a person who wants your whole collection but that person will probably be looking to get a discount price for buying the whole thing.
richhotrain ATLANTIC CENTRAL But it always seems when this topic comes up there is a lot of "preaching" about what "everybody" needs to do. Sheldon, you need to start building that layout. Rich
ATLANTIC CENTRAL But it always seems when this topic comes up there is a lot of "preaching" about what "everybody" needs to do.
But it always seems when this topic comes up there is a lot of "preaching" about what "everybody" needs to do.
Sheldon, you need to start building that layout.
Rich
On believe me, I know it has been a while, some of my "life issues" have delayed things, but I am busy wiring the lighting in the room, and getting my workbench up and running - pictures soon.
And selling stuff on Market place I have no future use for - so my kids don't have to.............
Alton Junction
Hoarding is a mental health issue. As soon as anyone puts up any resistance to the preaching on this subject, the hoarder stories start.
Having a plan is one thing, stopping your life and waiting around to die is another thing.
Everybodies situation is different. The OP, Mobileman and others have no doubt made the best choice for them.
I don't have a house full of junk, or even a garage, basement or attic full of junk. And for the last 5-8 years we as a household have been working on having even less unnecessary "stuff".
But I will say this plainly, as long as I am reasonably able bodied, I'm not getting rid of all my stuff and moving into the 800 sq foot "retirement community" apartment. It is hard for me to imagine a worse way to live than those places, I guess part of it is I honestly don't want that much continious contact with that many other people.........
Sure, if my health gets seriously bad, I will have to do whatever I have to do.
We just moved from the large high maintenance house to a nice easy to care for rancher. We got rid of a ton of stuff in the process. We are very focused on what we want to do for the rest of our time here, which with any luck is another 20 years.
So, even before we moved, we have never been the kind of people who hang on to stuff we don't need or no longer want.
So about model trains in particular. I have a lot of trains, but guess what I don't have and have never had? Extra stuff that will never have a purpose on the layout.
I am not an "emotional" buyer, I'm not a "collector", I'm not a hoarder, (neither is my wife). I have a lot of trains because I had a large layout, and now I'm starting on an even larger one.
I listen to these stories/comments from people "selling off their excess stuff" with some level of amazement. I do understand that sometimes we all make purchases that we later find were not the best choice for our needs.
But come on now, there are some of you out there who at some point just had no idea what you really wanted, or you are emotional buyers with lots of disposable income, or you have/had the "collector" gene. And that's fine - for you.
I've been in this hobby since 1967, and I count on my fingers and toes the purchases I have made that I later regretted and then sold of because I had no use for the item, or decided the item was not acceptable for my needs.
So I'll keep them all until the end, and if the boy child who they are willed to, or any of the grandchildren, don't want them, it can all go in a dumpster for all I care at that point.
Money? The way I was raised you don't buy things like model trains with money you can't afford to loose, it's like "restaurant" money - are you ever getting any of that back? You could have stayed home and saved a lot of money.
A great way to save money is not be an "emotional" buyer in the first place......
I am often amazed at the way people waste money - but it's not my business.....
Another way to save money (and have more for retirement, or more for trains) is to buy things of quality so you waste less time and money replacing stuff. I have lived in houses where I needed a garden tractor for the last 26 years - and in my lifetime I have owned, you guessed it, ONE garden tractor. And it will likely last me the rest of my life, because it is a high quality machine suited to my needs, not some pieece of junk from in front of Home Depot.......
Now, if I truly lost interest in the hobby, I would sell it all in a heart beat. I have lost interest in actually participating in other hobbies, example I don't think I would ever buy/build another old car/classic hot rod. The time/money vs reward is just gone for me - but back in the day....... I built some fast cars........
Just like I am done restoring old houses for my own use - the blue house was the adventure of a lifetime, but I am now very happy to be paid well to do that for others - I don't need one.
What I do need is this layout I am starting, and my books and music, and my complete library of Model Railroader from 1954 to now, and my hobby/functional 25 year old GRAVELY tractor.
And I have the means, the space and the ability........and now finally, extra time to more fully enjoy these things.
Maybe this is just another sign that this forum is just less of a fit for me these days.....
DoughlessWhat is the point of me saying this? Have a plan. Trains are no different than old clothes, appliances, tools, and spare parts. Sell it. Will it. Dump it while you're strong enough. Its your mess. Either clean up after yourself or discuss it with another who will agree to clean up your mess after you're gone.
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
The way I think of it is this: Your, say, 1,000 items can be sold to one person (customer) who is the end user of the models. Since he is the final retail user of the items, he pays retail prices.
If the end user customers are, say, 500 different people, somebody at some point is going to have to break up the collection into 500 separate chunks.
OP can spend his time to do it, or he can pay someone else to do it (by taking a lot less when selling the items as one 1,000 piece chunk).
Its a simple choice that comes down to preferences and probably either experience or intimidation of selling it peacemeal.
I buy stuff from Trainz.com in Buford GA. The stuff I buy is "as described" so they seem to know what they are doing, and they always have a lot of used items to sell so I assume that folks who want to sell stuff en masse probably like them.
As far as the topic of cleaning up your mess before you leave:
My mother in law lived in a rented house for the last 15 years before she moved to a government assisted nursing home because she had no money (she got a sweet deal, it was actually a very nice place). She was a nice lady, but she dragged all of her lifetime of junk to that rented house when she moved into it, and accumulated other things never once throwing much out.
When her health was deteriorating we begged her to simply go through the stuff and mark what we could toss and what she wanted to keep. We would do all of the work. All she had to do was to take the time to go through the house with us and mark what could be pitched. Trust me, it was all junk.
She never did. And when she moved out, she never lifted a finger to call someone to clean out the house. I spent 16 hours every weekend during a cold January walking back and forth from the house to the dumpster emptying the place out. What had any value was auctioned on site. Even the land lady to come over to make sure that none of the house fixtures and other items belonging to the house were auctioned off, since I had know way of knowing the difference. The MIL never even told me.
Me and the landlady cleaned up the mess my mother in law's lifetime left us.
What is the point of me saying this?
Have a plan. Trains are no different than old clothes, appliances, tools, and spare parts. Sell it. Will it. Dump it while you're strong enough. Its your mess. Either clean up after yourself or discuss it with another who will agree to clean up your mess after you're gone.
I hear you. On my last layout I had most of it dead level but it looked like mountains in some areas with a canyon and river scenes. Did it so I could have long trains, new space 1/4 the size or less so real hills were a musdt unless I only wanted point to point.
rrebell It is surprising how fast you can build a model railroad to a runable condition, but to accually finish it visually is a whole other mater. The newer methods are a whole lot faster too with foam and caulk.
It is surprising how fast you can build a model railroad to a runable condition, but to accually finish it visually is a whole other mater. The newer methods are a whole lot faster too with foam and caulk.
I will skip the foam part thanks. I need/want "hollow" scenery for access to hidden trackage, so the idea of just stacking up and carving foam does not work for me.
Nor does it work for access to switch machines ar various track elevations.
And track does not rest of foam in my world.......
I model the piedmont of the Mid Atlantic, I am not just laying track on one flat table top.......
The new layout is designed with good access to the hidden track, but some of that good access is sitting in an officve chair under the "hollow" scenery.....
trnj Mobilman44, thanks for the helpful post. Your idea seems the best option for me. I did think about leaving my stuff to the grandkids but none show any interest in the hobby, especially since my layout is set in the 60's. The last time my wife and I were in Folkston at the little cabin by the tracks, I realized how foreign my 40' boxes and Baldwin and Alco switchers are from the container and autoracks of today! Thanks to all for the helpful comments. BTW, I am in good health still but my ability to work with small stuff is diminishing and I don't want to wait til I cannot dismantle my layout. Love the hobby but it is time to wave goodbye to it! A secondary consideration is the increasing cost of the hobby. I have joined the famed "fixed income" group! Ha! John in SC
Mobilman44, thanks for the helpful post. Your idea seems the best option for me. I did think about leaving my stuff to the grandkids but none show any interest in the hobby, especially since my layout is set in the 60's. The last time my wife and I were in Folkston at the little cabin by the tracks, I realized how foreign my 40' boxes and Baldwin and Alco switchers are from the container and autoracks of today!
Thanks to all for the helpful comments. BTW, I am in good health still but my ability to work with small stuff is diminishing and I don't want to wait til I cannot dismantle my layout. Love the hobby but it is time to wave goodbye to it! A secondary consideration is the increasing cost of the hobby. I have joined the famed "fixed income" group! Ha!
John,
First off I would like to say that you are likely making the best choice for you, my post above was not a direct criticisum of you.
And l am more than a decade younger than you.
And while I have spent a lifetime in this hobby, and done a lot, I still feel I have additional goals to fulfil in this hobby.
I willingly gave up this in favor of smaller and easier to care for, mainly so I could spend more time (and money) on other hobbies:
You can see all the Victorian splendor of my restoratation here:
https://app.photobucket.com/u/carrollhome/a/bfdbd701-abf4-4d5f-bb20-786bbc5599c9
And I actually now have more model railroad space than I did at that house.
It is my goal to build one last big layout, and enjoy it for as long as possible. But honestly if I achieve that, I still don't see myself taking it down in "in advance" of my departure from this earth.
The kids can just "deal with it", just like I delt with them for the last 45 years............
And if I go before my wife, it can be delt with or just sit there, it won't be in her way.
So as we speak, I'm getting started on this:
While this may look very overwhelming to some, it is actually pretty simple and minimalist for the 1500 sq ft it will ocupy - its about vast scenery, long trains, operations, AND good display running - I am a railfan type modeler at times.....
And I will have my killer stereo, and my 1700 vinyl records in the train room with me.......
Take care, best wishes,
Someone mentioned Trainz who seem like nice people. I also had a friend recommend these folks www.modeltrainmarket.com. I don't know anything about them, but I told my wife to try someone like them if anything would happen to me. They get good reviews too (although, who would post negative ones?)
After dealing with some serious health issues the last few years, it does make you start to look at "stuff" you have and wonder if or when you'll ever use some of the items. I'm not cleaning house, but I've given some items to friends who I thought would appreciate them more than just selling them on eBay. I just can't imagine cataloging and selling hundreds of items on eBay, especially if it's a spouse who doesn't know a thing about model trains.
Jim
Well, I'm 64 and starting on a BIG layout. I plan to get carried out of this house, the trains are left to my son in my will.
I am always working on getting rid of unneeded things. In my business, construction, it is a trap to save usable supplies "for the next job".
The wife and I scaled back a lot when we sold the 4000 sq ft Victorian in favor of the 2400 sq ft rancher. And still scaling back our "stuff".
But I don't buy into this "don't be a burden to the spouse or kids" thing. It is just part of life, people die and they leave stuff. Might be the only inheritance the kids get, who knows we might spend it all.......
When we moved I got rid of a lot of stuff the wife thought I would want to keep, fooled her.
But I still have the trains, the records, the books, the garden tractor (not about to pay someone to cut grass), the guns, and tools (I am still working and using them).
But one last thought on the trains, I only have what is needed to operate the planned layout theme. Beyond that I am not a collector.......don't model UP, never owned a Bigboy.
After posting earlier this morning, I put together a list of locomotives, passenger cars and freight cars that I am now planning to sell. I do have a large layout, but I have decided to keep the layout in place for the time being while I scale down my roster of locomotives and rolling stock. At that point, I may dismantle a portion of the layout which should be relatively easy to do since I built the layout in a sort of modular fashion. The real effort, though, is selling locos and cars. Dismantling the layout is relatively easy.