Howard Zane . When I sold my collection and business to Dan Glasure in '05, a year later I found around 450 brass locos I had misplaced in storage when additions were being built on my home (yup, for the layout).
. When I sold my collection and business to Dan Glasure in '05, a year later I found around 450 brass locos I had misplaced in storage when additions were being built on my home (yup, for the layout).
Hmmm...OK, so you misplaced 450 Brass locos?? I think we can begin to see what we are dealing with here...LOL
Howard Zane If only he followed may favorite saying....."You don't stop playing becasuse you grow old...you grow old when you stop playing." A good friend and great modeler, Paul Delfino reminded of this saying, and already by following this teaching, I feel 10 years younger and look like I'm again in my 50's...going for 40's. It has a lot to do with stress...which is a killer and agent for extreme aging. Model railroading is a remedy for this. HZ
If only he followed may favorite saying....."You don't stop playing becasuse you grow old...you grow old when you stop playing." A good friend and great modeler, Paul Delfino reminded of this saying, and already by following this teaching, I feel 10 years younger and look like I'm again in my 50's...going for 40's. It has a lot to do with stress...which is a killer and agent for extreme aging. Model railroading is a remedy for this.
HZ
I like that logic, by that reasoning I should look about 25 (I'm 57) I do agree that keeping active at what you enjoy keeps you young.
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site
Hi again,
I can't really disagree with any of the previous posts, for the topic is a very personal one. My earlier post was that I would attempt to sell my "stuff" before I pass on to the RIP track.
But one thing I didn't say that I realize is very important to me.......
I don't want anyone messing with my trains but ME! Other than a couple of Forum friends who live over 1000 miles away, I don't know anyone I would trust to handle the locos and cars I have given such TLC.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Mobilman44--
I can understand how you feel...though once I'm gone, I can't come back to beat somebody up for damaging something that was valuable to me, and I merely hope my better half achieves some reasonable cash out of whatever is left.
As someone who has been accused of being a "serial trader" of trains, or who "only loves the hunt" (not true at all, at least I don't buy that), I now ask myself "do I really need this?" before I buy anything and I use that to limit my purchases so that I don't have extraneous stuff laying around that is not getting used regularly. That's my approach and I'd never advocate that for others.
I still have kids that will need some kind of post-high school education. I would not be able to live with myself if I had a huge fleet of trains worth serious cash and did nothing to help them. My fleet is and will remain rather minimal. I don't ever envision needing more than a half a dozen really good steam engines.
Many others are at a different stage of life than me and don't have to worry about the kids and can accumulate, within reason, more than me. That is fine for them.
I'm also learning to play keyboard because I'm tired of hearing people (mainly in churches) say "we don't need a trumpet" (as has been said to me more than once, even after they acknowledge I may be the best player they have, can transpose at sight, etc.). So this isn't the only "hobby" I'm "re-thinking" my approach to. When people like the Pastor rudely cut me for whatever reason, even when I was the leader of the group for 3 years, it kinda forces me to re-think my approach to a "hobby".
John
Howard,
A person in your situation is going to place a burden on their partners or family to dispose of the extensive hobby items. There is far too many valuable items to simply have a "yard sale" after your passing. It wouldn't do your layout, or loved ones justice, and it would take a huge amount of time and effort.
IMO, you may have to hire a professional estate planner to ensure things are done correctly. And "correctly" does not mean maximizing sale price. "Correctly" means minimizing the burden on your family.
Somebody at some point is going to HAVE to make a complete inventory list of the items. And you will have to give your loved ones some idea of what they or worth, or where they could be sold.
You may be able to trust friends and acquaintences to ease the burden on your family, but experience tells me that many "friends" often act like vultures picking apart the estate for the items they covet, and leave the vast majority of items for the widow or family to still have to deal with later.
Maybe you could discuss this issue with hobbyists you know, and all can agree on what items they take. Perhaps in order to have some valuable items they covet, they also must take away some of the lesser items off your family's hands.
I don't think you have to get rid of anything before you pass, but putting effort into disposing the items by leaving instructions or hiring a professional to help your family afterwards is the kind thing to do, IMO.
- Douglas
As mentioned before, I have made plans with several options to either keep layout and collection viable and then liquidate when it becomes time. My survivors, mainly my wife would want layout kept and maintained as long as possible. Plans have been made to do just this. When it comes time for sale, plans have also been made. Everything is catalogged and priced. The point of beginning this thread was to hear from others as perhaps I may have missed something in my plans and to possibly alert others to this subject which we will all face someday.....hopefully not to soon!!!
Mention was made about friends becoming vultures after model rail has departed. This is unfortunaltely often the case. To avoid this is to get a good appriasal by a pro. Now there are no licenses or professional organizations for model railroad appraisers...only find the most experienced and honest person available.....or when it becomes time to sell, you can avoid the appraisal and get at least 5 bids from dealers or whoevers. Then you will have a fair idea of wholesale values. For a retail value of brass, most likely you could double the average offer price. for plastic, possibly times 4 or possibly times 5 offer price if items are old and weary.
If you go the appraisal route....the appraiser must not be a bidder.
Deleted as not needed.