Since I'm feeling less invincible since I retired, I've been updating my will and realized that I have a fair amount of money tied up in locomotives and rolling stock. I initially wanted to have a viking funeral where my body and train collection were put in a sail boat and set on fire as it sailed out to sea, but the Coast Guard said no.
My girlfriend hates this hobby so I don't want my collection to be thrown in the dumpster along with everything else that can't be sold. I don't belong to any clubs to leave it to and I don't have any friends that are in the hobby.
Any thoughts?
Bruce LA
If you are still with your girl friend when you pass she will just have fun busting your trains up if she hates them the way you say
Russell
I'm going to leave it to my cat
Well, the Abbot told me that my railroad would be put in the dumpster when I die.
I will make an inventory of what is valuable (after a fashion) and what is not.
There are a lot of relays and wires that the shop will want to save, but what the heck, I took them from the shop to begin with.
The Abbot can post a list on SubChat or some place, and he will even mail the stuff to you.
It is right and proper to put your affairs in order, but the trains have little value to the undertaker.
If there is a hobby shop in your area, you might give the stuff to them. Let them give it you young modelers to give them a boost into the hobby.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
How about family? Anyone in your family into railroading?
The Lehigh Valley Railroad, the Route of the Black Diamond Express, John Wilkes and Maple Leaf.
-Jake, modeling the Barclay, Towanda & Susquehanna.
Donate to a train club or museum. Ideally, the train clubs would make the trains available to young people who want to get into the hobby for a low price. Kids need to feel they are investing in the hobby and will be more likely to take care of the equipment than if it is just given to them like our government gives everything else.
Inventory the valuable pieces and specify they are to be sold by one those firms that does eBay sales for a commission with the money added to your estate.
Leave instructions to donate the rest of the usable pieces to your local thrift store, Goodwill, etc.
EnjoyPaul
Seriously , If I had a huge layout that was worth something, I would donate it to a children's hospital where children would be able to enjoy it. If that wasn't an option then I would auction it off and all the proceeds would go to a children's hospital or the ASPCA. There are two things I hate in life and that is to see children or animals suffer.
Why not donate it to a local club,or better yet to a children's hospital or museum that has trains ( maybe you could get a local club to set it up at the hospital and come in once or twice a week to run it for the children.). My daughter is the same way so leaving it to my two year old grandson is not a good idea,and my son would just sell them for what he could get out of them. I have no layout just a collection of locomotives & cars hoping someday to build a layout ( but with my health and living with my daughter I doubt that will happen ).
I'm taking mine with me. The good ones will go to the Big Roundhouse in the Sky, and the clunkers to the Big Hot Basement. I'll build a helix between the two. Given how much I hate carpentry, the Lower Level Yardmaster will sentence me to that.
Seriously, do you have any grandchildren? It's a long shot, I know, but one of them might adopt your trains. Failing that, I'd simply make an inventory with list prices, and when you add that up it will be obvious that the trains do have value. (Yeah, I know, you won't get list, but you want to inflate the number and that's as good a trick as any.) There might be an LHS that will take them on consignment, or you could even stipulate in your will that the trains go to LHS, if you like them that much.
I've thought about this, too. My wife hates the trains. My daughter actually appreciates the craftsmanship, but has no interest in them. I'm 66, and she's just 22, so there's a chance I might have a grandchild or two before I go, but again, it's a long shot.
I've bought a couple of eBay items that claimed to be from estate sales. When I run them, I like to think that some small part of that former railroader rides the rails with them, and I hope they're happy with the layout I've provided.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
I plan on leaving it to some one I don't like so they will have to remove it from the house.
Monetarily my heirs will be ahead.
Otherwise I'll tell them to follow Jeff's plans
Bob
Don't Ever Give Up
Have it buried with you.
Most undertakers will accommodate your wishes if you pay them enough.
Rich
Alton Junction
It will be tossed, and I'm positive I won't care.
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
What usually happens is that one or two good buddies of the deceased who are also model railroaders agree to try to sell off the collection as the last favor they can do their old friend. Their first task is often to try to educate that widow that the seemingly fabulous sums her husband PAID for the stuff has little or no relationship to the relative pittance that they will GET for the trains at swap meets or rummage sales. Some widows understand this and are just grateful for the help. Others do not understand and this can lead to some highly unpleasant situations. This gets especially touchy when the trains in question were built or painted by the deceased due to the emotional tug they continue to exert over the widow. In a sense the modern trend toward prototype modeling, rather than a modeler inventing a name for his model railroad and lettering the equipment accordingly, might help make the trains more salable.
I know one guy who has had to sell the trains of at least three of his very best friends. Quite apart from the emotional toll, in some cases he was still trying to sell off stuff as many as ten years after the death of his friend. He was buying tables at way more swap meets than he really wanted to and felt kind of trapped.
Often those same friends have to try to dismantle the layout. If they are extremely lucky someone might actually be willing to buy some or all of it -- that often depends on how it was constructed. Again there are widows who understand that her husband's beloved creation may well have to be destroyed. Others are convinced it belongs in a museum "somewhere" because "he worked so hard on this." Others are in such a hurry to get that layout out of the house (often because they themselves are moving out) that even a salvagable layout ends up getting destroyed and put in the dumpster.
If the timing is just right, there might be an NMRA regional convention,or other organization's meeting, that includes a live auction. Running an auction is no joke but if the structure for it is already in place, that is often the very best way to dispose of rolling stock and structures without them simply being trashed.
Those of us with substantial railroadiana collectible collections, including books, have an additional burden that we may be leaving behind. At some recent railroadiana shows I have attended I have heard mutterings about the railroadiana market crashing due to the sheer number of boomers who are dying or leaving the hobby and the market is being flooded with fewer purchasers expressing interest. I am speaking here of china, silver, timetables, lanterns, switch keys and locks, and other collectibles.
Dave Nelson
Once I leave the building for the last time, all of my model railroad goodies will be the problem of my executor/personal representative. I expect to have other concerns (like finding a pair of asbestos long johns...)
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - 2 children who still remember being there)
My daughter takes all the bottles and cans to the return-it every month or so and gets about $20.00. My son is too lazy to be bothered. So my daughter will probably sell the MRR stuff on E-bay (in lots) and end up with a few thou.
If I'm dead who cares. I hear there is a big train room with fifty track cleaning virgins where I am going.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
On my collection;The automatic detonator that is tied to my heartrate monitor, & my Kitties collar (Dual Control), would activate the the self destruct sequence.Multiple pre-programmed switching operations will commence in an order that would not form a common or even, an accidental consist. Once the programmed consist is formed, & it will cause & effect a feedback loop that includes the Lokies, cars, track & power supplies, & then the countdown will begin.........The Fire Marshals will evaluate it as an electrical fire, but I hope it helps carry me to the Great Place!!!
Of Course, I am only kidding, but it was a fun ponder... Ha hah!!!
PS: I do have Hercules Gun Powder hopper cars, & have reloaded a many handgun rounds with Hercules Powders, -even more Ha hah!!!!
Well mine are already spoken for,,,3 son's,1 daughter and 8 grand-kids,of which,6 are boys..My eldest son few years ago,used to kid me about,when I was going,so he could have them..One of the strange things,his daughter,is more interested,than her brothers are..
Cheers,
Frank
Bruce LAAny thoughts?
Almost makes one think more of a modular layout approach for easier transportation to the layout's new home -- The expected layout legacy's appreciated destination -- Along with well-documented instructions for layout rationale, operations suggestions, plus extras like notebooks, model railroader's tools, and magazine collections with bookcases.
See codicil.
Conemaugh Road & Traction circa 1956
Thankfully my oldest grandson is in the hobby..He will get everything.
If he doesn't want it (he's a 110 percent correct modeler) then my son knows what to do-sell it on e-Bay.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I tried telling my ex what to do with my trains if I died unexpectedly, but it went in one ear and out the other with nothing in between to slow it down.
Seriously, put the deposition of all your possessions in a legal will administered by an attorney. If you are retirement age and don't have a will, you should.
Leave it to a non profit organization of your choice that is smart enough to ebay things that may have a value. They may not be well versed in model RR, but they can post pictures & include any name that is on the item.
Some may know that I spent years as an appraiser of brass railroad models in addition to shows, being a dealer, and modeler. I have had considerable experience working with model train widows. I will relate one such situation. This collection had over 600 beautifully painted Northeastern locos and rolling stock, mostly NYC. She had several almost insulting offers of in the vicinity or $60,000. After only minutes there it was a no brainer to see a low value of $250,000. Of course her dilemma was how to dispose of it without dead hubby turning in his grave. Being that she lived in a college town, I suggested hiring a young computer geek with experience in on-line auctions....mainly ebay! She did just that, paid him a salary of $200 per week, and within six months just about all was sold. After the dust settled, she informed me that she past $350,000 in sales. The young guy also wrote the listings, photography, and shipping after sale.
So for around $4800 in wages she most likely recovered what here husband had spent plus a huge profit. My fee was $1000 and yes she tried to offer me more months later. As I recall, my figures came to $325,000 for the entire collection.
There are still several other ways to recover most if not all costs.
HZ
Not my problem.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
The Good Lord gave me a certain number of things I was to accomplish in my Lifetime
And at the current rate in getting them done - I will need to live forever!
So I have no need to think about the end! ;-)
But just in case - I am Lucky in that both of my Sons are into Model Railroading real heavy and I have 2 Grand Sons that are just as interested in Trains.
And then have been making lists already! ;-)
BOB H - Clarion, PA
This is where RC model airplane modelers have the definite advantage. They destroy the majority of their investment themselves, and often in a final blaze of glory! Our stuff really is not much of an investment regards a monetary return. My wife likes my hobby, and would have a hard time seeing it destroyed, but nobody else will want or have the room for it. Oh we'll...
What? I can't take it with me?
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
ChadLRyan On my collection;The automatic detonator that is tied to my heartrate monitor, & my Kitties collar (Dual Control), would activate the the self destruct sequence.Multiple pre-programmed switching operations will commence in an order that would not form a common or even, an accidental consist. Once the programmed consist is formed, & it will cause & effect a feedback loop that includes the Lokies, cars, track & power supplies, & then the countdown will begin.........The Fire Marshals will evaluate it as an electrical fire, but I hope it helps carry me to the Great Place!!! Of Course, I am only kidding, but it was a fun ponder... Ha hah!!! PS: I do have Hercules Gun Powder hopper cars, & have reloaded a many handgun rounds with Hercules Powders, -even more Ha hah!!!!
LMAO That has to be one of the funniest things that I have heard. Thanks for the laugh, and please send me a diagram of the eletrical wiring for that!!!
Chad do we need to change your name to Gomez Adams.