I'm not ready for a retirement home, but when I am I want to live at one with a model railroad club. I was able to find five of them on the Web; there much be others.
Links, photos and more info can be found on my blog at http://cprailmmsub.blogspot.ca/2014/06/when-i-retire-i-want-to-live-here.html
John Longhurst, Winnipeg
Interesting concept, but I'm afraid there will always be some lone wolf in me. I'm ready to retire now, and I'm just waiting for the right time to release the brakes and go. What I'm hoping to find, though, is a place with a nice big dry basement. My layout now is in the "nice" part of the house, and while I love it, my wife doesn't want anything to do with another layout she has to look at.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I have lived in a senior's apartment complex-not a happy place to live..I seen to many ambulances take folks away some returned many more did not.
At 66 many of my old friends have departed this life for the next so, I'm not sure if I would care to live in a retirement center with a club..The main reason at my age you make new friends only to lose them one day.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I have not reached that age yet but as I get older I do seem to be going to more funerals these days. Anyway from what I have seen of most senior complexes there just isn't enough room for an MR layout.
Joe Staten Island West
I retired 5 years ago and 15 years earlier we built the current Basement with the house on top to keep the Layout dry!
I knew that I wanted a LARGE Home as I was tired of not having enough room to turn around with a small house that I raised my 2 boys in!
When I had the chance we moved and built the 2500 sq ft home and have NEVER regreated this move!
I began building the Layout while I was still working so I could afford the major costs of remodeling the basememt to fit the Layout into as well as purchasing 4000 feet of track and 500 turnouts!
None of this waiting until I retire and have a limited income and WISHED I had done things different!
So now I have the DREAM Layout I always wanted and Host OPs Session every 2 weeks!
Living out in the woods in Western PA - finding Operators can always be a problem but again I am very fortunate in having 20 guys come in every other Thursday and run the trains for a couple of hours!
Can't get much better than this!
As for being in a retirement Home - I plan on working and running the layout until I drop over - None of this old folks home for me!
I am letting that for OLD People and they are only old if the they are 20 years older than me!
BOB H - Clarion, PA
I retired 4 years ago - early for health reasons. But we had already bought our home for retirement with a large enough basement for me. I have no plans to live in a "Retirement Home" and will only do so if I have reached a point where I can't build a layout anyway.
Enjoy
Paul
BRAKIE I have lived in a senior's apartment complex-not a happy place to live..I seen to many ambulances take folks away some returned many more did not. At 66 many of my old friends have departed this life for the next so, I'm not sure if I would care to live in a retirement center with a club..The main reason at my age you make new friends only to lose them one day.
That's kind of a cynical outlook. To each living thing, an end must come. To refuse love and friendship because of the certainty of death is to live in loneliness. Even an introvert like me needs company.
I have rescued many pets in my lifetime. My last two dogs were seniors at the age of 9-10 years. The knowledge that we only had a few years together did not diminish my feelings for them. Both of them ended up living with us for about 7 years.
We lost my father 10 years ago. My mother lives in a retirement community (without a model railroading club, alas), She has a new "gentleman friend" who lost his wife about the same time. They are extremely happy, despite the fact that, being in their 80's, they probably don't have many years left.
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford
I'm 67, retired, and my house is paid for. I like to believe that THIS is my retirement home, and it has a model rail road.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
There is a retirement community near here in Baltimore called Heartlands that has a model railroad club, and large meeting rooms that have hosted NMRA division meetings. The layout runs well and the residents are happy to show it off.
Yes, my home layout is enough for me, but if I ever go into a facility like this, I want one like Heartlands. I'd rather spend my final years amongst like minded individuals, than alone in a building full of people.
Karl
NCE über alles!
CTValleyRRThat's kind of a cynical outlook. To each living thing, an end must come. To refuse love and friendship because of the certainty of death is to live in loneliness. Even an introvert like me needs company.
You call it a cynical outlook..I call it a realistic outlook on old age friendships..
I still have 2 fishing buddies that are close friends,I have several modeling friends,a son daughter,three grandkids and a dog.
I buried my wife in '92 seen,8 close friends pass since then..
By all rights I should not be here..I made a round trip to death's door back in '05 and now live with a chunk of metal in me that keeps my heart working and it doubles as a defibrillator.I take 9 pills twice a day.
As far as a woman..I been a bachelor since '92..Think I will give that up for a old grumpy woman that's looking for a "honey do man"?
I've been retired for 15 years from playing with 1:1 trains. My home has no mortgage and I have comfortable income. I live near an age oriented community. It's not for me. I've had to avoid wrong way drivers a couple of times, once by having to go up on the center median because of residents of that developement. Hopefully this will be my last residence until I no longer need a layout.
Hi Guys:
I'm 66 and retired ten years. My layout is 17' by 12.5 '. I host a weekly operation session of about two hrs.
My one operator retired a month ago, but doesn't drive after dark, because he is 80 plus.
I agree that this is by retirment home until I can no long cope with the grass and/or snow, or pay some one to do it for me.
I know everyone with in four houses of me, and several more from walking my dog.
If I have to go to a seniors home, a model railroad club would sure beat cribbage games.
Dasve
Guys, there are old folks homes, and there are homes built in communities of active adults. Some of these active adult communities, feature model railroad clubs with layouts, as well as pools and gyms, golf courses and bike trails to help keep the body "young' Most of the house plans can incorporate a layout somewhere in the house for the lone wolfs (like me). It all sort of depends on what you want to do, how well off you are, and how healthy you are.
Down the road, there's a subsidized senior apartment building, where people pay based on their income.
I'm not referring to assisted living or nursing homes, they are entirely different situations.
I'm retired almost 6 years now, and still consider myself young and healthy. I'm considering selling this house, and relocating to a warmer climate. I'm not sure what we will find or where, but some of the "communities" that feature active Model railroad clubs would be a consideration.
What's cribbage?
For me, retirement is a work in progress. My last day of work was June 5, and my first day of retirement was D-Day, the 6th of june. Right now I'm still trying to figure out how to relate to this new status. Since my work required me to spend so much time traveling, I've never built more than a few test areas in the basement. I'm still not sure exactly what my monthly income will be, so I'm not jumping into anything right now. My health is pretty good, all things considered. The bank & I own the house, and it has a 900 sq. ft. basement that is supposed to be home to all the model railroad equipment I've collected over the past 50 years. I have a plan that is partly in my head and partly on paper. From what I've picked up from others both on the forums and elsewhere, I suspect that my personal preferences might not quite gel with those of very many others in this part of the country, so I don't think I'd be comfortable in a "club layout" situation. Round robin is more my style. I'd rather have the layout that fits my own personal vision, and socialize with others who have built a layout that reflects their own personal vision. I can immerse myself in the other guy's world while I'm operating on his layout, then return home to my own basement where my own personal world will hopefully take shape. Hopefully, the other guy will enjoy his time working on the railroad that I build. If circumstances dictate that I eventually go to a retirement home, I guess I'll do it; but I think a layout of my own will be more satisfying.
Larry, this is what my parents found as snowbirds in FL years ago. At first, it was all fun 'n games. Later, some good friends would drive away to return to their province and town in the spring, but would never be heard from again. They left happy and healthy, but... As for the ambulances and police showing up regularly, yes, that as well over the later years. It's really a natural progression, and there's little to do about it, including trying to avoid it. However, it shouldn't preclude a person leaving to find 'greener/younger' pastures. At some point, though, you run out of moves. That's when the Big Hand reaches down and tips over your king.
-Crandell
selector However, it shouldn't preclude a person leaving to find 'greener/younger' pastures.
True for the majority but,I grew weary of seeing friends die and having to attend another funeral.
I guess I'm funny about such things.
Here, in the Carolinas, we have a lot of "halfbacks". People from New England who retired and moved to Florida. Upon discovering that they weren't happy there, but not wanting to return to the land of the snow shovel, they moved halfway back.
John,
One of the problems with those 'active seniors' retirement facilities is that the activities/facilities are sometimes below the level you expect. I am 64 and have thought about it, or a 'senior's only' townhouse.
Each person will have to make a choice: health, finances snd desires will weigh in on the decision. Myself, I have a 2200 sq ft home that is paid for. My health is 'good' and I really want to keep a model railroad. If my health went down hill next year, I would look into some kind of senior living arrangement. But for now, I can handle yard work/snow removal and model trains. I do expect that the current layout under construction will be my 'last' one.
The above said, when I packed up the 'trains' to tear down the old layout, I wound up with something like 33 large storage totes to put stuff in. Maybe it is time to sell off the excess!
Jim Bernier
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
jrbernier One of the problems with those 'active seniors' retirement facilities is that the activities/facilities are sometimes below the level you expect. I am 64 and have thought about it, or a 'senior's only' townhouse.
We looked at a couple of Active Adult communities in the Carolinas a few years ago, when I first retired. Due to the economic downturn, I could not sell my house in NJ, so we didn't buy there. That may have been a blessing. One thing, I remembered was the beautiful gym. Had all the best facilities, but the only ones using it the day I walked through, were the training staff - younger people. No one was in the pool, except a water dance class of grumpy white haired ladies. Yet, this is all paid for as part of the monthly maintenance fee. Everyone else, was apparently watching soaps or taking a siesta?
I cannot see staying in Jersey, nor will consider Florida............So.......I have to do something.
Joe
One thing I am seeing, as so many are contnuing to retire, as they are doing as many on this Thread have stated and are selling their homes in States and Cities with HIGH COST of LIVING and moving out into the country!
MY part of the Country!
While this is OK! - We (us Model Railroaders) are getting fresh NEW bodies that don't quite know what to do with their new found FREE TIME and have taken up Model Railroading!
Which is great for those of us that have been living here all of our lives - we are getting new OPERATORS once we get them into the FOLD! (model Railroad CLub Members)!
We get them into the habit of coming to the Club on a weekly basis and slowly get them learing the HOW TOs of building a layout and once we have them hooked we show them OPERATIONS as the Club is getting real close to getting back to regular OPs Session after a long Layout building spree!
We also have our local OPs Guys and they invite them over to an OPs Sessiona and soon they are attending the individual members OPs Sessions as well as the Club weekly meeting/work/play sessions!
All I can say - YOU ALL keep moving out to the country - lots of room for YOU ALL and we can keep YOU ALL busy playing Trains!
cmrproductsAll I can say - YOU ALL keep moving out to the country - lots of room for YOU ALL and we can keep YOU ALL busy playing Trains!
You forgot the best part........no state tax on social security or pensions.
I didn't want to make it TOO enticing! ;-)