Retiring and starting a model railroad type business really depends on the person. I have worked full and part time most of my life in hobby shops and been an active model railroader even longer. I have not experienced the problem of getting tired of modeling and working in the hobby too. I have known others that started hoby shops or custom painting businesses and eventually dumped their trains and gotten into various other different hobbies. One fellow got rid of a huge collection and bought streetrods. Another sold his stuff and bought a boat......which he greatly regretted!
Starting a model railroad business is pretty iffy any time and being retired many of us don't want to be hassled with schedules, demands and work.
Roger Huber
Deer Creek Locomotive Works
maxman All those years working and looking forward to retirement. Then when you retire all you can look forward to is...well, I won't go there.
All those years working and looking forward to retirement. Then when you retire all you can look forward to is...well, I won't go there.
Retirement is like a toilet; what you get out of it depends entirely on what you put into it. I do not define my identity in terms of what I happen to do to earn money, so "retirement" is not "waiting around to die" for me.
Disclaimer: This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.
Michael Mornard
Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!
oldline1 Hey, MAXMAN, Don't try so hard to cheer us up!! Yes, as we age things don't work as well as before we got to retirement age but it's all a part of life. Many retired folks live great lives for a very long time. Many people die in their teens and twenties from all those things. God has no guarantees so just make the best of it and just keep on this side of the sod as best you can. Taking care of your body early on is good advice but no guarantee. Cheer up, Pal! My personal observation in 67 years is to avoid doctors and medicines as much as possible. They don't seem to be there to help us. My 2¢. Roger Huber Deer Creek Locomotive Works
Hey, MAXMAN,
Don't try so hard to cheer us up!! Yes, as we age things don't work as well as before we got to retirement age but it's all a part of life. Many retired folks live great lives for a very long time. Many people die in their teens and twenties from all those things. God has no guarantees so just make the best of it and just keep on this side of the sod as best you can.
Taking care of your body early on is good advice but no guarantee. Cheer up, Pal! My personal observation in 67 years is to avoid doctors and medicines as much as possible. They don't seem to be there to help us. My 2¢.
TrainsRme:
Thinking of something outside the hobby: If you really like dogs, you could board a dog in your house when the owner goes away. A couple hours a day of walking the mutt, gettibng fresh air. A little cleaning up and the owner provides the food and bed, etc.
Dave
There are no rules as we all have different tastes and work/play ethics. I retired in 1987 from a second career in industrial design. My first career was working as a commercial pilot including stints in military and airlines. I quit in 1977 as the thrill morphed into being an airborne systems manager. My goal was to be fully retired by age 50, but to go into something new and very much my liking.
I've always been a model railroader (a mess of ex-wives will attest to that) and I loved everything to do with model trains. I figured with some thought and design, I could build a business in the field, but not so much as to destroy my enjoyment in the hobby.
The day after I retired (sold a business), the market went south taking over 1/2 of my investment portfolio with it. This was October of 1987 as many may remember. I took what ever was left and purchased a brass collection thus beginning my now 30 years as a used brass dealer. With a partner I began the Great Scale Model Train Show which actually began in 1982, but I now had time to expand it.
But what about my railroad? I found that my profits from brass sales and train show were finding their way into the railroad which greatly increased my interest, participation, and love of what dwelled in my basement. I did build a few layouts for others, but I did find that activity was hindering my own hobby, so I stopped after 5 layouts. Now I build custom structures for others and found this activity does not at all hamper my playing with my own train set.
Point........retirement is a reward and well earned. Sure you should retire into something, but it must be something you very much enjoy. If you love your hobby as I and most do, then by all means explore a career in model railroading.
It will only bite you if you let it.
HZ
I have been retired 13 years, have not worked a day for pay since.
A couple of friends and brothers also retired early.
One spent 2 or 3 years learning the work at night school and in a shop part time, and started a TV repair shop in his garage (converted) He did it for twenty years, must have liked it.
One bought a hobby farm and horses, and kept it until health issues developed.
One took his trade of Industrial Maintence Mechanic, plus welding, and set up a summer season business building low rider trikes and repairing bikes. Still doing it.
The question on any hobby job is are good at it, do you enjoy it, can you control your hours, and do you make enough to be worth well. What do you do well enough, and enjoy doing 20 hrs a week in the hobby to get Dave fumblefingers to pay you to do it for him.
In my opinion the first thing you need to do is to take care of your health. Many of my work, and other, friends are dealing with prostate issues (several), MS (one developing and one passed from), pancreatic cancer, gall stones, heart attack (just came back from a funeral today), and so forth.
Well, I retired 4 years ago from a job I really liked but from a company and management I hated. It was stressful and a drag to go to work every day. The job also kept me in an area I hated for many reasons. A long commute, heavy traffic, dirty city and rude people generally were a daily bummer. My saving grace there was my custom painting. It relieved the stress and gave my mind a clear path for the next day or airplanes.
We moved to a farm and I now have many animals both wild and domestic to enjoy and a pond full of fish to catch. My biggest issue at first was not having a schedule. Things are very laid back and demands are low here but I found once I made a schedule and sort of followed it things were better. You have to stay busy and keep active. The first year I vegged out and woke and went to bed and everything else when I felt like it. VERY BAD MOVE!! You need to create a schedule and stay close to it. Don't turn on the TV. I stay very busy now, probably more than when I worked but being on my terms it's much more fun.
My new train building/work shop is to be built in the next month or so and when it gets done I'll need to finish the interior then I will start custom painting again. I love painting and it always helped me chill. I'm not stressed at all now but I enjoy shooting paint on brass models and the money will help out too.
I hope you enjoy your retirement.
I tried the "hobby as a business" years ago (different hobby). It drove me out of that hobby for 15 years.I retire in 36 days, and I can't wait. I kept working as a programmer LONG after it stopped being any fun just for this.And I've got so many things I want to do, I don't worry about too much time in my hands. And my "work ethic" is "I had to work to support myself." The day I got chewed out for not putting enough unpaid overtime (even though none of my projects were ever late) is the day I decided "work ethic" could kiss my pink brake hose.
I'm retired. Blissfully. I hated my job (bad managers!)! I had a part time job after I retired and I hated it so I quit that after a couple of years too (nice managers, bad systems!). Now I do what I want. I work on my trains. We go bird watching almost every weekend. We take nice vacations.
I couldn't imagine going back to long hours and constant headaches. Why? If you are in need of funds, at least do something that will allow you to take some time off without having to worry about your business.
By the way, I have a friend who is a producer in the film/video business. He pays the bills by working at Canadian Tire on the receiving dock.
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Retirement is not all it is cracked up to be. I retired 4 years ago but went back to work over two years ago. Now That I am 70 I wanted to work like 20 hours a week but no company I work for can stick to that 20 limit I put on them. It seems the young just don't show up. So they ask me to fill in, 40-50 hrs worth. I can use the money since my pension was cut by two thirds.
I'LL be building another layout soon also. My time is filled up between work and building a new layout. Hey I'm still having fun.
Way to go! I have 2 years, 7 months and 19 days....hours too hard to calculate!Dan
dehusman I retire in 23 hours.
I retire in 23 hours.
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
This is my target retirement house. The basement is 3800 sq feet. This is enough to keep me busy year round on trains.
But if that isn't enough, I'll volunteer at habitat for humanity or at the local museum.
A long time ago there might have been money in making railroad videos but because of affordable video cameras and youtube anyone can make them. Don’t expect to make any money off of youtube. It’s one in a million. And that’s about how much they pay too. Building model layouts for others sounds like fun. If you have good skills then go for it. When you are retired you need to stay busy but don’t let other people steal your time. It’s your time to do all of the things on your bucket list. If making railroad videos is on your bucket list then go for it as well.
I retired 3 years ago and loaded up on things to keep me from getting bored. I have shed about half of those and it is working out well. Retirement doesn't come with a manual and you have to feel your way into it. I did find that I needed to embrace change and not fall into patterns of doing the same things the same way everyday. That is a real trap. Expect surprises good and bad, accept change, enjoy each day.
Mike
ATLANTIC CENTRAL rrebell You want the straight talk on retirement, find lots of hobbies and things to do, I mean lots. I retired for the first time when I was 29, got married and had kids, there went that idea. Second time I was 52. Lots of freinds have moved away or are ill etc. Layout is built (took about 3 years for a 15x30 fully sceniced) and though I have lots of projects, the more skilled you get, the less time it takes (could build that same layout in three months or so now and I don't have low standards). So come up with lots of things to do, more than you could ever imagine doing. Note: These things only apply if you have a strong work ethic, I relize most people will not do what I did which is work up to 70 hour weeks and come home to a second job and willing to put in a 20 hour day or two if needed. I was done having kids at 29........... I would be real careful about turning a hobby into a business as others have suggested........ Sheldon
rrebell You want the straight talk on retirement, find lots of hobbies and things to do, I mean lots. I retired for the first time when I was 29, got married and had kids, there went that idea. Second time I was 52. Lots of freinds have moved away or are ill etc. Layout is built (took about 3 years for a 15x30 fully sceniced) and though I have lots of projects, the more skilled you get, the less time it takes (could build that same layout in three months or so now and I don't have low standards). So come up with lots of things to do, more than you could ever imagine doing. Note: These things only apply if you have a strong work ethic, I relize most people will not do what I did which is work up to 70 hour weeks and come home to a second job and willing to put in a 20 hour day or two if needed.
You want the straight talk on retirement, find lots of hobbies and things to do, I mean lots. I retired for the first time when I was 29, got married and had kids, there went that idea. Second time I was 52. Lots of freinds have moved away or are ill etc. Layout is built (took about 3 years for a 15x30 fully sceniced) and though I have lots of projects, the more skilled you get, the less time it takes (could build that same layout in three months or so now and I don't have low standards). So come up with lots of things to do, more than you could ever imagine doing. Note: These things only apply if you have a strong work ethic, I relize most people will not do what I did which is work up to 70 hour weeks and come home to a second job and willing to put in a 20 hour day or two if needed.
I was done having kids at 29...........
I would be real careful about turning a hobby into a business as others have suggested........
Sheldon
TrainsRMe1 Hi guy n gals, I was talking to my wife today about what to do after we retire from our jobs, I for one have 4 1/2 years to go, my wife has 5, anyway, I would love to turn my love of modeltrains into a business, ie; helping build layouts, making videos of prototype railroads, howto vids, any of you retired MRRDER"S out there had this thought come across your mind? just looking for suggestions or ideas, I have a ways before I retire, but I would like to have my path paved along the way, Thanks Gang Trainsrme1
Hi guy n gals,
I was talking to my wife today about what to do after we retire from our jobs, I for one have 4 1/2 years to go, my wife has 5, anyway, I would love to turn my love of modeltrains into a business, ie; helping build layouts, making videos of prototype railroads, howto vids, any of you retired MRRDER"S out there had this thought come across your mind? just looking for suggestions or ideas, I have a ways before I retire, but I would like to have my path paved along the way,
Thanks Gang
Trainsrme1
All of those MRR activities sound like fun. As others have mentioned, if you are going to perform those activities in a way that you need income from them, a lot of it, then they will become just another form of work, IMO.
I can see doing those things in the context of a business setting, where you want to do them well enough that others will pay you for your work, and that payment sustains the activity and maybe generates a small profit.
But counting on MRR related projects as being a source of significant retirement income is not something I would do.
- Douglas
One thing to think about is how your physical capabilities my decline during your retirement. While it is a very good thing to stay "active" during your retirement, you may not be able to do active things for as long a time as earlier. I'm glad I tackled the "physical" things like clearing brush, building fences and installing irrigation systems early in my retirement. Now 10 or more years later I'll work for a couple of hours, then I need a nap. I choose to do physical work during my retirement, because my "working" careers were largely sedentary with mental stress. We have an ideal retirement: my wife gets to play with horses and I play with trains. You earned a second childhood, so enjoy it. Don't turn it into work.
Grinnell
jrbernier Starting a business based on your Hobbies (it will take the fun out of your hobby). Jim
Starting a business based on your Hobbies (it will take the fun out of your hobby).
Jim
I can't tell the OP how many times I've seen people report how making their train hobby into a business has ruined it for them and strongly recommend against it. So many people like the OP think it's going to be fun and cool and it turns out to be totally the opposite. Maybe it's possible for some folks, but at least you've been warned.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Don't make plans to work or "be involved" right away in retirement. Give yourself a year to figure out what you'd rather be doing and then how you'll find the time to do it.
I spend my days riding my bike or walking, and my evenings going to clubs with live music, having a couple of beers, flirting and dancing.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
BroadwayLion Monks do not retire. LION will be 69 in June and still does the work when him was 59, with just one exception. I still manage the wine celars, but I can no longer lift the boxes, so now I just give the papers to the business office, and sosmebody else picks up the boxes. But in return for that I was put on the 'cart list', that is once a month I must spend a week restocking the community lunch room. As I get older I'll drop some jobs and undoubtedly collect some others. When dad reitred, mom told him, I married you for better or worse, but not fo lunch! After dad was retired he exclaimed that he did not know how he ever found the time to go to work. ROAR
Monks do not retire. LION will be 69 in June and still does the work when him was 59, with just one exception. I still manage the wine celars, but I can no longer lift the boxes, so now I just give the papers to the business office, and sosmebody else picks up the boxes. But in return for that I was put on the 'cart list', that is once a month I must spend a week restocking the community lunch room. As I get older I'll drop some jobs and undoubtedly collect some others.
When dad reitred, mom told him, I married you for better or worse, but not fo lunch!
After dad was retired he exclaimed that he did not know how he ever found the time to go to work.
ROAR
I would think that running the largest subway in North Dakota is a full time Job LION.
Actually I am afraid to retire. Seems like I get more rest in the office then at home.
Joe Staten Island West
I have been retired for 11 years and they have been the happiest of my life. When I retired I found a part-time job as a school bus driver and work around 4 hours each day, have a five hour "window" between AM and PM routes, have the summer off and school holidays off and still get paid pretty well. I realize this work isn't for everyone, but you have to like kids to make it work. I still have plenty of time for model railroading (too much, per wife) that I never had when employed fulltime.
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Many years ago, I was considering getting into the business, and was told, "The fastest way to become a millionaire is to start out a billionaire and open a hobby shop." I suspect the same joke is used in a lot of other fields (I originally heard it said about newspapers), but it holds true.
If you really enjoy it, find a niche product nobody is making that you could make out of your home using new technology like 3-D printing, a computer-based laser cutter, or a decal printer, and make that. But don't expect to make a living out of it. Consider it a hobby that might on occasion give you some extra pocket cash, and if it works out better than that it will be a pleasant surprise.
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com