Doughless I gave my wife the phone number for Trainz.com. At least she will get $500 for everything instead of paying somebody $500 to tear it down and haul it away. She has the phone number now, in case I get hit by a truck tomorrow.
I gave my wife the phone number for Trainz.com. At least she will get $500 for everything instead of paying somebody $500 to tear it down and haul it away. She has the phone number now, in case I get hit by a truck tomorrow.
Rich
Alton Junction
I don't think Sheldon is abrasive. I also think that folks here who talk directly about more things than trains tend to be more social than those who talk trains and nothing else. So maybe some of this is how a person perceive others in a group, or how a person perceives themselves relative to the rest of the group.
As far as the topic, I think that folks who sell their trains as they get older probably simply do not have as much interest in having a layout as they used to. Maybe its a case of been there done that and other priorities emerge as time becomes more precious than trains, or money for that matter.
I gave my wife the phone number for Trainz.com. At least she will get $500 for everything instead of paying somebody $200 to pack it up and haul it away. She has the phone number now, in case I get hit by a truck tomorrow.
- Douglas
I'm 76 and as we have no family to rely on, I have taken steps to cull my RR stuff down to the best I have. I have 6 display cases that I will put my best locos in so I can admire them when we downsize. I sold off all of my N scale stuff right down to the trees. My HO layout is small so if it winds up in the bin, I would be sad but not devastated.
As you get older you just have to accept your situation and make the best of it. I was akeen sailor for many years and had a boat for 35 years but sold the last one in 2009. The upkeep was getting tiring and my wife's back problems took the fun out of it. I only miss it on a summer day when there is a nice westerly wind.
CNCharlie
I am reminded of my favourite Aunt who collected artwork her whole life. Her walls were covered. As she got older and spent more time in her recliner in her suite she spent even more time looking at them and she could tell you everything about each painting.
One day I heard from her daughter she had the whole collection picked up by an art consignment company to be sold as she did not want her daughter to be burdened by the job when she died. My Aunt spent the next three and a half years looking at bare walls before she died. It was heartbreaking.
Her daughter could have made that same phone call to the consignment company after she had died and my Aunt could have enjoyed them until her end.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
richhotrain There are several possible options here, especially for older modelers.One option is to sell it all off and wait for The Grim Reaper. I say, where is the fun in that? Why abandon a hobby that you love. Another option is to keep it all and let the chips fall where they may. Unless you rent a furnished apartment and drive a beat up old car, you will be leaving behind more valuable stuff than your layout fit your family to deal with. I say, so what? If your survivors don't want the hassle, then let them dump it. A third option is to compromise and downsize. Sell some stuff on eBay and maybe even build a smaller layout. I say, if it breaks your heart to do that, then keep it all and don't worry about it. Rich
There are several possible options here, especially for older modelers.One option is to sell it all off and wait for The Grim Reaper. I say, where is the fun in that? Why abandon a hobby that you love.
Another option is to keep it all and let the chips fall where they may. Unless you rent a furnished apartment and drive a beat up old car, you will be leaving behind more valuable stuff than your layout fit your family to deal with. I say, so what? If your survivors don't want the hassle, then let them dump it.
A third option is to compromise and downsize. Sell some stuff on eBay and maybe even build a smaller layout. I say, if it breaks your heart to do that, then keep it all and don't worry about it.
Well said.
My wife and I have said for years that the will is going to read like this:
"Being of sound mind and body we spent it all".
We have planned pretty well for retirement, and we will not be unhappy if that benefits the children or grandchildren at some point, but we are not going to just sit around and wait for that day.
So, they may just have to sell the house, the furniture, the cars, the trains, the HiFi gear, and the vinyl record collection (many perfectly cared for original pressings back to the 60's and 70's as well as original radio station promo copies).
Sheldon
OP:
If you're in HO, you might consider selling off some items on the "HO Swap List" at https://groups.io/g/HOswap
It's completely free and easy enough to use.
I don't have lots of stuff (was out of the model trains for 40 years), but when I put together a small layout about 6 years ago, I picked up stuff from here and there, some from ebay, used cars here and there.
I recall one caboose in particular, that was lightly weathered and very nicely done. Made me think that it might have been from an estate sale or perhaps someone who was selling off due to age. I'd like to have had the name of the prior owner, because each time I run that caboose it would make me remember the modeler who did such a nice job with it.
So if you sell off some similar pieces that you've customized a bit and are otherwise pleased with, consider including a very brief note about the car for the future owners. I guess they call that "provenance"...
Doughless ATLANTIC CENTRAL I did not sell any trains, because don't buy trains outside the scope of the layout plan. Sheldon, keeping the quote short and the focus narrow, it seems through these lifes decisions and plans for downsizing in retirement, you made it a priority to not downsize the layout. And, your layout plans have stayed consistent for a long time. I think the topic of overbuying for the scope of the plan is a topic to discuss, but I think some of the comments in the thread are actually about choosing to downsize the layout plan when life's plan is to retire. That's a topic that I'm reading about more often because some are preferring to not build the large layout as a matter of preference or priorities of space, effort, and time (and location, no basements in FL or TX) as they age. Really a more complex topic than just over buying. JMO.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL I did not sell any trains, because don't buy trains outside the scope of the layout plan.
Sheldon, keeping the quote short and the focus narrow, it seems through these lifes decisions and plans for downsizing in retirement, you made it a priority to not downsize the layout. And, your layout plans have stayed consistent for a long time.
I think the topic of overbuying for the scope of the plan is a topic to discuss, but I think some of the comments in the thread are actually about choosing to downsize the layout plan when life's plan is to retire.
That's a topic that I'm reading about more often because some are preferring to not build the large layout as a matter of preference or priorities of space, effort, and time (and location, no basements in FL or TX) as they age.
Really a more complex topic than just over buying. JMO.
Completely agreed.
Over buying, and the decision to scale back are not necessarily related.
It is a complex topic with a unique story for each individual.
But so is the choice to completly leave the hobby as you age, which I have seen people do.
And in previous "end of the road" descussions on this forum, I have seen people actually shaming those who said they had no intention of changing their hobby plans or possessions in preperation for that day.
I am of the view that if you stop living, you will "stop living" that much sooner.....
Everyone should do what works for them.
And you are correct, it was a very conscious decision, discuused with and agreed to by my wife, not to down size the layout plans, goals or size.
I'm doing what is right for me, I have not followed the crowd for 67 years, no chance I will start now.
I have no issue with those who choose otherwise. Their choices are their own and not likely to effect mine.
PS - To be a little more clear, the requirements for the retirement house included:
One floor living for my wife's health issues.
Just enough main floor living for our needs, no extra. It is about 2400 sq ft.
The finished living space of the Queen Anne was 4000 sq ft, 750 sq ft of covered porch, 450 sq ft of rear deck, and both floors of the garage/pool house was 2400 sq ft.
More land on a quiet street, the old house was on a rural state highway in a busy little village.
We like having more land to buffer us from the activities of others and allow our granchildren to engage in outdoor activities without bothering others.
And the layout space - the new house has a 1500 sq ft basement.
The 1300 sq ft basement of the 1901 Queen Anne was not suitable for a layout, hence the 1000 sq ft space above the garage.
So yes, we very purposely gave up specific features, but required the same or better features in other regards.
The one unresolved thing is garage space. I some point I do plan to build a detached two car garage to supplement the small attached 2 car garage we have now.
Sheldon.
ATLANTIC CENTRALI did not sell any trains, because don't buy trains outside the scope of the layout plan.
navyman636 Rich - thank you for your response and the kind advice. I don't really feel conflicted; instead I have a decision to make and I want to prepare as best I can for making that decision. If the way I wrote originally conveyed a sense of conflict that might seem unfortunate, its bad writing on my part. Rather, I thought I'd post about it knowing that within the community here I would find much interesting and thought provoking discussion, which seems to have been the case. I have benefitted immensely from the experience of others here, and have no doubt the same will apply here. Thanks again, and best wishes!
Rich - thank you for your response and the kind advice.
I don't really feel conflicted; instead I have a decision to make and I want to prepare as best I can for making that decision. If the way I wrote originally conveyed a sense of conflict that might seem unfortunate, its bad writing on my part. Rather, I thought I'd post about it knowing that within the community here I would find much interesting and thought provoking discussion, which seems to have been the case. I have benefitted immensely from the experience of others here, and have no doubt the same will apply here.
Thanks again, and best wishes!
Please post updates and let us know how it turns out. it Would be helpful for others to learn from.
For us MRR-ers that can see the end of the line coming up, it would be wise to check around for a MRR Club or RR Museum that might be interested in a collection.
In the Nashville area, we are fortunate to have the Tennessee Central RR Museum, which includes a Model RR Hobby Store - offering items from the Walthers catalog at a discount to Museum members - with no shipping charges.
They also accept MRR item donations, which are for sale at train-show prices. If none of my surviving kin-folk are interested in my collection (highly likely), then the Museum will be the beneficiary.
Jim
Douglas, one more thought, when bought the big Queen Anne house and began restoring it in 1995, we knew we would be decorating it to the 1901 period of its construction. We brought very little furniture with us that was of any value and knew we would be replacing most of what we did bring to that house as the restoration progressed.
We also understood that if we ever moved again it was unlikely that much of the new furniture would be appropriate in a different style of house.
I was actually amazed at how well we did at furnishing the retirement house with items from the Queen Anne.
As I am now getting started on my layout, we are now having another purge of unwanted and un-needed items of all sorts as I empty the basement of things that fell into the "undecided" category when we moved.
https://www.photobucket.com/u/carrollhome/a/bfdbd701-abf4-4d5f-bb20-786bbc5599c9
Doughless ATLANTIC CENTRAL riogrande5761 I am expecting to downsize and retire in about 5 years give or take, so I am trying to take a look at my collection and work bit by bit on being realistic on what I will actually use. So I've been reviewing my collection and working on selling off items. I also have purchased some N scale train since downsizing probably means a smaller layout. My downsizing for retirement (semi retirement so for) decressed my house size by 40%, increased my yard by 130%, and increased my layout space by 150%. Retirement is looking great. I don't have to thin out the trains, I NEVER bought stuff that did not fit the theme and planned size of the layout. Sheldon Sheldon, honest question: When you downsized to 60% of your old house, what did you do with 40% of the furniture that wouldn't fit in the new house? I assume sold it, gave it away, or threw it out?
ATLANTIC CENTRAL riogrande5761 I am expecting to downsize and retire in about 5 years give or take, so I am trying to take a look at my collection and work bit by bit on being realistic on what I will actually use. So I've been reviewing my collection and working on selling off items. I also have purchased some N scale train since downsizing probably means a smaller layout. My downsizing for retirement (semi retirement so for) decressed my house size by 40%, increased my yard by 130%, and increased my layout space by 150%. Retirement is looking great. I don't have to thin out the trains, I NEVER bought stuff that did not fit the theme and planned size of the layout. Sheldon
riogrande5761 I am expecting to downsize and retire in about 5 years give or take, so I am trying to take a look at my collection and work bit by bit on being realistic on what I will actually use. So I've been reviewing my collection and working on selling off items. I also have purchased some N scale train since downsizing probably means a smaller layout.
I am expecting to downsize and retire in about 5 years give or take, so I am trying to take a look at my collection and work bit by bit on being realistic on what I will actually use. So I've been reviewing my collection and working on selling off items. I also have purchased some N scale train since downsizing probably means a smaller layout.
My downsizing for retirement (semi retirement so for) decressed my house size by 40%, increased my yard by 130%, and increased my layout space by 150%.
Retirement is looking great.
I don't have to thin out the trains, I NEVER bought stuff that did not fit the theme and planned size of the layout.
Sheldon, honest question:
When you downsized to 60% of your old house, what did you do with 40% of the furniture that wouldn't fit in the new house?
I assume sold it, gave it away, or threw it out?
This move was a long range well planned change. For about 5 years before we moved, we worked on down sizing all of our possessions that would not make sense in a smaller house. As the grown children moved out, we sent extra bedroom furniture with them.
By the time we moved, the two bedrooms and sitting room on the third floor were empty.
Several specific antiques were sold well in advance, a restored 1901 "barrel chair", a 1927 Victrola, a custom reproduction "fainting sofa", and a 1930' era reproduction of an 1890's writing desk were all sold via Ebay or local advertising.
In the end we sold most of a reproduction Victorian Parlor furniture set that we had originally had custom made for the Queen Anne style house. I sold it to one of my old house clients, I still do work for them and see the furniture regularly.
We had an upright piano, we sold it with the house, the new owner was happy to get it.
The rest of our furniture we were able to adapt to the new house except for a few odd pieces. They went to Goodwill.
I also sold some excess tools both before and since the move, and I left a large stash of finish lumber and trim in the garage, much of which was left over from restoring that house or clients homes.
I did not sell any trains, because don't buy trains outside the scope of the layout plan.
The old layout was in a 1000 sq ft room above the 6 car detached garage.
The new layout will fill virtually all of the 1500 sq ft basement at the new house.
The old property was only an acre, but had very elaborate landscaping.
The new property is 2.3 acres but has very simple landscaping.
The museum would likely be the better route although the school could also work. The museum would allow more control, continuity and a more flexible funding stream. The school would have direct access to youngsters and be more likely to engage them. The drawback with schools is personnel change, sometimes frequently, and with that comes different priorities and ideas. It can also be more difficult to raise funds for projects at schools as well.
In either case, I have seen some amazing work of the type you describe at both community museums and schools. If that is the route you decide to take, the sooner you start mentoring and teaching others the more likely it is that your legacy will take root and be passed on to future generations.
navyman636 We have a wonderful rural museum in our community. It's loaded with fun and educational things for people of all ages. Could I find a happy home for my collection if I helped raise funds for a new or rehabbed building there? I'm mindful that embracing such a task, and whatever responsibilities that come with initiating such a project, could have positive and long term benefits, both to the museum and to the surrounding community. I've done enough community fund raising, organizing and grant writing through my careers in historic preservation and civic activism, to know the undeniable benefits of thinking outside the box, and thinking bigger than some others may dare to try. If a little good is laudable, a lot of good is better. I've already had one short conversation with the principal of a local high school, about the school possibly being the recipient of what I now own. She was immediately on board after I spent less than five minutes discussing what I saw as the potential benefit of a model railroad club (that arrived on the doorstep with $30K of good-to-excellent equipment) at that school. As in: there are no drawbacks - challenges to be sure, but no real drawbacks - and there's no end of advantages. She implied an expectation that I might be wanted as a regular source of supervision, guidance and sharing skills, if the idea was to come to best fruition. There would, in such cases, be the commitment of volunteer time to consider. It wouldn't bother me a bit, to consider how a legacy I might bestow might help my community. My family, however distant they may be, are also part of my personal community, so everyone is served and everyopne benefits if they want to.
We have a wonderful rural museum in our community. It's loaded with fun and educational things for people of all ages. Could I find a happy home for my collection if I helped raise funds for a new or rehabbed building there? I'm mindful that embracing such a task, and whatever responsibilities that come with initiating such a project, could have positive and long term benefits, both to the museum and to the surrounding community. I've done enough community fund raising, organizing and grant writing through my careers in historic preservation and civic activism, to know the undeniable benefits of thinking outside the box, and thinking bigger than some others may dare to try. If a little good is laudable, a lot of good is better.
I've already had one short conversation with the principal of a local high school, about the school possibly being the recipient of what I now own. She was immediately on board after I spent less than five minutes discussing what I saw as the potential benefit of a model railroad club (that arrived on the doorstep with $30K of good-to-excellent equipment) at that school. As in: there are no drawbacks - challenges to be sure, but no real drawbacks - and there's no end of advantages. She implied an expectation that I might be wanted as a regular source of supervision, guidance and sharing skills, if the idea was to come to best fruition. There would, in such cases, be the commitment of volunteer time to consider.
It wouldn't bother me a bit, to consider how a legacy I might bestow might help my community. My family, however distant they may be, are also part of my personal community, so everyone is served and everyopne benefits if they want to.
My layout still has primarily Milwaukee Road equipment, with the bulk of the locomotives a lot of the rolling stock equipped for that road. I live in Delaware, but I hope someone might want it. I doubt that my daughter in Maine will.
I hope I can give the whole set to a local club here. The trains are in good shape and the structures would fit well in most Transition Era layouts. They're illuminated, many have interiors and would be attractive as a display. I'm 77 now, not planning on hitting the RIP track anytime soon, but you never know.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
ATLANTIC CENTRALBut again, what does crashing a model airplane have to do with this?
I believe that the point he was trying to make was that one can spend X dollars on a model train and have it for an infinite amount of time, or a model plane that costs the same amount of dollars and crashes/burns the first time it is flown.
Not an "investment" in financial terms, but possibly a better use of one's hobby money.
Neighbor's husband passed on a couple years ago. She is planning to move and desired to clean out his stuff from the basement. Wondered what to do with it. She contemplated hiring one of those "call 800-junk" outfits for everything that was bolted down, and Goodwill for the loose items. I volunteered to gather up the loose items and some of the bolted down items. Bolted down items included some code 83 track, turnouts (not ballasted), and some electronic gizmos that I couldn't completely identify.
Took that stuff to a train show where I had a couple tables. After deducting an amount for the table and tax I had to charge, I gave her over $2000. Took some more to a local RPM meet and gave her $400 more. I wasn't trying to make a killing and items were priced to move.
Enough funds for her to get some painting done and other minor repairs. And a lot more than she would have received giving it away or trashing it.
As a pastor as well as helping with dealing with a couple of estates with our club this is a tough subject to deal with. Every family and individual and situation is different. I know one fellow that as a teenager would have loved his uncles Lionel collection. Unfortunately when he died suddenly his widow sold it for not much. He has spent some years recreating what his uncle had. On the other hand we have dealt with a couple of collections at the club (one was hoarding) that none of the family (no direct family in either case) had any interest in. We did not get a whole lot for them but what the members bought means something to them. Sadly I have also seen some families fight over stuff (or more often money.) In some ways I think what you are doing in preserving your layout by donation might be the best thing. I am aware of a well known modeler that had no family that cared and his friends handled the collection. His layout was thankfully preserved. I have a couple of small things that those friends sent to me and they mean a lot. Perhaps you might save some handcrafted things for the family if there might be some interest. They may not be model railroaders but "my Uncle built this" can sometimes mean a lot. I know another family that was like that.
Selling stuff honestly from what our club has seen is generally a pain for the family. Unless there is someone in the family that is interested it is often a burden. (That goes for any collection not just trains.) Unless you sell on ebay any collection will fetch just a fraction of its price (unless it is brass or sometimes certain Lionel)
I hope perhaps this helps
ATLANTIC CENTRALBut again, what does crashing a model airplane have to do with this? Investment? None of these hobbies are for people without the necessary means.
I flew line control planes for years as a kid and used to enter combat competitions where your opponent would try and chew the ribbon off that your plane was towing behind. I had the tail of my plane chewed off a couple of times. I had started building R/C planes at 15 and as soon as I had my driver's license I was off to the airfield with them. I flew for years and never lost one in a crash. If I had I would have put it down to the cost of doing business. I used to spend more on gas driving to and from the R/C airfield than I do on trains.
Our crawl space is lit and has a concrete floor and for years I had all my planes lined up down there as if they were sitting on the ramp at an airport. In 2017 the city storm sewer backed up and that was the end of them. I got a settlement for them and all the other stuff down there, but as they say "all good things".
I agree with Sheldon, hobbies and other extras in life come after the important things in life are covered. Trains and model airplanes are just stuff.
AEP528 I think every model railroader should be required to spend two years building and flying RC planes before spending a penny on model railroad equipment. The first time you see your "investment" nose-dive into the ground should set your hobby expectations properly.
I think every model railroader should be required to spend two years building and flying RC planes before spending a penny on model railroad equipment.
The first time you see your "investment" nose-dive into the ground should set your hobby expectations properly.
I managed the train department in a hobby shop where the owner was a very accomplished R/C modeler and flyer. He is still a life long friend. I know more than a little about R/C planes and did gas powered R/C cars before battery R/C cars came out.
But I don't get you point or what it has to do with this topic?
I think every person with a drivers license should have drive a car with a stick shift and no power steering or brakes before we let them loose on the highway. And an hour behind the wheel of a 28' box truck would be useful too.
But again, what does crashing a model airplane have to do with this?
Investment? None of these hobbies are for people without the necessary means.
Haven't read all the above, but have a similar situation.
I got forced to downsize when a son moved home. His son now occupies the space.
After years of having only enough time to buy and not get to buioding, I had much to much stuff.
Suddenly 80 is sneaking rapidly on me and no place to run trains and a lot of stuff to get rid of. A few years ago, before COVID,I started going to shows as a seller, not a buyer. Early shows I sold a good amount, mostly rolling stock and locos. This year I selected more buildings and did OK. Plenty of scenery stuff still available to add. Car size limits how much I can take.
I have a designated area for a new layout so am not "selling out", just selling down. There are two clubs within reasonable distance that have returned to having shows, a third club, hopefully, will get back to it soon.
What is left when I no longer can play trains, I am suggesting to be divided up and donated to those clubs, if there is no family in0terest.
I wasted all of COVID time and now am struggling to get a shelf started for a layout. Will I ever get it started?
If there is a local brick and morter hobby shop, they might sell for you. There is also ebay, if you or a family member or other willing person that is good with computers. (I'm not.)
Good luck,
Richard
I have no illusions about the value of my layout. To me, it's very important and worth a lot.
To everyone after I die, outside of a few locomotives that one could probably get cents on the dollar by selling, the rest of the entire layout will be worth a trip to the landfill.
When my father died, I had to go through the family belongings to prepare for the sale of the house. My biggest take away was that there were a lot of things that were important enough to my father for him to keep for many years, yet to me and the rest of the family, those things meant nothing. Most of it ended up in the landfill.
York1 John
csxns ATLANTIC CENTRAL investments. To me my Trains is a Investment they keep me going they keep me alive and they make me happy if it were not for my Trains I will be lost.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL investments.
To me my Trains is a Investment they keep me going they keep me alive and they make me happy if it were not for my Trains I will be lost.
I agree, they are an investment in my well-being. My guitars and music are top of the list but trains are a very close second. My daughter says she will absolutely keep my guitars when I croak, even though she doesn't play guitar. She plays clarinet, cello, and piano and I bet she will learn to play guitar at some point.
The trains? To a club or first come first serve if they don't all go in one fell swoop bulk sale.