What happens to my layout when I'm gone?

[Anonymous]

Have you ever given thought to what will happen to your Layout when you are gone? If so, what happens?[?][?]

I, for one have never thought of this. 'till I found out I was loosing a good friend that Modeles.

Just curious to know if you have provisions for the inevetable.[:(]

[Anonymous]

It's in the will, where else would it be?

[Anonymous]

Gee NDTN, I would be surprised to find out that 25% of the folks on this forum even have a will. I ask this question in the hopes that most would desigin a will to determine who or whom would be the benificiary of their hard work.

Nothing more , Nothing less.[8D]

Kind of a serious matter to me, Thank You Very Much.[:D]

[vsmith]

If I kick off I know excatly what will happen to my stuff, TWO WORDS:

Salvation Army

Trash Bin comes to mind also, I doubt my wife has the patience to ebay everything. but she might consign it to a toy train auction, to me thats cool, i got a lot of things at auction so it would be a fitting end to have it all recycled again. Hey I wouldnt care at that point. :-)

[Anonymous]

We have a secondary outlet, hobby recycling that does estates, shows, trade ins.

When I start the climb(DC) to HO heaven hobby recycling will make an all or none bid.

Probably .20 cents on the dollar

[Anonymous]

Even though my kids are not really in the hobby, I talked to them oubout this, Told them to take the pieces to auction or sell on Ebay, my wife said she will sell the house with the layout unless she finds someone to take it down.

[rambo1]

My wife says she will be rich selling everything, dance on the layout with the kids since whey wern't to touch anything. She'd throw a few locos and my via hat in the box with me. NO RESPECT! rambo1.........

[Anonymous]

Blessed with an incurable brain disease I think about this all the time. Here I am spending money as often as the budget allows, knowing that in a few years...

What I have done is create a worksheet in MS Excel which automatically depreciates from purchase date then totals current value. Each time I purchase something, that would be resellable, I add it to the list.

Then, while I'm pushin' up daisies, those that I leave behind have a complete list of resellable items and their current value. I have a list of local clubs and other suggested places which they may be able to sell the items.

[vw-bug]

Scary, I know I don't like the thought of this ever happening. But I'm on the receiving end of it all. My uncle has set it for that I'm responsible for his layout and equipment. I just hope that I have a long time before I really have to start to worry about myself. However at this point I have a nephew who really enjoys trains and who will probably get everything from me.

[Jetrock]

Well, I've got to actually go make the will, but my plans are to donate any railroady stuff I own upon my demise that my wife doesn't want to keep to the Western Railway Museum, either to add to their collection or to auction off to raise funds. It's a pretty common thing and worthwhile. If I have nephews or whatnot who want my trains I'll probably include a codicil to allow them first dibs, but otherwise I figure giving it to a rail-oriented organization (who might benefit from my library, trackside photos and/or models) makes it useful to someone. Better than having it end up in the trash bin.

[Anonymous]

Hope that my wife has a good time with "Pablo the pool boy" once she eBays it all.

[IRONROOSTER]

The kids divide them up however they want to. After my dad died, my brothers and I divided up his Britains toy soldiers. I have enough trains in enough scales (4) that I think my three sons can all get as much as they want for momentoes and still have enough left over to each build a layout if they want to..
Enjoy
Paul

[Anonymous]

It goes in the trash.

[Anonymous]

They say you can't take it with you, but I'm not taking any chances. My wife and my two kids have specific instructions to include my original train set (Athearn, from 43 years ago), an oval of track and a power pack with my corpse, whether I'm buried or cremated (I haven't decided which, yet). Otherwise, I'd be rather annoyed if I get to the afterlife, and the only ones there with any possessions are the Egyptians, because they bothered to take it with them. The rest of my collection I could care less what happens to it.

[Anonymous]

ONE THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS... well my local church is starting up a layout and we have lots of previously owned stuff done by donations. One train has had two owners that I know of (perhaps more) It's got so much history that one of the CHurch youth suggested we nickname the train loco after the first owner in memory of them... the "FD" after a man named Frank. (I'm still determined to get it that old loco running and out of the engine yard)

I'm currently working up a small 1X3 foot switch layout in HO scale that I'm using a old turnout and track that is caked in dust from the past owner. Hopefully they are like stray dogs got at the pound, who seem to know that you saved them and ready to give you loyal service.

Even the junk stuff... I personally know one of the youth in our church that found some train stuff at the local dump and treasures it.

I know that from personal experience (and a very tight budjet) I've thanked God for the blessings of donations to the Church train ministry and for used finds.

So you'd be surprized, in the end where stuff can end up in service... Even in Ministry.

[tomnoy3]

well...im a bit too young (16) to be thinking bout this, but i just started with my dad's setup and built on to that, so i figure the same will happen when i have a son. he best damn well like trains or hes up for adoption lol.

[Anonymous]

I just hope that someone out there takes care of my family.
As for the layout, my children will pass on the equipment as
family hierlooms. My family knows that I treasure my trains,
and will hopefully respect my wishes.
Other than that said, I'll be scattered across train tracks and
will be eternally on the right track for me.

[Anonymous]

I'm 17 now, so I hopefully won't have to worry about that for a long, long time. I'll have it in my will and hopefully will have kids that would want it all. However, I might also perhaps donate all my trains to a railroad museum that might want it. I've heard of this before. I'm surprised no one else has mentioned it. Why not let the general public enjoy your trains after you're gone?

[AltonFan]

QUOTE: My wife and my two kids have specific instructions to include my original train set (Athearn, from 43 years ago), an oval of track and a power pack with my corpse, whether I'm buried or cremated (I haven't decided which, yet).

You may want to forget cremation then. I am told that when bodies are submitted for cremation, that electronic devices and medical appliances (such as pacemakers) have to be removed for both environmental considerations, and to prevent damage to the retort. I imagine stuffed animals and paper memorabilia can be included, but nothing else.

[GerFust]

Well, that issues takes care of itself before you go sometimes. Dad is going blind and taking care of mom, who is also in failing health. He said he'd have my brother and me over sometime to divvy up the railroad (still in boxes from the last move). It's a sad thing - we spent our winter snow days off from school/work working on that together.

My son is a model railroader (has his own small layout), so where my stuff will go is obvious. My daughter will probably want to have most of it, though (sometimes I think she is more likely to be the legacy model railroader in the family).

Having it donated to a charity is a good idea, but this is one thing that may have too much sentimental value for the family to give up so easily. I hope to have the names and places on the layout reflect my family life, so that might make it tough for them to get rid of.

-Jer

[Anonymous]

If I ever realise my ambitions I will start a public attraction with my trains. Right now I envision calling it the Museum of American Model Railroading. With 5 Stories (In a Union Station Type building that also serves as the terminus for a tourist railraod I want to start) and nearly 50 acres of model railroad fun. The intent is to make Northlands look like a beginners layout, but be more prototypical than fanciful. Then when I am getting on in years, I will search for some one with an equal passion and vigor for trains as me, and then when I can trust him with my whole estate, I will groom him to take place when I pass on. Idealy it would be someone of my prodgeny (A grandson maybe) that will cary on the family enterprise.

As for inheratancees, I would allow my heirs to have one full train (Loco through caboose or obs car be it passenger train), their choice of private railcar, and an equal share of the cash, and hopefully that will keep them happy.

But for now, I am only 21 years old, and I have 99 years left before I have to worry about it.

[Jetrock]

or you could get smashed to bits by a drunk driver tomorrow. Quite frankly, most people don't make it to the century mark, let alone 120--heck, quite a few people don't make it to 21.

It doesn't pay to be too morbid, I suppose--but it is something worth thinking about.

[Anonymous]

This is kinda spooky as a subject. I've never thought about it until now, as (aged 20) you tend to think you'll live for a good while yet. However, I walked away from a car sma***oday and was reliably informed that if I'd been in a normal saloon I wouldn't have been walking away (The Discovery didn't fare so well, still, that's why we have insurance!). I guess I'd pass everything on to my younger brother, or maybe my cousin when she's old enough. This is a kinda morbid subject though!

[Anonymous]

What's wrong with being optomistic? I know I very well might not make it much past 75. But Im going to do my best.

[Anonymous]

Gee, as I expected, most don't know or care what will happen. Can't say as I much blame ya, heck you won't care.[;)] It was just a thought to ask this question. I like all of the answers. There are many different thoughts on this matter. As for me, I guess I like the Poolboy response best. He-HE Long as the SOB does'nt drop it in the pool[:D]

[Anonymous]

I have a will and a living will also. Everything to the wife. What she does with it is her choice. She is not too supportive of the hobby however understands that it helps me live longer with less stress.

As a former OTR driver I thought many a time my call is coming to meet the maker... And witnessed many people injured or dead from sensless accidents or venturing out into a storm that is best waited out for sake of delivery times.

Live the best you can today, you may not be given tomorrow.

[ironhorseman]

Oh, you guys are talking about after we "shuffle of this mortal coil" [xx(]

When I read the topic headline I was thinking of something else. When I'm gone (eg away) from my layout the people come to life, the cars drive themselves, smoke comes out of the chimneys, and the trains start rolling by themselves! [;)]

OK, I really don't have a layout now, but when I did, and when do again, I'll think that maybe that's what goes on after I turn out the lights and gone for the day.

As for the afterlife, I'll have a battery powered layout in my coffin, then when archeologist dig me up in a 1,000 years they're gonna wonder what in the world was he thinkin? The rest of my trains will be donated to a museum or club and my future layout will be in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (HAHA [:D] just kidding, but we'll see [;)])

But they'll be pleanty of trains in heaven to keep me occupied for an eternity.

[eastcoast]

Donated to a good home I hope.
My children have been asked not
to sell anything. But after I do pass,
why will it matter? It will ultimately
not be my decision what it becomes.

[BR60103]

I hope that my wife will call in some of the members of the railroad club and that they'll help take it apart and sell it at a show or auction. If we go together, my sister and her sister will split it.
Your wife should have access to the value of, at least, the more valuable items. For some widows it could represent a substantial part of the estate.