Due to no fault of my own, after almost two years of paperwork and planning the location for my model railroad museum fell through this week. One of the other parties failed to exercise their contract. To make a long story short: Unknown to me, was that among other things my “first right of refusal” to the property was contengent on their contract in addition to my own. So my wonderful school house with a gymnasium for a layout space is now sold to another party. I don’t know how hard it will be to find another that is as perfect as this one. If anyone knows of school districts selling old schools please let me know.
Ironically some of the best places to look are along old railroad right of ways or along lines still in use but carrying no or drastically fewer passengers. The best partners in such an endeavor would be a railroad museum (1:1) or other local historical group. Many un-used depots exist that are now owned by the municipalities where they are located and can be purchased or leased at very favorable rates since most people do not want to be near noisy trains. Hope that helps. J.R.
Thanks for the thoughts. However, I’ve found most pre-existing railroad stations are too small for a decent sized layout, let alone a museum. I have found several such stations.
I found and rejected both of these among others:
Kiowa Kansas (now razed). Of course it was in seriously bad condition, but had it not been so far from home (9 hours) I would have liked to save it any way.
But the Old Dog must observe, that the building may be back on the market when the new owner gets the first heating bill. Mountain weather and old heating plants are a bad mix. Also, unless you have a good deal of help, building and maintaining such a large layout might turn into a nightmare.
You might want to look around for an old neighood market with living quarters up stairs. The supermarkets have put many them out of business. You could use the old show room for the layout and live up stairs. Plus the smaller project would be easier to handle.
I almost bought an old church to live in a couple of months ago. That would probably work for your purposes, wouldn’t it? You could add a second floor to the main sanctuary and get double the floor space.
Instead of crying in your beer up here, why don’t you design a layout that you can realistically finish in your lifetime and put it in a reasonable size basement like all the rest of us???
I would love to have a room about 20’x 30’ to re-build my short line instead of the small L-Shaped layout I now have. But at least I can finish this layout in a short amount of time and have a bunch of fun doing it. And then I can operate on it and have another bunch of fun.
TZ was planning on using the school building as a MUSEUM as well as a layout space.
Assuming this endeavor did actually take off, I’m willing to bet that TZ would have either hired help, or run the large layout much like a club layout.
I do not believe that the entire endeavor was going to be a solo-project.
Keep at it TZ - you’ll find something for your museum.
So, let me get this straight here. What you are saying is that folks actually FINISH a layout within thier own lifetime? You have witnessed this???
Hmmmm… now I have a whole new set of problems to deal with. Actually FINISHING a layout… my local dealer certainly won’t want to hear about that. No sirree. Nope. Not t’all. Neither will the lumber yard nor the hardware store. heck, I suspect I’m supporting two of their summer hires as it is!
So, just for arguments sake here, let’s suppose I was actually to FINISH my layout. Then what am I supposed to do? Run trains or something? I mean, who has time to actually RUN TRAINS on a layout? There’s always something to paint, or sculpt, or track to lay, or hardware to buy, or wires to solder, connections to check, and I haven’t even gotten to spending time online at the train forums, or hanging out at the LHS discussing the relative merits of the whoozis versus the whatsis!
And forget about all the DCC upgrades and downloads and mods that Tony Koestler demands I have to make my layout more prototypical for “operations”! Heck, the MR editors would have a coniption if I FINISHED my layout, 'cause I wouldn’t need anymore how-to articles!
Nope, Nope… can’t finish it. Why if’n I were to finish the da
I would second the motion to look for an old church. In my area, it is not uncommon to find them for sale. Around 2000 I was looking for a retirement home and I know there were 3 or 4 that came on the market a two county area. I considered buying one before ultimately deciding to build my current home. Most of the ones I saw were small churches but even those had huge open areas for a great layout. Don’t give up on your dream. Keep looking.
Instead of fixing up an old building have you concidered building one, If you use standard parts it can be quite cheap (steal frame ) and by insulating better than standard you may, over time save big bucks $$$$$$ on heating ect., remember that layouts and and such don’t need hardwood floors or as many windows and you may be able to combine efforts with another group as adding a floor in conparison to the original ( three stories instead of two ) is less expencive.
Yes, I have been considering old stations, churches, hotels, old department stores, even one monistary. Churches are usually smaller than schools though.
Yes, that and severa other things could happen to bring it back onto the market. I have people watching it for me.
Yes exactly, the 3rd floor of the school house was also to be our primary residence.
Actually some good thoughts, but shows a single view of the hobby. To the first point - been there done that. I’ve built and razed many complete layouts, I’ve built many for other people. I am looking for a final place where I won’t have to tear down what I build, and where I can share what I build - even if I am not the one to continue (finish) it. Further, I don’t want to run out of space. Just because one has that much space nothing says the layo
This firm probably does not do business in your area, but their page shows would is available in the modular home market.
The Pembrooke Model Number 29 includes a 14 by 28 game room. It also can be built on a basement.
The Big Foot Model Number 14 could be modified by leaving some walls out to get a 14 by 62 foot train room. Again, it can be built on a basement.
The Astro Model Number could provide a 14 by 72 stand allow train room. One could then use one of the other designs for living quarters and link them with breeze way. For example the Big Foot has four bedrooms. One could use one for a model RR workbench, one for an office/ computer room/ library and still have a guest bedroom.
The above site shows what may be available for garages. One could build one for a train room. Or actually use one as a garage. Maybe include a carpentry shop and spray booth in the back.
Hang in there - it’s a “minor” setback. An oppurtunity will present itself soon enough. You might want to consider new construction. I hear these adds for “The General” steel buildings all the time on the radio. That might be worth looking into. That way you can design the whole thing from the ground up rather than retrofit to an exsisting building.
Can you tell us more about the museum that you are trying to build?
