I get emails from Yahoo Model Railroads of Southern California. The moderator organizes layout tours. In 2006 the 1st year of tours there were 39 layouts almost all fairley complete. 12 are now gone. 31% attrition rate in 5 years. Only one has been replaced with a new layout in the same location. Of the 12 one is over 80, the others are under 70.
Dennis San Fernando Valley CA.
Let me get this straight. You have clubs 80 years old and others 70 years old? Wow!
Bob
Most likely what the OP was trying to communicate was that 11 out of the 12 layouts that had disappeared from that layout tour over the last 5 years was owned by people who should still be under the age of 70.
Which doesn’t really say much - people under the age of 70 also move. Or decide to no longer take part in tours, Or get health problems. Or die. Or lose interest in the hobby. Or whatever.
Smile,
Stein
Are those layouts gone as in, `Vanished from the ken of man?’ Or are they simply not listed on the tour list any more.
There are many reasons why a person might choose to discontinue allowing strangers to have access to his layout. A bad experience with one ill-mannered know-it-all could trigger a, `I don’t want to put up with this,’ reaction.
My own layout will never be open to tour groups of people unknown to me. Between my own health issues, my wife’s paranoia about strangers and the layout not having been designed to support group visits, there are three strikes before the batter steps out of the on deck circle.
Another thing. Even if the layouts WERE torn down, that was a decision made by somebody else for THEIR reasons. Happens to a lot of things in the real world, too. Check the satellite views of Wyoming - there’s lots of evidence that UP has rebuilt and re-routed, not once but several times. Here in Sin City, old casinos go B-B-B-Boom!! and vanish, soon to be replaced by bigger and better.
In the meantime, in other places and well below the radar, other layouts are under construction. Maybe they will be opened to tourists when they reach an adequate level of construction…
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - well below the radar)
I know what you mean I have seen this happen too often.My suggestion would be to do your layouts in modular sections that can easily be broken down if need be.Chances are that at least some of it could be saved for future generations.These will be collectors items some day and highly sought after in not the too distant future,like old cards and comic books are today.
Collectors items or highly sought after, I don’t know about that John. I agree that some layouts are incredible works of art but I think the rolling stock and loco’s would be of more interest then the layout itself. I’ve dismantled a few layouts(owners passed away and wife wanted it gone)and to be honest there really isn’t much that can be saved. Buildings, trees, some track and the benchwork is basically all that is salvageable.
Interesting post…I have wondered what will happen to mine once I am either no longer able to work on it or I meet that great Conductor in the sky. That question was put to me a couple months ago and I really didn’t have a good answer other than to say that it will probably be torn down and tossed out. I probably should make some plans or at the very least have some kind of instructions.
31% attrition rate in 5 years is about right by the time you figure in the quitters,the scale changers,those who are getting along in years,those that are now in rest homes due to illness,those that has pass and those that said enough with the public showings.
In this age of ridiculous lawsuits I’m surprise its only 31%.
With notable exceptions, especially those that have gotten a lot of press exposure and tours, the more ‘polished’ and more intricate layouts tend to have a life near about 10 years from what I gather in reading the various articles. I wouldn’t hazard a guess as to the standard deviation, but it must be at least three years. Even if I am only close, we should assume that in a sample of 100 layouts, about 67% of them will be dismantled between 7-13 years.
SWAG.
Crandell
So? It tells me it’s time to hit the yard sales.
This is where doing smaller modules or shelf type displays comes in handy , using your favorite parts as dioramas.You could also take lots of pics of your stuff and self publish a book as a keepsake for your family.There are other options than just throwing it all out.
I’m not sure what you mean by “Of the 12 one is over 80, the others are under 70”. Are you talking about the age of the owners of these layouts? You may want to clarifty that for us.
When you say that “12 are now gone”, you may want to clarify that too. Gone from the organized layout tour list, dismantled layouts or owner deaths?
As far as tearing down layouts, even in the best of them, that happens all of the time. A recent example is Gary Hoover’s Santa Fe layout. And, if I am not mistaken, didn’t Lance Mindheim dismantle his N scale Monon layout? Or is that still with us?
Rich
Had I read the question about Lance friday I could have asked him yesterday. We chatted for a bit at a train show.
I did some further checking. He dismantled it a few years ago.
Rich
I have learned lessons after destroying several partly built layouts to move to new houses.
My current layout is built in sections in oder to make it possible to relocate. Construction is similar to sections in “domino” style layouts. Most of my layout is around the wall, and it is a series of “tables” end-tp-end fastened together with screws.
Before the layout is to be moved, the connecting tables must be separated. The tracks, wiring, and scenery would need to be cut apart. Then the screws holding the tables together would need to be removed. Legs can be removed, too.
I do not consider my layout to be portable because it would take a few months to take it apart and then put it together t another location. Another problem if it were to be moved is the next location will not likely have the same room measurements, and I would have to solve that problem. Perhaps, the new location would need new walls built to fit the layout.
A big advantage to building in sections is I can fully complete each section before building the next one. That way, I can have scenery installed on each section before building the next one. I dislike seeing only boards and track. Current train operations are back and forth, but i will have a reverse loop at each end when done. My first loop is now being built.
I think we’re getting a little carried away with the teary eyes guys! LOL. Yes these layouts are dismantled but mainly because the owner has flogged every ounce of enjoyment out of them and an idea for a new theme has popped into his head. Yes, the old Monon was taken down but the room is now full with a new layout.
Lance
Visit Miami’s Downtown Spur at www.lancemindheim.com
I easily assumed the OP meant the age of the owners of the layouts.
As one ages, several things can happen:
1} one is no longer ABLE to work on the layout
2} One is no longer able to get around well
3} one is no longer able to accept company
4} One’s spouse is no longer able to tolerate company
5} one is no longer able to get to a layout
6} one has totally lost interest in the hobbby
7} One is has had damage/theft done to their layouts after an open house
8} one is no longer in a financial situation to support a layout
9} FAmily obligations may change {baby sit the grand kids}
10} One may have indeed gone to an assisted living facility
11} one may have moved
12} One may not have the time to entertain those guests seeking to see the layout
13} one may feel one’s layout is “no longer valid”
14} the owner may have died
15} maybe they are building a new layout as they are tired of the same old, same old, old one
16} and to many reasons more than listed here.
So those, and several more mean fewer layouts to view. If you read the thread “withdrawing from the human race” ti tells about damage/theft to a layout on tour…:
http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/t/196338.aspx
So, for a variety of reasons, some may drop out of the layout tours.
Be happy for those who DO participate, and do not mourn over those who are lost.
[8-|]
Just think of it this way: Perhaps many of those you lost are in the middle of building greater empires that, in a few years, will be visible to everyone!
I hope not to soon, lol.
The only two lost layouts that I mourn, Lance, are yours and Gary Hoover’s. Some layouts are just too cool to ever be torn down. [:‘(][:’(][:'(]
Rich