I’ve gone through upwards of a half-dozen moves in my lifetime.
One word of advice in moving: If you hire a mover, DO NOT let them handle your trains, or at least those train or train-related items that you value. I had a hired mover steal my Lionel trains that my parents purchased for me when I was a kid. I moved in July that year. The trains were always set up under the Christmas tree. I didn’t miss the trains until I went up to the space over the garage in December to get them. That was the LAST time I let a mover get their hands on my trains.
Money is not a problem but space may be. Been retired, like forever, I am one of those people who worked 70 hr weeks at times and 20 hr days at times to get to a point I didn’t have to work. I also have been able to get deals on most stuff, so my cost of living is 1/2 of joe average. Most train stuff I bought at deep discount like Proto 0-6-0’s for $50 and top of the line rolling stock in the $12 range (did pay through the nose for a few peices though like my Tangent tank cars at $30 plus each but this was offset by Proto tank cars at around $10 average. Didn’t have to move, own our own house, but times change and want to be closer to family so if all works out it will only be a 15 to 20 mile move but it takes an hour to drive there and back now and it is only getting worse and you get to pay bridge tolls to boot.
I am also moving… again. I am moving my entire layout. I have to much stuff to get rid of any, my collection has been growing for 30 years now and I still use the first athearn engine I bought. The value of my collection is high enough that getting rid of items would be throwing away money. Not to mention many of my models are irreplaceable. I don’t glue down my roadbed or track so that I can pull it all up and reuse it. After years the cork road bed gets a little hard, but I’m still using it. With this next move I’ll be building my fifth layout.
My last in this lifetime move thirteen years ago relocated me 1700 road miles and a couple of time zones away from the starting point.
All of my rolling stock was packed in four large plastic hanging file boxes, set up with dividers and ‘padding’ of extruded foam (fan-fold underlayment leftovers from a re-siding job.) I stripped everything usable from the layout and packed the one module in a padded box arranged to fit. L-girders, unused steel and even salvaged joists went into the 24 foot rental truck when final moving day arrived. Very little went to the Cheatham County landfill - mostly roadbed and risers.
I didn’t dispose of a single locomotive or car. Since I was working to a plan that was formed when my daughter was a toddler (her daughter has since made me a great-grandfather) the roster was already very location and era specific.
Other model railroad specific cargo included a WWII footlocker full of salvaged communication cable and other electrical parts, a multi-drawer small parts bin full of spare parts, scratchbuilding stuff and odd ends, several containers for rail (including salvaged and unused flex track,) small wood and useful metal products. (The legendary model railroad junk box was rather more than one box!)
Since the move I’ve been glad that I didn’t simply dumpsterize fillintheblank, when I discovered a need and could go to the right place to get it from storage in the layout space. There are a lot of other, different items I haven’t found a need for - yet. There’s also lots of space under the benchwork in a double garage.
Granted that moving everything was a lot of work and took up cubic in the truck. Having it got layout building off to a flying start in the new venue.
If I ever have to move again I’ll probably do just about the same thing.
Funny, been about 30 years for me at this location. Already got rid of sentimental stuff long ago (except for a few brass peices). The house is ready to go for the most part, most decisions have been made about what to keep or go. The garage is the issue, not only the trains but all the other stuff. Also new for me is this is the first move where I will not be a landlord (unless something goes wrong). I have been getting some help from this discussion, even though it seems like I have not. Put some duplicates in the sell box, some stuff that I will never use also went there. Decided to get rid of most cars that are much over 40’, even though my currant layout is very large, I went with 18" radius which in my opinon the 50’ cars look fine but when I put evenything in a yard, the 50’ stuff just stood out, even though it is prototypical in small amounts in my era. Got rid of a bunch of cars that even though the car was right, the paint job was way too modern and I know I will not repaint which with this logic my spell the doom of a case of Ertl boxcars, the gondolas I need (not many 40’ gondolas with separate grabs out there RTR) and the flat cars have all for the most part been redone.
Don’t sell, or get rid of, anything that will be hard to replace.
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Sure, sell all those miscellaneous track pieces and Tortoise switch machines. They are easy to get. Your Bowser 16" turntable might be a bit harder to replace. If you are ever going to need it, don’t toss it. I have sold off too many things that I wish I kept and I cannot find now.
It is all available on e-bay. Got a Walther’s RTR turntable myself, paid $50 on e-bay and then bought a replacement bridge for $20. All switch machines are by hand Caboose.
Kevin, Figure how much replacing those Tortoise switch machines would be… As a example 10 would be around $160.00 @ $15.99 ea. Track is not getting any cheaper either.
Keep those switch machines and all salvageable track and toss dust covered junk pile projects that’s been 10 years on the “to do” list.
When I moved to my current (final) house about 20 or so years ago, I sold all my Tortoise switch machines on eBay. When I started the “spare bedroom” layout 10 years later, I bought Tortoise switch machines on eBay for about exactly what I sold them for. Track and Tortoise switch machines are easy to replace. Heck, even Magnuson Models kits are easy to get.
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I stand by my answer. If it is easy to replace, don’t worry about selling it. That original set of “Virginian and Ohio” decals you got in an auction in Miami… better hold on to those.
If you are paying that price, you are paying too much. Used most of my turnouts on this layout so I wanted to replace the reserve stock, just wanted a few, bought enough to redo my layout (15’x30’) for $5 a turnout, Shinohara code 70, brand new in box. The Tortoise is another mater but I have seen them for $10 but then I don’t use them (everything is within reach). If you plan ahead, things cost less.
My advice is to not throw any train stuff away that may have potential future use, that is until after you have moved.
My model railroad club just moved and we brought along a lot of stuff that subsequently got tossed. For whatever reason, it seemed that we were able to be much more objective after we made the move. A lot of the stuff that was labelled ‘better not throw that away’ before the move became ‘why did we bother to move that’ after we took a second look. However, there were some valuable items like rarely used throttles that we almost tossed but didn’t.
I realize that there would be a certain cost to moving stuff you won’t end up using when you are using commercial movers, so the really obvious stuff should be tossed before the move, but don’t get too aggressive.
I liken the decision to something I did a long time ago. Dianne and I had taken a trip to western Canada and I took lots of pictures. This was before the digital age so everything was on 35mm slides. We had a ton of pictures. I sat down to sort through them and ended up tossing far too many memorable shots. My memory of the trip was fresh so they seemed redundant at the time. However, a few years later we really regretted getting rid of so many pictures.
I don’t use them either the price I quoted was from MBK since that was the lowest on line price I could find. The MSRP for Tortoise switch machines is $21.95. Something I wouldn’t pitch because of a move.
I use Peco medium switches on my ISL in fact I salvage all 5 plus some ME flex track for reuse on my planned ISL.
My last move I removed the locomotive, all the cars,structures,vehicles from my ISL and moved it along with several totes of locomotives and cars. Nothing got pitched except for some unwanted magazines.
Keeping a lot of train, though it is tempting to get a fresh start but the more I thought of it, the more I really do like the era and style of work I had done and what I didn’t like is I got away from my original idea of a logging road too far. I started having no logging instead of toning it down some (too many good deals on Intermountain boxcars at $10 each, too many good deals on same qaulity tank cars at around $8 each also).
Yes I hear you but if alot has to go into storage, then that cost could fast eat up any future cost, just one month at $200 equals compleat benchwork cost of present layout.
I recently sold all of my older BB engines and cars as well as my Roundhouse cars and that includes my IPD boxcar collection and moved up to 94/95 era and will use my higher tier models.
The why is simple…My oldest grandson is interested in the higher tier models so,I saved my kids a lot of work getting rid of dead baggage and I gain a four digit hobby fund…
Downsizing before a move is a smart approach, especially if you’re unsure of the destination. Focusing on modular layouts will make the transition more adaptable. Best of luck with your planning!
I got rid of everything when we moved to Florida from Ontario.
I had enough HO scale stuff for a basement empire, but it was taking too long to build. I knew I would have limited space in the new residence, so I took the opportunity to start over.
My new place is very limited for space, the entire condominium is about half the size of my old basement. I took the opportunity to start over again in a new scale, era, and level of detail.
I came to the realization that a large layout when you are a lone operator can be a daunting series of difficult tasks.
