As we get older (I’m now 78) I’m beginnng to start thinking about what will become of my pike and collection after I venture to the big roundhouse upstairs. I ain’t planning on leaving just yet, but some of my contempories have done so.
Fortunaltely many of these folks had managable layouts and accumulations of trains. For those who have visited my pike or have read my book may know something a bit different.
I’d love to listen to ideas about this…sure I know many options, but none are really too attractive for my wife and my two children.
This subject has been mulled over several time but,mine has a upgrade since the last time after talking to my Grandson about my collection…
My oldest Grandson gets my stuff and if he doesn’t want some of the items I lined up a train show dealer to buy them.
The reason for that is my Grandson is more into the accurate cars,correct road specific locomotive details and DCC and that’s why I contacted a train show dealer to buy what my Grandson doesn’t want.
I know the dealer well enough to know he will pay top dollar for my collection…
IMHO that save a lot of hassle getting rid of my models.
My thought on this is to not accumulate stuff. I have been at this for 44 years and I have around 5 locos and a handful of cars. I have purchased more than my fair share over the years, but when I get tired of something, it goes away. My layout is tiny. I have more books than anything. Keeping it simple makes it easy on everyone.
It’s hard on the family, both from an emotional standpoint as well as the sheer volume of stuff. Whoever ends up being your executor may be elderly or saddled with their own responsibilities and unable to value, catalog and sell and ship your stuff for what you might get at a train show.
You probably have a better sense of the high end market than most of us. I would think it’s a small subset that could buy your structures in large quantities.
Maybe the Smithsonian would be interested? It would be nice if one of the Silicon Valley multimillionaires could make you an offer.
I am a prototype modeler and I intend to leave my layout to the local museum. I’m trying very hard for a good representation of the area in 1955. I have already packed up a lot of the research material that I have collected and digitized for my own use. They will get that this fall.
They were great to me allowing me access to their collection including making copies of anything I thought would help me. I spent an afternoon there using their printers and copiers. They couldn’t have been more helpful.
I see it as a way that others will be able to enjoy some of my work after I’m gone.
I think my first inclination would be to ask beforehand for an honest answer from my two grandsons as to whether-or-not they would like some or all of my modest collection. If they declined, I’d try my two nephews. If they declined, I’d direct the executor for my will that the entire collection be listed on one or more auction sites and sold. I would not like it to merely be boxed up and placed in a dumpster; someone will want it, even at pennies on the dollar.
I like the idea of willing it to a museum, but the museum would have no obligation to even accept it when the time comes. Of course, neither would my grandsons/nephews, but they are much less likely to be negligent or to have no sentimental attachment to my collection.
Another idea might to be have an arrangement with a local dealer/etailer who would take it and re-sell it. There would be no cost to him, or a very low nominal price, but by receiving payment for the items they would be valued by purchasers and less likely to end up in the land fill.
Do what my brother-in-law did. He died nearly 10 years ago and left the layout intact in his basement. It is still there today, much to his widow’s chagrin.
I have a couple items that are pretty valuable and/or might be of interest to certain historical societies and museums because of their regional significance. These will be offered to those groups that I designate. My will already has some provision for this, but I need to update it. The remaining items, plus the items the historical groups and museums refuse will be offered first to friends and family members. There are a few railroad fans and modelers in the extended family. Anything else will go into the estate for sale, although I realize they will not bring anything like what was spent on them. Same for the books and other stuff.
First of all, the layout is just toast. Sure there have been a few attempts to save a portion of one or two very famous model railroaders like John Armstrong. I think the NMRA’s future museum has had a couple stashed away for years now as they try to come up with funds to actually build the museum - I’m guessing time has taken it’s toll there. But basically it’s just more trouble than it’s worth.
Rolling stock and buildings - both kits and RTR, both used and unused, are for my sons to take if they are interested. My middle son is into Lionel so he can have my 3 rail stuff. My grandson is 5 and likes trains so he may get a bunch as well. Otherwise the kids can sell it for whatever thay can get. I notice that most places you donate to, just sell it anyway - so the kids might as well get the money.
The one thing I really need to do, is make a list of the stuff that potentially has some value on the resale market. Even at 30% some of my locomotives are worth over $100. This way the kids have a head start on disposing of it.
But in the big picture, this is a hobby for me and I have enjoyed it for over 40 years now. It’s the journey that has been important. So even if it all ends up in the dumspter I’m okay with that.
Sad to say I have attended 2 model railroad sales after one person passed away and the other retired to a small condo, in both cases they sold a few engines and some cars but both layouts ended up in the dump as no one wanted any of or all parts of the layout, sorry I can not offer any assistance in your case, also I know of another large layout coming up shortly for disposal and I think it will result in the same trip to the dump, good luck on your mission.
I spoke to them about this and the current management will accept it. I just turned 60 and I hope that it’s a long time before anyone has to deal with this and who knows if the museum will still be in existance. But right now that’s the plan.
i have a good listing of my stuff documented. My son gets it(and the house). I have listed two friends that can assist with the dismantling, and my son is eBay savy enought to sell off the rest.
Howard, I don’t live far from you, just put me in your will, I will take the layout down, sell off all the stuff, and give your wife half…
Seriously, over the last 10 years a number of members of our local round robin group have passed on. Each time several members of the group have helped the surviving spouse liquidate the collections - many times by getting a table at a well known train show here in Maryland…
I have items from many of my departed friends layouts, happy to have paid their spouses a far price for a few of their husbands treasures…
When comes my time to pass or’er the bar, my wife will uncork the bottle of bubbley she has stashed in the pantrey, then two things will happen–the crew at the town dump will have a field day, and she will get back the second living room that I have appropriated. The third happening will be the two men that I fished with over the years have to come clean all of their junk out of my garage.
My primary concern is if I have enough fire insurance.
Howard,Last I heard Ben King’s Timber City & Northwestern is intact and in a museum in Greenville,Ohio… You may recall it was a fantastic layout even though it wasn’t a very large layout…
Beings I have no wife anymore and children that do not want or care about my trains I have told my kids that they or somebody else can haul everything to the dump. The kids don’t want it, don’t care about it and if over 200 steam and and about 75 diesels hit the dump then that is the way it is.