As many of you know I’m in the process of designing/planning a new layout to be built either in the garage or basement…still in the air right now but anyway I have my old layout and I’m unsure as to what to do with it. I wouldn’t mind selling it which could really help me out as far as starting my new project and get it out of my basement sooner than later or should I just scrap it? What is your opinion of selling a layout in general?
The layout still works and would be a great project for a beginner to finish. It just doesn’t work for what I want anymore. Someone who doesn’t mind running short trains or older era would probably be just fine as when I ran short freight trains I didn’t really have much problems. I was trying to determine if there were items I could use on my new layout but there probably isn’t much to take away. I put it on Ebay and had several inquiries but nothing ever panned out. Thought about posting it in local newspaper or even a magazine. I would be willing to part with it for somewhere in the neighborhood of $1000 obo which I think is pretty decent considering that most of the work has been done already…considerable amount of track, switches, machines, bridges, etc.
I know you probably have quite a sum of money invested,but I would find someone who is more needy,than I and loves trains,it would bring you joy and them…Then I would chalk it up to experience…
If you donate your layout to a charity it must be to a qualified IRC§ 501(c)(3) organization or no deduction is allowed. Model train clubs don’t qualify. If you claim a deduction of more than $500 you must have a qualified appraisal to support the value claimed. Also, the larger the deduction claimed, the higher your potential for being audited. Always remember when it comes to taxes, pigs get fed but hogs get slaughtered.
All of which is true, but the fact remains that he could donate the layout to a 501 (c) (3) and take a $1,000 deduction supported by a qualified appraisal.
Actually donating it had been in my mind before I even put this post up. I’m being cheap and don’t want to pay for an appraisal though! Lol Looked in the directory and called one place and once they started talking about gas mileage charges, etc I was like forget it. [:O] I went to my LHS this past weekend and inquired about anyone looking for a layout and that I would be willing to give it to someone free ONLY if I knew that they were serious about the hobby and they could come and get it and dismantle it themselves. I don’t have a truck and dont want to spend any additional money on if I dont have to. My weekends are pretty busy so I don’t have time to take it apart, store it in the garage. Plus I want to keep it up just in case someone wants it but wants to make sure it runs, operates, etc.
I hate to be “Mr. Negativity”, but the chances of selling a layout for any reasonable amount of money are slim to none. In fact, in my 55 plus years of actively being in the hobby, I have never heard of someone buying or selling a layout. I wonder if the other folks on this forum have run into that…
Donating is more of a pain than help in most (not all ) cases. And, whoever gets it will be on your back for help and advice and “fixin stuff” from then on.
I have known more than a few MRR’s that couldn’t give their layout away, never mind sell it. I’m with Mobilman44 on this one. Salvage what you can and it is off to the Transfer station/Dump with the rest.
Either give to someone interested in the hobby or salvage it.
When I moved home from Germany, many years ago, I salvaged what I could and gave the rest to my beer man - primarily benchwork with a little scenery and roadbed. It was modular so he had no trouble moving it. He was thrilled.
Try Craig’s list you might find someone on there that would buy it, but you might have to lower your asking price. You also might put an ad in the local newspaper, I’ve bought a couple that way and sold what I didn’t want at the train show. Jim.
I’m in LA. I would never sell anything on Craig’s List. No stranger comes into my home, especially off a Craig’s List ad. But I do agree about trying to sell it at a local train show.
We moved and I took my original 4x8 layout with me (the one that had the same sort of problems as yours). It stood on end against the wall in the garage for a couple of years before I gave it away to a contractor that came to work on the house. It was pretty well stripped except for the landscape and track but a starting point for someone that wanted to play. I was open and honest with him and told him about the problems with the grades, etc. But he was all smiles when he loaded it up. No regrets.
Actually a friend told me about a site called yakaz.com that has a lot of layouts classifieds for sale. He said he knows one person who did purchase one for her grandson. I went on there myself last night and he was right. Saw quite a few for sale. Thought about putting mine on there just to see what happens and then again just would give it away to someone who really wanted to get into the hobby. Regg
The “Reading Society of Model Engineers” is a 501(c)3 charity, but we don’t have room for another layout. I’m sure that there are other clubs that are 501(c)3 charities.
You know I just purchased a layout that someone who had worked on it b/c he passed away and his wife was moving into a retirement home. I purchased the layout for $400.00 it is a DC layout but came with about 20 buildings and 63 cars. it is 17 x 8. I am sure the previous owner put a lot more than $400.00 dollars into it as well as time.
Tobad you can’t incorporate it into you new layout.
What about the buildings and cars, trucks etc. from a layout? Any suggestions on how to sell all of that? It’s O gauge, some plastic, some hand made kits, cars, trucks and farm equipment of all kinds.
Yea I’m not sellnig the structures, cars, major scenery type stuff. I would only sell or possibly donate the layout itself, the power packs, and I may throw in a Athearn BB engine or two if they wanted it or persisted on it. I actually just saw yesterday that my local club has a bullentin board and I thought about posting there as I saw someone had posted a N scale layout for sale there as well so maybe I could try there and there also was a lady who was posting for someone to build her son a basic layout in HO scale so thought about taking her number and giving her a call and telling her that I would be willing to give her mine if she could get some guys to come over and dismantle and remove it themselves.
I’m saving all my structures, bldgs, trees, and alot of stuff which is brand new for my new layout.
There are layouts that sell but they are usually ones that appeared in MR etc. If you are taking parts with then I would just trash it, I have seen layouts built with the likes of Shinohara track and flawless go unsold and in many cases, unsalvaged!