The Legacy of Your Layout


max diyer

Well-Known Member
Years ago, a neighbor had a nice layout and when he passed, it was donated to a church. For some years, the layout was
set up in the basement for the Holiday Season and was a great attraction. Everyone would go to see it.

I'm sure everyone has thought about the legacy of their layout. When you finally give up model railroading, what are you
going to do with your layout?
 
As sad as it sounds, I'm sure mine will go into a dumpster. There is really no one in the immediate, or extended family that I know of that does model railroading. There is no club anywhere near me that the stuff could be donated. What I would really like is for the locomotives, and rolling stock to be split up between several people starting out who don't have the funds, so they too could enjoy this wonderful hobby.
 
Years ago, a neighbor had a nice layout and when he passed, it was donated to a church. For some years, the layout was
set up in the basement for the Holiday Season and was a great attraction. Everyone would go to see it.

I'm sure everyone has thought about the legacy of their layout. When you finally give up model railroading, what are you
going to do with your layout?

So what you going to do with yours?
 
I've already warned my wife & kids that my trains are essentially "consumables" - items that have entertainment value to me personally, but not much for anybody else. IOW - dumpster fodder.

Also for that reason, I decided NOT to convert my unfinished garage [trainroom] into a carpeted rec room. Even though they're an eyesore, I'm leaving the vehicle doors in place; because when it comes time to sell this house, I think most homebuyers would prefer to have a functional garage in this spot - rather than a finished rec room that's totally isolated from the rest of the house!
 
As for the layout - I have none so it is not an issue. Yet. My hope was always to make the layout such that it could become a self sustaining museum as David Trussel did with his. Greeley Museum.

As for all the other stuff, if said layout doesn't materialize...
I've already warned my wife & kids that my trains are essentially "consumables" - items that have entertainment value to me personally, but not much for anybody else. IOW - dumpster fodder.
I've warned my children that it is the opposite. There is a reason there is a heavy insurance policy on the "model trains". They are an integral part of the children's inheritance included in the will.
 
At this time I am considering tearing down my HO Layout and starting over in another Scale. If I were to build another layout, I would build it so it would be fairly easy to move. There is a chance I could die before this happens. If so then my boys can do with it as they like. Ebay might be their friend. I certainly don't consider what I did as a hobby to be a legacy for anybody! In more descriptive terms it will likely be a burden for someone!
 
Mike
I hope you find another avenue for your layout, other than the dumpster.

I don't have anyone in my family that is interested in my layout. So I will just put it up for sale. I'd would like to donate it, but at present, don't have any place in mind.

Ken
I hope yours doesn't end up as dumpster fodder, either.
I knew my last house and layout wasn't going to be my last. So I built it to tear down easily. I sold it and the new layout owner really liked that feature. I also used half of the 2-car garage, without getting too extravagant.

Iron Horseman
Good to hear that the kids will get your trains and hope they can appreciate them.

Ken
I have told my daughter to consider marketing my house to include the model railroad empire in the basement.

That sounds like a good idea, but it might be a tough sell.

Mark
I hope your boys continue the legacy.
 
The Mrs. and I have discussed this and when the time comes the layout will become history and anyone of my nearby modelers can have their pick of the signals, DCC, lighting ad structures.

The rolling stock and locomotives will end up either in consignment at some hobby shop or on EBay in lots. Maybe make a few $$$.

Greg
 
I had a good friend, the late Pete ellis who passed away a number of years ago. He had one outstanding layout which he had worked on for over 50 years. He was an NMRA Master Modeler and his layout showed that. He started the layout in a building on his ranch and ran out of room and built an addition onto the original building. I got up to his ranch fairly often and saw many areas that he tore out to improve the layout and a few weeks later, there was an amazing transformation as scenery was upgraded and complete. Here is a video taken in the original building. Excuse the poor quality as it was taken on an 8mm video camera and then recorded off of a TV set.


He willed his layout to the Great Falls model railroad club which is now part of the Montana Museum of Railroad History. It was quite a chore to move the layout, but the club plans to join Petes layout to the club layout.

http://mmrh.org/layout.html

I am so glad that his layout is being preserved. Many parts of the original layout had scenery going right to the floor inspired to his visit to John Allens Gorre & Dephitid. Most of the structures were scratch built as well as some of the rolling stock.
 
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At this point, my layout would probably wind up on craigslist as it's barely functional. Later after it's actually got some scenery, probably craigslist as well. Perhaps in the future somebody in my family would want it, and it's relatively small, but this is something that I'm doing for myself, it's unlikely that anybody else is going to be interested enough to want it. These are personal expressions and apart from a small number of people that just want to run trains, most of the hobby is in the construction and design. And even if you just want to run trains, you don't necessarily want to do that on somebody else's layout. It might not be the kind of train running you want to do.
 
What an amazing layout!!! The rock formations are so realistic. I can see the John Allen influence in his work.

How large was his layout when it was at his ranch?

Greg
 
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The original layout was in a quanset hut and occupied a space I am guessing at around 18 feet by 40 to 50 feet. One end was full of showcases and railroad items. The addition I am guessing was about 30 foot square.
 
anyone of my nearby modelers can have their pick of the signals, DCC, lighting ad structures.
That's a great gesture and a good idea to keep your stuff in the loop.

Chet
Pete Ellis' layout is outstanding and it's nice that it's been preserved.

Frank
Good viewpoint!
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By 1920, a WW I disabled veteran, Charles Bowdish of Brookville, PA, built a village & train display. It became popular with the locals, as he had a annual Christmas open house. In 1954, the display was moved to The Buhl Planetarium & Science Center in Pittsburgh. In 1992, it was moved to the new Carnegie Science Center, where it can be viewed today. The Lionel trains and Village was expanded to 30' x 83' and has 1500' of track. It has numerous animations. The baseball stadium is the old Pittsburgh Pirate's Forbes Field. There are 23,000 people in the stands, all made from colored Q-Tips.

It's great to know that Charles Bowdish's and Pete Ellis' work is still being appreciated.

Here are 2 videos & a link to 48 pictures of the display.



http://www.carnegiesciencecenter.org/exhibits/miniature-railroad-photos/
 
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A will should be a living document. It should be reviewed, reconsidered, and revised formally about once every five years...ish. It must be made available to at least one other 'trusted agent', usually known as the executor, who will know what you mean, even if the will doesn't quite 'say that'. [Consider revising the will if what 'you mean' and what 'it actually says in words' cause some frowns.)

I will offer my toys to anyone who expresses a convincing interest in them. If they would like the chore of dismantling the layout and reassembling it in another shelter, by all means...saves me the hassle. If nobody expresses a particular interest in the layout, I hope to be in a position to dismantle it myself to dispose of it before I'm incapable. This will take an honest self-appraisal and good timing. If not, I'll pay for someone else to back out a few screws/take a sledge hammer to it/burn it while I'm still able to direct the activity and express satisfaction with the end-state. If it's still in place when I die, I'll have that covered as a contingency in the will. Hopefully.

Ideally, one of my grand-sons will want grandpa's trains...the rolling stock and maybe some choice structures and turnouts, etc, especially the handlaid ones in the latter case. Or, both of them will want a share. At the moment, our mutual bond is trains, whether watching videos or me letting them play with mine. Things change though. Not only puberty, but new discoveries, new passions, new success, new fame....in anything not related to trains. But, if not, see the first statement in my second paragraph above.

My overall philosophy on this topic is this: what I don't know don't hurt me. My aim is to avoid it becoming an emotional burden to my wife if she outlasts me.
 
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As for all the other stuff, if said layout doesn't materialize...
I've warned my children that it is the opposite. There is a reason there is a heavy insurance policy on the "model trains". They are an integral part of the children's inheritance included in the will.
Obviously if I had a huge collection like I'm guessing you do, of the types of models you've posted - then sure that definitely has a lot of value!

OTOH, I have at most ~50 locos, the majority of them over 25 years old, with only 20% of them sound-equipped. They've all been home painted/decaled in a not-so-popular B&O scheme, and weathered - those attributes drop their resale value to pennies-on-the-dollar. I don't want my kids' expectations to be falsely inflated, only to end in disappointment. Yet if they do succeed in getting decent money for them - that'll be awesome!
 
When it comes to customized locomotives the resale market is best summed up by the old saying "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".

it would not be the first time that an artists work goes underappreciated in life, only to become worth a fortune after death.
 
For me I am no artist, no need for me to worry about that.

My good fortune is that I love Lionel trains! Out of production Lionel items have a tendency to hold their value. Particularly if the item has it's original packaging. That is why I buy most of my stuff in the box, even if it is used. Many, but not most Lionel items are worth more now than what I paid for them. Lionel Trains are best for collectors and operators. Investors, good luck to you.

Greenberg's annual Lionel Trains Pocket Price Guide 1901-2019 is a must for any Lionel collector or even an operator such as myself.
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My son knows about these price guides and he knows not to expect to get full value unless he has the time and patience for eBay.

For my HO and N scale items he will have to use my inventory with the prices I paid. Maybe he can get 50% of what I paid, if he sells on eBay.
 



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