I Purchased an HO Layout Today.... Now What?

upguy Mar 6, 2012

  1. upguy

    upguy TrainBoard Member

    406
    28
    20
    Today I purchased a layout that was part of the estate of a model railroader who was an incredible scratch builder. It is the last thing that I needed, but I made an offer which was accepted. He modeled the Sumpter Valley Railway in standard HO with amazing attention to detail while constructing buildings and rolling stock. His scenery techniques were more primitive, but the layout was quite impressive anyway. I spent the afternoon removing all the locomotives, rolling stock, buildings, and anything else that I could get loose. Most of the small items I will probably put up for sale on eBay; however, the layout itself will be the real challenge. Suggestions?

    The layout area was extremely dirty from neglect and cigarette smoke, so I have a big job ahead of me to clean everything. Here is a sample of what I got.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. upguy

    upguy TrainBoard Member

    406
    28
    20
    I recently purchased this HO layout that modeled the Sumpter Valley Railroad. I can't keep it. Do you know of a club or other charitable organization interested in a donation of a stripped down layout for a possible display? The layout is approximately 12' x 12'. It is in the Canyon City, Oregon area. It needs to be disassembled and moved soon.
     
  3. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    67,560
    22,734
    653
    Wish I had an idea for you. It looks good and would be a sad thing to see it hauled to the dump.
     
  4. Jeff Powell

    Jeff Powell TrainBoard Member

    179
    52
    8
    Disassemble in sections if you can. Keep pieces just large enough for 2 people to handle Ok. It looks like it can be done. The more you can remove the better off you will be. If I lived closer I would give you a hand.
     
  5. upguy

    upguy TrainBoard Member

    406
    28
    20
    Funny that you should respond to this thread.... I just sent an email to Willow Creek Boys Ranch in Chandler, Oklahoma, to see if they would like to have the layout donated to them. Probably not going to happen, but you never know.
     
  6. Jeff Powell

    Jeff Powell TrainBoard Member

    179
    52
    8
    There has to be a local RR museum or club close to where you live that would take it. Otherwise strip it down and cut it up.
     
  7. Doug A.

    Doug A. TrainBoard Supporter

    3,509
    161
    59
    Salvage what you can with regards to structures, bridges, trees, maybe rock formations, turnouts if possible. (and obviously rolling stock/locomotives)

    Sorry, but if you didn't have a destination for it already, trying to find one now is gonna be nigh on impossible. Shipping from Oregon to Oklahoma is gonna cost several hundred if not thousand dollars, not considering the cost of handlers at each end.

    Short of cutting it up for the dumpster, the best option you have at this point would probably be to rent a storage building for the time being and put it there. That's if you think you have a good shot at finding a home for it.
     
  8. trainman-ho

    trainman-ho TrainBoard Member

    346
    190
    18
    If I lived closer, I'd buy a lot of the items shown. Maybe a little marketing will attract someone closer. I know that when I pass on, I hope someone can and will use what is salvageable from my layout.

    Best of luck to you
     
  9. upguy

    upguy TrainBoard Member

    406
    28
    20
    I'm not desperate to find a home for it. I do have a place to "hold" it until I can properly dispose of it. It's just that it would be simpler to only load it once, and transport it to its final home all in one action.
     
  10. MarkInLA

    MarkInLA Permanently dispatched

    1,970
    80
    29
    Sorry, but I'm having a hard time understanding why you bought it, since you'de planned to git rid of it...Maybe it was all the structures, rolling stock and locos..If so, are locos analog ( I'm guessing they are ) or digital ( DCC ) ?..I just don't comprehend the value of schlepping it to your home (?) when you didn't want to keep it...Mighten you just bought the roster of equipment from owner, even the switches and some track ; put that all in your car/truck and let seller dismantle/discard rest ( lumber,plaster, nails ,screws, wires,etc...) ? It wasn't constucted as a portable/modular layout . Trying to saw this thing into portable sections is a monumental task..again due to it not being built for this...
     
  11. upguy

    upguy TrainBoard Member

    406
    28
    20
    I bought the layout from an estate primarily as a business decision... not because I plan to utilize the layout for my own modeling. I switched to N from HO about 10 years ago. I have more than enough trains to last two lifetimes, so if I can turn a small profit on my purchase and make someone else happy in the process, that's okay with me. Certainly, I can demolish the layout and salvage track, bridges, roundtables, etc; but I'm willing to look at other options. I've looked at the construction of the layout and I think that it can be parted in such a way that it can be a fairly easy job to put it back together. I guess I could be wrong, but I haven't gotten to that point yet.
     
  12. traingeekboy

    traingeekboy TrainBoard Member

    5,677
    580
    82
    It seems you have a new hobby, Model un-modeling.

    Did you just buy it to sell the parts?

    I don't know who would want someone else's layout. Seems to take some of the fun out of things.
     
  13. AKrrnut

    AKrrnut TrainBoard Member

    396
    0
    24
    Maybe you need to switch back to HO scale?

    Pat
     
  14. brakie

    brakie TrainBoard Member

    1,186
    1
    27
    Geeky,Here's the thing to remember..I've bought two layouts over the years for next to nothing and then I salvage track,buildings,rolling stock,locomotives,figures,track,vehicles,power supply and then scrapped the layout.

    I turned a good profit by selling the things I didn't want.

    One should stop and think before they listen to the "experts" when it comes to buying a layout or selling models and think like a business man and see what profit can be made.

    As a example

    John Doe passes and his layout is up for sale so,I go look and see what is available and if there is a buck to be made.

    He has several well built and detailed buildings,some hard to find locomotives,nice cars,nice everything.I buy the layout and start stripping the goodies.I cut the layout up and haul it to the dump.

    I start working my profit by selling those models.

    The other side..

    John Doe passes..I go look at his layout..Ok,Nothing to see here except trainset quality locomotives,cars,cheap poorly built and weathered structures,oversize hot wheel cars etc on a green painted 4x8'.

    Thanks for allowing me to look at this layout but,its not exactly what I'm looking for.
     
  15. upguy

    upguy TrainBoard Member

    406
    28
    20

    That's exactly the situation in this case. Here is a sample of one of his models. It is a completely scratch build model of the Sumpter Valley's Prairie City Depot.
     

    Attached Files:

Share This Page