OMG, I'm retired!

... and I no longer have an excuse for not working on my layout! In June, I put the cap on a 41-year career in college and university teaching. With only a couple of months of retirement under my belt, I can readily understand why so many people say that retirement is a challenging process, emotionally... not that I miss my work, mind you. It's more a matter of what do I really want to do with my remaining time. I'm certain that model railroading is near the top of the list. I'd welcome advice, reflections, suggestions, etc., from those who have passed through the retirement doorway... with model railroading in mind.

Bryan Pfaffenberger
(emeritus professor, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Univ. of Virginia)

 

Bryan, I can understand your mixed emotions fully. It may take a few months to overcome the guilt of not having to go to work in a structured environment every day, a culture that males of our age had drilled into our heads since birth. Second, and again for the same period to overcome the "panic" of trying to do everything we had planned for retirement all at the same time, not realizing that we must give ourselves "permission" to do anything we please, whenever we please, even if it includes doing nothing. This period is unnerving to go through, but it's so pleasant when we are able to come out the other side and enjoy the new version of our lives.
Smile, it confuses people...

 

Congratulations, and I hope your layout can bring you much enjoyment.

I'm not retired but I know several model railroaders that have and they are making the most of it. From my view of things as an observer, I think it's important to "keep at it", whatever it is you are doing....model railroading or otherwise. I wouldn't worry too much about "should I be doing something else"...I think those things tend to work themselves out. You'll work on the layout a while and then about the time you are hitting a wall there another opportunity will present itself and then you'll have a fresh interest in the hobby again after that.

Being 40 and looking at no social security and likely eventually losing my 401k to the collective, I'm probably realistically never going to be able to retire. So I don't think about it much. But, it's fun living vicariously through others....kinda like dreaming about winning the lottery.

 

I took an early retirement almost 18 months ago.

BEST decision I make second to only who I married.

I now wonder how I got anything done around the house when I was working.

There just is not enough hours in the day to do all the FUN things I can now do.

Gary

 

Welcome to the club. Boredom will be your main concern. I retired 14 years ago from a physically active job and the sudden stop was a shock to my system. Worked on my house, worked on my cars, volunteered at a nature preserve and eventually got hired there part time. My mother got sick and I had to give up the job to take care of her. So I developed other interests. I began my present layout. joined a nice model rr club, started gardening indoors as well as outdoors and now volunteer at my towns museum to maintain and improve the museums train display and layout. I don't like to travel by Airplane so i'm limited where I can go. I enjoy retirement. I do miss my job and the guys that were in the gang I worked in, but I don't think about that much anymore. My pension and S/S enable me to be financially independent.

 

Thanks for the topic. I'm 66 and still working full-time. My wife and I are in good health, and I don't have a physically demanding job. My plan is to work until next summer, and then either drop back to 3 days a week or retire completely.

I'm scared of retirement. Mostly, it's the financial aspect. I'll have a pension and social security, and we have significant savings and a paid-for house as well. But, I can't shake the uneasy feeling about the direction our country is going, and how those who have had the foresight to look after themselves will increasingly be required to "contribute" to pay for the welfare of others.

But, there's a silver lining. There are things that are wrong with my layout, and the best solution is to expand and/or rebuild. Right now, we live in Massachusetts. The house is too big for just the two of us now, and the taxes are very high. We'd like to move somewhere more recreation-oriented, possibly closer to skiing. That would give me a chance to do those things which need to be done, particularly staging and a more operations-oriented design.

So, it's a mixed blessing. Still, as I was telling the guys at lunch, if we go through a cutback next year because the government can't get its act together on a big contract we're hoping to get, and if they offer a retirement package or even just a voluntary layoff, well, sign me up.

 

Welcome aboard. I can say I had the advantage of only working part time for three years before retiring at 62. But unfortunetly that also meant I don't have very much money so the hobbies are wanting. I find volunteer work for the church helps with time and gets me out amongst people. I found the local model RR club but haven't gotten over there to join if they will have me.
Best wishes.

 

No kidding. I have this recurrent nightmare -- can't pay the bills, don't have a paycheck, gotta look for a job! Then I wake up and realize -- ah, been there, done that. -B

 

As someone at the far end of the career process, I don't know if my input would be valued...but I thought another perspective might be appreciated. You've spent your life accumulating knowledge and skills, and there's nothing better in my mind left for you to do but show it off and share. Get cracking on a layout, set goals, maybe even work on a schedule! Make everything you do visible online, and share how you did it. This goes for anything, not just modeling. Whe we think about our own retirement, we don't imagine something even less interesting than what we were doing before - you've got all the time in the world and hopefully the resources to do whatever you want, so do it!

 

Funny you should say that. I have this recurrent nightmare too, something about getting to the end of the term, and realizing that I haven't been to classes, and I'm not going to graduate. I had that one last week, again. But, this time was different. I was walking across campus, bemoaning my fate, when I suddenly had that Eureka! moment and told myself, "Wait a minute. I'm 66 years old. I don't need to graduate and get a job!"

 

I tried retiring, but I was bored stiff. After many projects that I have wanted to do for years were completed, I tried to slow down and relax, but boredom set in. I did get some work done on the layout in the winter months, and a lot of fishing and other outdoor avtivities during the summer, and also took a few more road trips, but I was still bored. I ended up getting a job offer in operations for a guy that used to work for me and took it. Hours are good, and the pay is great. It's amazing what people will do for money.

 

Retired early from an active job about 4 yrs ago, and could not be happier. The things I value most in life, I still have. Good health, great friends and family, and worthwhile goals. I don't allow myself to sleep late, got up early all those yrs for my employer, definitely going to get up early for myself! I walk 1st thing in the morning, eat a modest breakfast.

A great man once said "There is more happiness in giving than receiving." I believe that. I'm more involved in my congregation where I can give to others. Work on the layout on regular basis, camp in the summer, travel in the fall. Read, study, and make plans for the future. My wife can always find some project around the house, and I make myself available to help others with theirs. Frankly, I'm more busy now than when I was working!

Retired and loving it!

 

Very interesting thread.
I just turned 65 today and am definitely already closing in on retirement. I plan on doing that by mid next year or so. I think I will be ok, because I have been doing the grind since I was 18 years old and I am really ready to end that part. I feel like I have paid my dues, but I also have been very lucky. I was employed by IBM at 18 years old and am still with them. However after almost 47 years, I think that is enough.
I am happy to read about all the advice given here so I can be prepared. My wife keeps telling me I will be bored, but I kinda doubt it will bother me. It would be nice to be bored for a while, but life doesn't let you do that anyway. I will try to remember to post here when I finally pull out and post my thoughts at that time. I hope others continue to post to this one, because I think it will help a lot of folks in this position. Yes, I really want to be able to do just NOTHING if that is what I feel like.
Regards, Vic Bitleris

 

I tried retiring about eight years ago and did get bored.I had a number of projects going on, but then wanted to spend money on them. After a while a guy that used to work for me, wanted me to help him out and I said yes, and now back to working again. Some people will do anything for money.