Interesting article about what would happen to a toy collector's collection

Yes, that is interesting and very relevant.  I was surprised at how similar many of the collectors' desires are.

Collecting is collecting. I met a pocket watch collector who was working on liquidating his collection so his heirs would not have to deal with it. (They weren't interested in the collection)
My buddy's folks were picker / collectors of antiques, specializing in salts and rose bowls. He and his sister inherited the collection and cherish it. In addition my buddy collected Wallace Nutting art and Flo Blue china. Both of them are looking at downsizing. Not certain about his sister's children, but I know that neither of his daughters are interested in the antiques.
To bring this around to trains, nobody in the families of my two train buddies have any interest in the trains.
My own kids are very familiar with toy trains, but I doubt they would be interested in keeping any more than just a couple of pieces.

After meeting that watch guy years ago, I resolved to avoid leaving my family with a pile of unknown junk. Most of my trains are tagged and inventoried, including matching up engines and tenders, powered units with dummies. They can liquidate the trains, and use the money for something they enjoy, just as I did when I purchased the trains.

I am taking that a step further, C W, by asking my heirs to claim what they want now and disposing of the remainder.  Assisted in "transferring ownership" of a few estates in the past several years and am determined to spare my survivors the ordeal.    

I am going one step further than that: I have greatly enjoyed the stuff I have collected.  It has pretty much paid for itself in that sense, so is depreciated to zero on the day I croak.

At that point I simply do not care what happens to it - its value is only what somebody is willing to pay to whoever collects it all.  It could be that they will collect it out of a trash can - I won't care!

That's cool Bob.

A additional small step. I told both my boys I don't care.

Neither care about my trains.

Personally I hope some other train nut stumbles into the steal deal of his life getting some of my stuff. If he love them that's perfect

When you take a dirt nap what difference doe it make?

Now, I'm just making humor so don't get to upset.

Some people take the inheritance issue very serious and I understand that perspective also.

Larry

My spouse sees it differently - she wants me to start selling it all now, and finish by the time I die.  That seems silly to me - if I truly get pleasure out of this stuff now, while I am extremely active doing other stuff, think about how much I will appreciate it all if and when I can no longer do all those other neat things?

quote:

Personally I hope some other train nut stumbles into the steal deal of his life getting some of my stuff. If he love them that's perfect

 

When you take a dirt nap what difference doe it make?

I'd rather have my heirs benefit from the liquidation of my stuff, as opposed to giving some stranger a deal. 

It sounds like all you guy's are getting ready to die.

quote:

It sounds like all you guy's are getting ready to die.

Not me.

But I do care about what happens to my family when I do.

At that point, my trains are just another resource for them.

No - she is not a bully; just not afraid to express her opinion.

I have seen my friends get a little feeble.  Some well-meaning person then liquidates their collection right in front of them, when they are helpless to protest.  I am going to set up a trust, with the explicit contingency that the trustee must retain all trains and airplanes until I am pronounced officially croaked.

Not terribly old - climbing in and out of ancient biplanes daily, and working under airplanes as well.  But 74 means two decades more for fooling with trains, probably max.  That is not a very long time anymore.