Need Informal Appraisal of Value of a Scratch-Built O-Scale Passenger Station

The Museum is actually in Duluth, GA. Oh where does Duluth end and Buford begin

I maybe able to help some, send me an email,

swaseyshandh@sbcglobal.net

Thanks, rattler21. That gives me a ballpark number with which to work.

I think you might be a little low and was thinking of more like a $1,000.  I'm not an expert, but it looks like a lot of time was spent on it and it looks pretty realistic too. 

Art

Roger that, Chugman. Rattler 21 is probably thinking how much can he get for it in a sale. I'm thinking more like you, what is the value a Museum might put on it; i.e. how much effort went into building it.

Rich, thanks for your input. The widow is going to like you

That is a model of the Atlantic Coast Line Station in Orlando Florida , that is still standing and used by Amtrak today.

If it is well built with interior and is not deteriorated $3000 , it should measure in length well over 8 ft long if it is actually scaled out to the real station. It is a very large station in real life.

Looks like HO scale , compared to the 2x4 benchwork above it. I built a model of this in shallow relief for a customer in Orlando.

The Sweet lady needs an appraisal, on paper, that would be acceptable to the IRS.    Any value $500 or less is probably no big deal to a related estate settlement.  Values in the thousands may take some justification with associated paper work.  You would think the museum would have a list of appraisers available. The museum would be issuing paper work related to the donation.  

IMO    Mike CT     

Hello Scratchbuilder 1-48,

Thanks for your input. This is amazing. I think we now know what and where the prototype building is. If you add up the dimensions in my first post, you get (40" + 46" + 9") 93" long; just shy of 8' long. So if your 8-foot length was for O-scale, then it's right on. I'll look at the interior; I haven't done that yet. How much of the value is determined by the interior?

Hello, Mike CT,

And thanks for your input. The Museum has said they will provide a donation letter. When I asked, they said they couldn't provide appraisals; that was up to us. Perhaps their group of appraisers are for the real prototypes and artifacts. The widow told me her CPA said that she would need a formal appraisal if the value exceeded $5,000.00. I will confirm that with her; because you're $500 figure sounds more correct to me. The widow probably thought she heard $5000 instead of $500.

Hi Fred , the 2 white pieces are HO scale , the arched pieced looks to be less than 4 inches tall , in real life size the station part is about 60 ft tall so for it to be o scale the dome towers would need to be 15 inches high . Was it on the layout ? Is there a space for it.

Bernie

Hi Bernie,

To my knowledge it was never on the layout. Obviously, from the picture it is not currently on the layout. The next time I am over at the layout I will investigate further. I can say that the facia board along the edge of the layout is not 2 x 4, but is about 2-1/2" to 3" high plywood strip. I'll look at that further as well.

Also, Bernie,

The 40' boxcars on the layout to the right in the picture are O-scale, as is the gray station structure; if that helps estimate dimensions.

Wow, it is the type of station I really want.  I'd estimate someone who wanted it would pay up to $750 or more, but I'd recommend going with rattler21's assessment - it is big and the market demand would be small - you'd have to wait a while to find a buyer at that price..  It's certainly worth $500.

I totally agree. Assuming fine craftsmanship, $1,200. So-so craftsmanship $200. I've seen the range at York...buildings priced at $100. that I would not want for free, up to a fine handmade "shortened" model of the Hellgate bridge that I was very happy to pay $325. for.