Roland LaVoie's O collection to be auctioned on-line July 14

Seems his family's wasting no time getting these trains out the door, even if it's the middle of summer.

I can't imagine this is his whole collection unless he had been getting rid of stuff over the last few years.  Only 100 or so lots of trains and nothing high end.  Maybe 15 or 20 gatemen in individual lots!  Very disappointing.

Nothing high end is an understatement. Either the collection was already picked thru or there's a main event sometime in the future.

I believe there was an initial auction a couple weeks ago.  I know Lionel's operating water tower was another of Roland's favs & I don't see it here.  It may have gone in the "first round."  As for the timing of this, I understand from the auctioneer that Roland set up the sale prior to his death.

Seems like it has only been a couple of days since I read of his passing here.

On one hand, what else would they do? On the other hand, seems awfully cold.

I see this a lot at the hobby shop where family members bring in a dad's/husband's trains after they die. Sometimes very fast, rarely with a kind word. Just how much can I get for this stuff/junk.

Granted nothing we can do about it when we're gone, the impression we left is the impression we left. A fellow I knew passed away a few years ago - very talented HO modeler. Boxes and boxes of stuff came into the hobby shop. Everything just thrown in, like someone swept the contents of his workbench right into a box. For who knows how long, that work area was that guy's sanctuary. Probably sauntered in there a few nights a week with a coffee or a beer, sat down, turned on the age old light and had everything organized and thrived in his relaxation. Next day, he's gone. Nest day his family is sweeping it into a box for a nickel on a dollar.

There is no better answer or alternative, but it doesn't mean it's not sad.