Selling my trains... What was I thinking?

You never know what the future holds.

Nobody can hold onto everything they ever owned, on the odd chance you might still want it later on.

You did what you thought was right at the time. Don't kick yourself, especially since it was for your new kid.

My wife and I couldn't have children, I'd gladly give away every train related thing I own, and burn my newly-built layout to the ground with a smile on my face if it meant we could have had a kid.

Count your blessings. Sorry, but my sympathy meter reads 0.0 and I made sure the batteries were fresh for an accurate reading.

Sounds about right.

 

Fred

banelson,

When you sold your trains that was probably the right thing to do for your family. What is done is done. Time to start with a new layout and new trains. Build it and enjoy it. The rest is water over the dam. Let it go friend.

banelson, don't sweat it. Trains are just "things" and family always comes first. Never regret decisions you make in which you put family first, you can always get more "things" later, but you cannot replace family. 

Mr. Sutter is a very wise man. 

 

 

You are young, don't worry about it. Think about this, if you will. My life has been filled with Tinplate toy trains. They have given many years of pleasure to myself and my family. My trains are all in storage now. My layouts are gone. All that remain are memories. You my friend can start over a new. Do not worry about what you had to sell. What you do now you're doing for your family and yourself. It's time for new memories.

Enjoy yourself a little more.

 

 

That's fair.  You are absolutely right, I am very blessed.  In fact what has gotten me so excited about trains again is that the kids now love trains.  It's been a blast.  They will watch trains in person, they will watch videos of trains (real and toy), anything train related.  So I have been aching to get a layout up again soon.  I had seen a couple of people going back and forth about whether to sell, and my post was meant to say "Try to keep those special ones".  I didn't mean to ask for sympathy.  But, I am human though and there are sure moments where I say (with a smile and a shake of the head) "why that engine?"... you are absolutely right though, I have absolutely nothing to complain about.  I just figured... why not share my thought about those trains here with some other folks who think about trains a lot too?  If I had it to do over again I would have done it all mostly the same.  Maybe I woulda kept a couple   Now I can let the kids help me pick some new ones.

 

Ben  

 

No doubt!  I think I came across as a little too bitter in my message, which isn't the case.  My self deprecation came across as bitterness, which I didn't intend.  I really do think it was decent advice that was given to me back then though, to not be so all or nothing.  I probably would say, having gone through it, that it is ok to keep a few if you ever find yourself in a similar situation.  That said, you do have me even more excited for the new adventure.  And to think the kids will be a part of it makes it even more exciting... Thanks all,

 

Ben

On the bright side, they'll enjoy the more kid-friendly controls on new stuff.

Somebody's enjoying the ones you sold, and now you get to go train shopping with your kids. It can't get a whole lot better than that!

Just think of all the fun you will have building your collection back up. I would pick up some of remote controlled Lionel sets or some MTH Railking for the kids to play with. Perhaps, you may even find some good deals right here on the For Sale forum.

 

I think your advice: "Try to keep those special ones" is very sound.

 

I wish you good luck and many happy memories with the children and the trains.

As some say, the search is half the fun. You can now do it again

 

Steve

I did the same thing, and also had some regrets.  But, when I decided to get back in, the excitement of the hunt was all I needed  to forget about those old trains.

Go to a Train Show and buy yourself something…….

I don't think you are an idiot.  Family always comes first.

 

Sent you an email message.

Banelson,

 

I have done exactly as you have done.

 

FOUR times  !

 

We're only the caretakers of the trains.

 

Fret not, buy more.

 

Life is short.

 

 

 

Back in the early 90's I sold off all my Postwar and MPC to help make it through a long period of unemployment.

 

Regrets?  Sure.  I second-guess myself sometimes about selling them off, but it was a decision that made perfect sense at the time.

 

I've been selling off a good portion of my Lionel/Flyer recently because I know I'm not going to be doing anything with it.  My Postwar Flyer is still safe for the time being...  As is my Hirail and Scale S.

 

Sold off most of my G also.

 

I still look at my remaining O inventory from time to time with an eye to what I can live without.

 

Rusty

 

 

Ben, don't beat yourself up over it.  Sometimes being an adult means making tough decisions for the benefit of your family.  I admire your motives.  There will always be trains to run in he future, and if you have the space now, pop up a small layout and share it with your kids... and pass along your enthusiasm to them.  Many memories are yet to be made!  

banelson -

 

Some condescending replies, above. You just wanted to vent, I'll wager.

=====

 

However, there are 2 kinds of idiots in this hobby (really? only 2?):

 

1 - those who sell everything (you)

 

2 - those who sell nothing (me)

 

Somewhere in between there must be sanity. 

Everything I sold, I eventually replaced. Its that simple.

I am the train Hoarder... I just recently sold some items this year on the bay, so I could afford some new items.

Never missed them.

I still have tons of trains to sell but I'm not quite ready yet....

last couple years I got tired of the hobby and sold it all just last November and destroyed the layout table.  made it about a month and I'm back at it.  more of tinkering/collecting a little than actually building a layout.  lots of aspects to the hobby.  look as this as an opportunity to "find" lost items or find new ones.

 

Ben, I'm sorry I jumped down your throat like that. But I work with people who gripe about all they gave up to have kids. I want to strangle them.

Few of you can imagine the pain, anguish and expense my wife and I went through to have a child and it just never took. We spent more money than most people on this forum have tied up in their layouts and collections, all for nothing. It kills us both every time we hear someone griping about their kids, or when you hear about someone cranking out kids like a factory and not taking care of any of them.

I have very few complaints to make in life so far. I have a loving and pretty wife who means the world to me and we have a life that some people would give anything to have. But there does come a time when you realize that it would be great to be able to share that with another generation. I have a sinking feeling that our elderly years will be feel as if we're missing a great part of that time. We'll be around people who will be talking about their grandkids and there'll be nothing like that for us.

But back in topic, I agree with others who've written that you can start your collection again. Maybe this is a good thing, in that you won't buy again the items you had that you wished maybe you'd hadn't gotten or got a slightly different version. Never doubt the power of a 'reset.'

I got rid of all my HO scale stuff in the 90s and very rarely ever regretted any of that. I got rid of all my G scale stuff around 2007 and never regretted that as I knew I'd never build the layout I wanted with it.

If it hadn't been for Bachmann and their On30 models of the very locomotive I always wanted, I never would have gotten back into the hobby, and if I'd still had my HO or G stuff, I never would have taken up Bachmann on the On30 offer.

So, sometimes, starting over can be a real improvement!

As I was reading your post and the response from Lee I looked over at the table and my two adult daughters birthday cards were there. After reading their messages I couldn't help but think how blessed I am. Now my children have blessed us with eight wonderful grandchildren. If I never bought another thing I have no regrets. Now enjoy those children while you have them with you. Oh and go treat yourself to a new train.

Good advice, even though giving it may hurt a little.