This topic has been on my mind a little recently, and I wanted to hear from you all. Do you plan on selling them or giving them away before you die, or leaving them in your will? Or do you just plan on letting your family decide the fate of your precious little locos? I would love to hear from others on their plans for after their passing.
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Morbid. I draft wills for clients. I try to avoid codicils where a hand reaches out from the grave. Set up a trust and place all of your possessions there. Then name a beneficiary or beneficiaries and let them decide what to do with your "little locos."
AlanRail posted:Morbid. I draft wills for clients. I try to avoid codicils where a hand reaches out from the grave. Set up a trust and place all of your possessions there. Then name a beneficiary or beneficiaries and let them decide what to do with your "little locos."
Now there's some solid advice, a good plan for sure.
My mother owned an antique store and I have attended a number of estate sales. Your kids will net about 20 cents on the dollar after the dust settles.
If you buy a new car or TV and keep it 10 years you would be happy to get 20 cents on the dollar. If you are dead I don't see the problem. If you want to maximize you return sell them before you die and spend the money.
I'm not going to die.
AlanRail posted:Morbid. I draft wills for clients. I try to avoid codicils where a hand reaches out from the grave. Set up a trust and place all of your possessions there. Then name a beneficiary or beneficiaries and let them decide what to do with your "little locos."
agreed, morbid.....time to vacate this solicitate!
I have asked several fellow hobbyists if they would be interested in specific items at a 'gentlemen's price'. Those who have respond favorably are on a list naming the car, price and their point of contact. That list is with the will for the executrix. Directions for the remainder is also with the will. In reality, toy trains are a very small portion of a person's estate and my executrix has greater things to worry about. Far more valuable stuff. My executrix is a successful (hence busy) person and probably doesn't know the difference between a brass lighted caboose and a K-Line flat car. I do not want her packing toys and disposing of common items. It is just not worth her time. John in Lansing, ILL
I told my son he gets the trains.
My son's reply . . .
"Dad, the body won't be cold and they'll be clicking 'Buy It Now' "
This thread serves as a reminder to never allow a collection to become too large. I don't plan on having a layout forever. Once I feel it's time, I will dismantle the layout and sell what I can.
eddie g posted:I'm not going to die.
Good plan Eddie.
I'm taking them with me.
Grampstrains posted:I'm taking them with me.
Me to. I plan on a private Mausoleum with a layout in it, My trains will be mounted on the walls.
What!
It is True, the family has other ideas.
I'm takin' mine, too!
Tom
My friends have already called dibs on most of them
I plan on letting everyone else worry about it
I don't even think about it.
Everybody in the family are OK as far as money goes, my biggest problem is who gets my military medals they are worth more than the trains. Roo.
Nothing, when I die I have told my family that they could sell them, keep them or throw them away.
As far as I am concerned I will run trains till the day I die, what happens to them concerns me not.
Dave
My thought at the moment is to disperse most of what I have while I'm still alive. I helped remove a friends trains, who died suddenly, to one of the auction houses, located here in Pittsburgh. A large project, not to be wished on anyone. My interest in trains has gone down hill greatly since that event. May be .12 on the dollar of purchase price. 
Mike CT. Note that I informed the family of this and told them they could have what ever they wanted, there was little interest.
I'd like to take them with me, but I'm afraid that they will melt.
Joe Hohmann posted:I'd like to take them with me, but I'm afraid that they will melt.
Sounds like a good excuse to start collecting tin plate
Mike CT posted:My thought at the moment is to disperse most of what I have while I'm still alive. I helped remove a friends trains, who died suddenly, to one of the auction houses, located here in Pittsburgh. A large project, not to be wished on anyone. My interest in trains has gone down hill greatly since that event. May be .12 on the dollar of purchase price.
That was actually how I inherited my prewar lionels. A couple came to me, and gave me two boxes full of track and locos and passenger cars. In fact, most of my collection is aquired through peoples death. My lionel clocks and posters where given by the family of someone who had died. Then the bing and hornby locos were being sold because someones father died.
When I'm dead, my children have the problem, not me. The model train is an important part of my life. What my children do with it I do not care.
Arne
If my children or grandchildren are anything like I was at their age, than there is no way I will ever let them lay a finger on my trains.
Not. One.
Which reminds me of a listing I found on Ebay, quite funny in my eyes. Someones child took a baseball bat to a near-perfect condition Big Brute lionel standard gauge. Thankfully, the loco was unharmed. Should I post the pictures and the insanely funny description here?
and when I die and when I'm gone there be one child born in this world, to carry on, to carry on!
Laura Nyro
Eddie G. be sure to let us know how that works out for you.
Like some above I'm taking mine with me. I'll be darned if I'm letting the wife go to Aruba on my tab! LOL
Rick
After I'm gone, I'll be beyond caring what happens to them. My wife and daughter know to look at the TCA News and pick a company that buys collections. ANYTHING that they get from the sale is THEIR profit.
Until then of course, the pleasure I get from them is MY profit.
Why agonize over it?
I've told my kids that I'm willing them a chainsaw for my layout! No interest!
As I'll be dead, it won't be my problem. Unless someone figures out how to take them with you before I pass. I bought them for my enjoyment, not investment, not to pass on. If some child or grandchild of mine wish to take them, more power to them, hope there are a couple pieces I haven't run into the ground by then.
How about we just enjoy are trains now while we’re still here!
Hello all ..the end is coming ..why it's one day closer today ... after settling many estates with huge collections ... please take some responsibility for your stuff whilst you are breathing ... if you have a small collection no big deal either way ..if you have a huge pile of stuff along with everything else in your estate...as Alan mentioned set up a trust ...dump everything in there to buy some time for your airs . Most families who end up inheriting this huge pile of stuff have no clue ...and will not share the same passion for this rare variation or that .... it is all a huge burden .... at a stressful time ... remember cleaning out estates you go from dishes in the sink to clothes hanging in a closet ...and this huge pile of unknown trains occupying the rest of the entire house ... the novelty of dealing with others peoples "stuff" wears thin very quickly .... leave in the will / trust ..the names of a few auction houses / dealers ( that you have dealt with over the years ..and trust) to deal with the various collections .... the least you can do to the folks ( one assumes you care about) ..is to give them some direction or options ...just encase they do not wish to leave everything just as you had it as a living memorial .......
that said enjoy what you have..here and now ! ... ...one never knows when your train will be leaving the station
Cheers Carey
Berkshire posted:If my children or grandchildren are anything like I was at their age, than there is no way I will ever let them lay a finger on my trains.
Not. One.
Which reminds me of a listing I found on Ebay, quite funny in my eyes. Someones child took a baseball bat to a near-perfect condition Big Brute lionel standard gauge. Thankfully, the loco was unharmed. Should I post the pictures and the insanely funny description here?
NO...don't post the pictures and the insanely funny description here...or anywhere on this forum! You are a new member but from what I have seen and others have alerted us to, you sure are not adding positive contributions on our forum.....
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