Ever been tempted to buy a layout?

[Paul S.]

Have your ever seen a completed model railroad and wondered what it might sell for? Ever seen a layout for sale and thought, "Hmmm. ..."

What sparked this question was Lance Mindheim's July email newsletter. In it, Lance wrote that Paul Dolkos's superb HO scale Baltimore harbor layout was for sale. Here's how Lance put it:

Legendary modeler Paul Dolkos is selling his iconic Baltimore Harbor District layout. Asking price is $18,000. The buyer is responsible for picking the layout up in Alexandria, VA. If you're seriously interested, send me an email and I can furnish more information. As an outside opinion, I would estimate this layout's true value as being well into six figures and the asking price a true bargain.

Wow, $18,000! But it's a beautiful layout built around operations.

So, ever been tempted, no matter the size of the layout?

[LorenC]

After both living and graduating from college in PA I was a big fan of Dave Frary’s Pennsylvania RR Middle Division. So, I about cried when I heard that it sold on eBay and I missed out on bidding for it. Of course, in hindsight, I am very glad that Jimmy Deignan became the owner and that it got restored to way better condition than when new.

If I was indeed able to find a layout of my dreams! And somehow magically in my price range! And since I am in the process to moving to a brand new house with an empty train room! I would, in fact, do it in a heartbeat!

PS. Inquiring minds need to know. I wasn't familiar with his layout but found a video of it. Very, very impressive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt1c1hpVv6o

[craigtownsend]

Years ago Tom Miller was selling his estate down in the Portland area. Multiple million price tag but came with a "regular house", a building somewhere in the 2000-3000 SQ ft range with a 1:20.3 layout of the Rio Grande narrow gauge and then on top of that was the main attraction a 7.5" live steam around the property with all the rolling stock.

I think now the property is owned by a cider/winery.

[Paul S.]

I've only once had the opportunity, but before I elaborate, there are two other layouts I would have wanted to acquire. The first would be the N scale Clinchfield layout that the Model Railroader staff built in the late 1970s. The second is the HOn30 Elk River Line which Dave Frary and Bob Hayden built in 1969 and which appeared in Railroad Model Craftsman as a series in mid 1970.

And so to the opportunity: when Lance Mindheim offered his HO East Rail layout for sale some years ago, I seriously considered making an offer.

https://lancemindheim.com/model-railroads/east-rail/

[john_plsn]

There is a guy in Redlands Ca who is selling his small aprx 30"x50" well detailed Unitrack layout. He has built many small layouts and sells them from time to time over many years. The temptation for me on his work is the details and scenery that is well done.
Another temptation was back around 2002 at a swap meet in the Balboa Model Railroad Museum. A guy had an N scale Peco code 80 yard with staging behind a backdrop he was attempting to sell. He had other items available but this would make a great start to a layout. After visiting his booth a few times he made me an offer at the end of the meet to take everything. I don't remember the price but was equivalent to the cost of three or four turnouts for the entire collection. Of course I took it apart and salvaged the apx 20 turnouts and flex to started fresh.

Model Railroading is fun when you find a great deal.

[LorenC]

Surprise, surprise!!! I found this N scale layout on eBay also for the exact same small amount of chump change as what Paul posted above.

This one even includes free shipping and setup.

I am quite confident that someone on this forum will find the temptation just to great to resist.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/20411643789...Bk9SR8iBxpTLYg

[Paul S.]

It's good looking, but I hope free marinara sauce is included.🙂

[Allen]

"It's good looking, but I hope free marinara sauce is included.🙂"

Haha

[Alan B]

My first N scale layout was a purchase. An acquaintance from a trainshow had one to sell, I looked and the price was right! I think I paid $500. That was everything, the layout, cars, locos etc. We repaired track, changed up the scenery and did a lot of fun stuff with it. In fact, some of the buildings are still around and will end up on the NP&BH. It became the traveling layout that I took to shows and my 5 yr old son drove and drove and drove. Then it finally failed and came apart.

[Jeff B]

I have bought a few. When I first moved to Texas I, I saw an ad in the Sunday classifieds which was HO and 4 x16. It was only a few hundred dollars and I set it up in my half of the garage. It wasn't very satisfactory running or scenery wise.

When I bought my second house, it has a loft which has an 11 x 17 area for trains. Almost miraculously, a local guy had posted his n scale layout in the Sunday classifieds (remember those?) and I knew I needed to switch to N scale because of no basements. As it happened, it was 11 x 16.5 and would fit my space perfectly. I was in the thousands, but it was well built. The track plan wasn't exactly what I wanted, but at least I could run trains while rebuilding the parts I didn't like (somewhere around this time, I met Wyatt, who helped.......a lot.)

So, if you are in the same position, why not? It is hard to be satisfied with something less than your optimal track plan, but for some, maybe just buying the bench work might be worth it, if you are no good at that. If the goal is to have a layout running, you are going to have some combo of time and money to get it. If you happen to have more money than time, it is not a bad deal, when you figure your value of time.

Ditto with structures. While I like and am decent at structure building, and had to do most to fit my spaces, or double it by making it a backdrop, I check EBay regularly and have acquired many well built structures for not much more than buying the Walther's kit themselves. My new section is a steel mill mostly because the N scale Steel Mills were going for $375 on EBay, but I bought a beautifully built and lighted one for about $50 more. I know an entertainment value when I see one.

I know some may feel guilt for not doing it all themselves.....but I never had any issues with guilt because mostly, I like to run trains and do semi serious ops, and wanted to get to that as soon as possible, and at my leisure. If I have to have something done in a hurry, like for last week's NTS in Grapevine, I usually screw it up and have to do it over.

My $0.02

[Paul S.]

Great thoughts, Jeff, from someone who's taken the plunge more than once.

[LorenC]

Wow, you have not only not just considered it, but actually done it. And not just once, but twice. Very impressive.

[Jeff B]

The other factor in buying the N scale layout was that I had small kids at the time, and an open floor plan, which meant the sound of power tools late at night when I could work on the layout might keep them awake even if they slept through several house alarms mistakenly set off and a nearby tornado once.

My wife at the time wasn't at all supportive and dust would have been verboten also. So, with basic benchwork in hand, and those new fangled Woodland Scenic risers, I was able to chug along with my track changes. My railroad friends who would visit from time to time were actually afraid of her, LOL, and scurried upstairs as fast as possible.

[Paul S.]

True Confessions time: While I'll not likely ever shell out the cash for something like this, I have to admit owning one of these little Z scale layouts with German/Swiss Alpine theme would be fun. I've been intrigued by them for decades:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/14522885252...Bk9SR-i0u7bPYg

[LorenC]

Yes, indeed. The ability to have an medium size HO scale layout on a table top is very intriguing.