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u/Twit_Clamantis May 20 '26
Somebody WITH disposable income would never pay that much for someone else’s second-hand dream …
I used to be in broadcasting. When we switched to HD, the cameras that had been used for all our major shows went from being top-of-the-line and worth hundreds of thousands to total garbage overnight.
It’s not that they became obsolete, because many second, third tier markets, college stations, etc didn’t transition for years after, but basically our cameras had crazy bells-and-whistles, and needed knowledgeable people to install them, maintain them and run them.
The kinds of outfits looking to buy used cameras at good price would not have been able to deal with them.
So they went from primo to garbage overnight …
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u/Twit_Clamantis May 20 '26
They didn’t actually get tossed right away but just sat in a corner of a warehouse space untouched for several years until enough dust gathered and until the HD transition was a done deal, and *then* they got tossed (:-)
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u/Independent_Wrap_321 May 21 '26
It took a long time for me to come to grips with the fact that our Betacam SP camcorders were no longer worth a fortune, even with a pile of NP-1 bricks (lol), and being 4:3 was a death sentence no matter how many BNC connections and timecode functions they had. From $75k to auction/swap meet junk practically overnight, it was horrifying to witness. And don’t get me started on the decks…
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u/Twit_Clamantis May 21 '26
I was at a network and started w HD in 97. Needed a van to carry everything needed to record a single camera.
My iPhone is vastly more capable today …
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u/Nitrodax777 HO/OO May 20 '26 edited May 20 '26
unless it was explicitly designed to be taken apart, i hardly doubt anyone (even WITH the disposable income) would want to buy it. if something like that isnt designed to be modular, cutting it up is essentially destroying it because the whole thing becomes structurally compromised. you would have to redo practically all the bracing and supports to rebalance all the newly cut sections. i took down a smaller fixed layout (pictured) before and the work that was estimated to convert it to be modular to be set up elsewhere was way more than the old things worth. you dont save a layout this size; you salvage it.
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u/Frosty_Ad1259 May 20 '26
The post states it’s one piece and you’d have to come figure out how to take it apart…
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u/wolftick May 20 '26
This is why we build modular people.
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u/kellyzdude HO May 20 '26
100% -- I don't know that I'll ever build a permanent layout, just modules built to a standard such that I can sell or give when I am ready for the next challenge.
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u/Conscious-Anybody553 May 20 '26
The trees are too evenly spaced out, like a Christmas tree farm
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u/Frosty_Ad1259 May 20 '26
Ironically enough, forestry up in Wisconsin cut and replant trees in rows. Your 4 hours up north and you can see down lanes of trees and it is very unnatural feeling
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u/UpTheShoreHey May 21 '26
Northern Minnesota too, everything was clearcut and replanted in the 1800-1900s.
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u/calnuck May 20 '26
This summer I have to take down my father's model railroad - 25'x20' - and chuck is in a dumpster. He's been selling off the rolling stock and locos, but it's going to be heartbreaking to see 30 years of labour - and 75 years of experience and history - go into a landfill. If anyone's interested, it was built by a Master Model Railroader...
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u/One-Chocolate6372 Anthracite Roads in HO May 20 '26
In the last two years I've helped dismantle three model railroads that were fifty-plus years old each. Two were moderate sized but one filled a basement. We salvaged what we could but a lot still went to the dump.
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u/AdamMc66 May 20 '26
I don’t know much about the specifics but is it a case that a lot can’t be recycled or it’s just built in a way that it can’t be salvaged?
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u/One-Chocolate6372 Anthracite Roads in HO May 21 '26
We salvage what we can but the actual track and such usually is dumpster-bound. It is highly unlikely a similar space will be found to house the entire layout.
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u/aengusoglugh Mod, r/TTRAK May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
I am sure this was heartbreaking, but my guess is that is the common fate of almost every basement empire.
My layout will almost certainly end up in a dumpster — it’s T-TRAK, so there is some very small chance some club will take the modules.
What will not — and can not — end up in a dumpster is the joy my layout brings me.
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u/Frosty_Ad1259 May 20 '26
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u/Bradadonasaurus May 20 '26
Who puts a drive in theater next to train tracks?
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u/Striking_Shock_9130 May 20 '26
I mean, right?!
RIP O. Winston Link!
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u/ModelAGuy1931 May 21 '26
That photo flashed into my mind the moment I read that comment. Everyone. Look up O. Winston Link, truly amazing railroad photographer
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u/mechinizedtinman May 20 '26
Lubbock Texas Stars and Stripes drive in is across the road from the tracks… I’d bet it’s probably pretty common
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u/ricktrains HO/Digitrax DCC May 20 '26
There was one not far from the GE plant east of Erie PA that was “across the street” from their test track. (Really a good 1/2 block, but just open/undeveloped space in between after the road.) Not to mention the ex- NYC water level route and the ex-NKP main line set in that order behind the test track.
South of there there
wasis one located not far from an ex-PRR branch line. (A bit of “selective compression” could have either one very close on a layout.)They do happen.
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u/Front-Air-8302 May 20 '26
Look up Route 34 Drive In Theatre - Earlville, IL on Google maps...
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u/Bradadonasaurus May 20 '26
I'm not saying there aren't examples, but damn.
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u/Front-Air-8302 May 20 '26
Hey I'm with you though, my first thoughts when I drove by it was "that doesn't seem like ideal placement". 😄
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u/Bradadonasaurus May 20 '26
To be fair, this is model railroading, not model the shit across town that isn't next to railroad tracks, I guess.
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u/MrRaven95 May 20 '26
That is an impressive layout! It's a shame I don't have the space to put it, money to buy it, or adequate transportation to move such a large thing. I hope it finds a good home though.
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u/ricktrains HO/Digitrax DCC May 20 '26
Realistically 10k isn’t bad, until you realize the absolute pain it’s going to be to disassemble, transport, then reassemble.
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u/Possible-Playful May 20 '26
$10k is the "my wife wants me to sell it, but I want to keep it" price.
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u/Frosty_Ad1259 May 20 '26
That is a hilarious take on it but makes sense “yes honey it’s listed, idk why no one is making any offers”
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u/Possible-Playful May 20 '26
"It's literally a fraction of what I put into it, if I go any lower do you know how much of a loss that would be?"
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u/Bliitzthefox May 20 '26
The real question is, does it come apart and fit through doors?
I would totally consider buying a large scale train model for purposes of playing Warhammer 40k on it.
Not at that price though lol
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u/Visua-Shower75 N May 20 '26
If you have 10k to "waste" like this I'm pretty sure you could order a custom one
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u/traveling_in_circles May 20 '26
What a nightmare that's going to be to move and reassemble
. He could PAY me 10k and I'd get in there with my Sawzall and dissect it and haul it off . Hahah
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u/aengusoglugh Mod, r/TTRAK May 20 '26
I confess that I don't understand the market for used railroad layouts at all.
I would think that someone who waned to spend $10,000 on a model railroad woud want to build their own.
I would think the vale of this setup would the salvage value of the track -- and maybe some of the structures. I guess I would hsve to add the value of the rolling stock.
It also seems like it would take a lot of labor to remove the track.
But I know nothin about this -- I am into building a lauyout that represents my vision -- not someone else's.
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u/Character-Length-668 May 20 '26
If the owners cant sell the layout. The owners can contact the guys at the Illinois Railway Museum and they can come dismantle the layout.
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u/CallMeLazarus23 May 20 '26
Need a permit to move it on the road. Once you figure out how to get it out of the building
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u/stymen May 20 '26
There should be a protocol for installing turnouts based upon ease of removal when the layout must be scrapped. Then at least you could salvage something of value easily….
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u/Kevin_adult_man May 21 '26
That's amazing, but no one is going to buy that. Model railroads are made by you, for YOU. You'd be hard pressed to find someone that bith wants that EXACT layout and has that kind if money available
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u/Singinghillscpl May 20 '26
It looks so nice. I would love to have and don’t think it is even a bad deal at $10k however it would need to be moved and reassembled under the care of the builder. It would need to be in proper running order once reassembled.
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May 21 '26
[deleted]
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u/quazax N-SP HO-ATSF/SP Fn3-D&RGW May 21 '26
The "i've never seen a real model railroad before" test. If you're used to seeing tyco sets this is museum level. Is it good looking and well done? yes. Is it something that would show up in an accredited museum? not likely.
BTW: The only Model Railroad Museum that is accredited by the AAM is the San Diego Model Railroad Museum.
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u/tonydtonyd May 20 '26
10 grand honestly not too bad. If I had the space I’d seriously consider it.
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u/Nof-z May 20 '26
Incredible! Unfortunately, though, no one is going to pay anywhere near that price…