model railroading enthusiasts are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars

[NorsemanJack]

Short answer... Yes, they would be covered as Contents for the Perils your policy covers. This typically does not cover breakage unless caused by a covered Peril. Dropping an item typically isn’t covered.

If you cover your collection under a Personal Articles Floater, which are typically All Risk except for specific exclusions, then you are buying broader coverage, but you may need to provide a value appraisal.

Thanks.  I guess this makes me glad that I'm not a "collector."  I'm guessing in a worst case scenario (i.e. my home burns down), I would just hope that my homeowners insurance would reimburse me for my original purchase prices.

[fcnrwy23]

Just my " Two Cents" 

About two years ago, I did an "Inventory" of what this hobby cost me over the last almost thirty years (since 1989).
The number figure $$ never got over $20,000, with the majority of this expense having to do with the current layout.  Over the years, I have kept records of the equipment that had been purchased for the FCN, as if i were 
a functioning Prototype shortline.  So, the reporting mark numbers and equipment type, had been recorded. I know what i had...
This included: Motive Power, Rolling Stock and Layout materials (wood, wiring, scenery materials, etc...) for the ONLY Two layouts (a 2x4 footer, which I still own and plan to refurbish. and the FCN's current home.) that I have built.
* I had been more focused on my purchases. And Never bought anything that was NOT in the "Scheme of Things". 
* Never, ever paid full price.  Most expensive item was the NEC PRO CAB system, that I bought for the layout in 2000, and that was on sale...
* Have Owned only three or four micro trains (I never fell for the "Retirement Investment" thinking), as most of my rolling stock has been MDC/Roundhouse and Atlas. (These also being on sale, since most people "Thumbed their noses" on that "Cheap Stuff")..
* A lot of my rolling stock has been repainted/repurposed over the years. 
* I also took "barter" in trade in the early years, for services render (One of our late club members, who passed away two years ago, paid me in UNDEC units) .  As I did a lot of commissioned painting and scratch-building.. That's what started my collecting of "Undecorated" equipment...

Later on, in 2001 when I got onto that 'online auction site". Every year or so, I would "Clean House" and sell off any surplus equipment. Which would reimburse me $$$ to counter any future purchases..
My start in kitbashing and scratch-building was early-on and was and effort to save $$$.  And as most of you know, I have still kept to that practice.  I will build it, before I buy it...

Jerry G.
 

[645diesel]

it's a good thing i'm into railroad modeling and have adopted their bare bones approach to spending.  it's way too expensive to be a model railroader.

i'm in my 3rd house in 7 years, having everything in storage has been a bummer.  those guys with their fancy train rooms, good for them, i'd be happy with a 10x14 room with no odd closet or window placement, no radiator to keep clear, and air conditioning.     we are each rich on our own way, some just have money.

[SkipGear]

I helped a gentleman that has now passed away build his dream layout. I know he easily spent $20k in our shop, another $5-10K that he already had and was installing this in a 1.5 million dollar house that had one room build specifically for the train, not to mention the approx $20k he paid me over 8 years. It's not hard at all to hit the $100k mark.

[prbharris]

devoting entire rooms in their homes to the hobby ...to outfit these spaces for trains.

Thanks Carter - absolutely spot on.

Lyn has just - after a number of years of me calling another room in our UK house 'the railway room', although it was really a guest room after we were empty nested - allowed me to convert the smallest bedroom into a proper room for a layout! Since the 1940's few UK houses have basements, and our floor space is usually much less than US houses, space for modeling is much more limited. I am looking forward to converting the room and setting up.

Incidentally, whilst in lockdown I have been surprised at how many people have started their layouts. The local hobbyshop ran out of track in N and HO, and Peco have not been able to keep up with demand!

Some even build separate structures for their layouts

We have seen a number of these on the N Scale Enthusiast layout tours - including one spectacular layout over a triple garage. For me, these tours are a wonderful way of seeing the work of other folks - and I am very grateful to those families who open their homes and basements to allow coachloads of modelers to see their work. It is often [but should not always be] spectacular. Next year in Reno, I do hope that we have similar opportunities, and would urge anyone to offer tours - or go along to the NSE Convention and see them!

Peter

Peter Harris
N Scale Kits
www.nscalkeits.com

[Rossford Yard]

As a kid, we went to visit a layout in NJ, where the owner (Alex Landesco, maybe?) had put a 10x60 trailer in his back yard, on the theory that if he ever moved, he could take it with him. 

Texas has no basements, so finding layout rooms is interesting.  When I first moved to DFW in the 1980's, I saw a similar trailer layout on tour, then later saw it was for sale.  Tempting, but HO, and there are zoning restrictions, even if allowed in the typical suburban subdivision.  Another local guy here had bought an old MKT section house and made it a layout room in the back yard.  He sold it to another, who tore out the layout but is using the structure for his new (and spectacular) layout. 

At least two others around here also have had outbuildings for their layouts.  One is like 30 x 60.  The other is (was, think the owner has passed) 24 x 48 pole barn, which was nicer than the house (a double wide trailer). 

Coaldriver of this forum bought a house with (or added?) a room above his 24x25 garage. A few built new houses, adding a room above the garage at 24 x 48, or more, I think.  I had one in a converted to game room third stall of a garage in my last house, as noted, a converted no AC storage room in this house.  One modeler had a room above his garage, but as his kids moved out, kept expanding to now unused bedrooms.  On an op session in Houston, one man added an entire second story to house a huge model railway (which I doubt he will ever complete).

So, yeah, when afflicted with MRR itis, many of us will go to great lengths to find room for trains.  It takes no wife, or a very understanding one!

[C855B]

Don't forget the dogeared 45x66 pole barn we bought über-cheap for the layout. Making it usable, not so cheap. 

>... It takes no wife, or a very understanding one!

Or an artist spouse who enjoys the hobby as well!

[Philip H]

I am currently modeling an a 12.5 x 7 foot section of the front living room, sectioned off by a set of discarded GSA office cubicle partiions.

hatever it takes.

[645diesel]

I am currently modeling an a 12.5 x 7 foot section of the front living room, sectioned off by a set of discarded GSA office cubicle partiions.

and that is really want it comes down to... if you have passion and desire, you will make what you have work.  the perfect is the enemy of the good, and our layouts will always be a compromise of some sort.  just when i thought i was going to settle into this house after being here for three years, it looks like one more move is in my future.  but i'm not letting that move which is at least a year off stop my desire and drive to get something setup and running this fall.  i'm looking forward to sharing the fruits of my labor with this forum.

[JMaurer1]

Trying to find a 16x20 shed/garage (either prebuilt, kit or ground up build) to use as a shop/train room for under $10k. If I lived on the east coast or mid west I could easily get a kit for well under my budget but not in California. Oh, and no basements here either.

Boat: hole in the water that you try to fill with money

Why does a divorce cost so much money? Because it's worth it!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I just did some super rough math and realized I have at least $15k worth of rolling stock (engines and cars).

And I feel like I'm definitely under counting.

*****.

[NtheBasement]

I've seen some fantastic layouts that easily went north of 100k in HO on NMRA layout tours.  Never visited this N scale masterpiece, but just the investment in rolling stock boggles the mind.  Its not just the bucks, its the hours - how long did it take to make that many goldenrod trees?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-EYHW4Rbxg

[NorsemanJack]

Trying to find a 16x20 shed/garage (either prebuilt, kit or ground up build) to use as a shop/train room for under $10k. If I lived on the east coast or mid west I could easily get a kit for well under my budget but not in California. Oh, and no basements here either.

Boat: hole in the water that you try to fill with money

Why does a divorce cost so much money? Because it's worth it!

LOL!!!  That right there is a Ken Titus quote.  Classic comedy, the likes of which are no longer made!

[NorsemanJack]

I helped a gentleman that has now passed away build his dream layout. I know he easily spent $20k in our shop, another $5-10K that he already had and was installing this in a 1.5 million dollar house that had one room build specifically for the train, not to mention the approx $20k he paid me over 8 years. It's not hard at all to hit the $100k mark.

"The things you own will wind up owning you."  (Fight Club)

This would be my fear.  As a lot of us know, as we age there are days when we feel as if our "get up and go must have got up and went."  I've been on a downsizing/simplification journey for the past several years, and a large permanent layout in a "forever" home would just scare me at this point (and likely scare my heirs even more).  Who among us hasn't heard more than one "horror" stories of folks that had to spend weeks or months clearing out the personal property left behind by deceased parents.  The only thing that makes is easier is when it is mostly low value stuff that can either be tossed in a dumpster or hauled off by Goodwill.  Our heirs/surviving spouse may not know much about trains, but as in this example they would likely know that the stuff had a lot of value that should be liquidated (although who knows how).  If a person was extremely wealthy and subject to the federal estate tax, they could likely have a lawyer help them develop a scheme to leave it to a non-profit 501c3 model railway museum/club (I believe there are several).  If appraised at typical extreme/unbelievable numbers, the financial benefit would likely be greater than 40% of the true value.  Beyond that, I just don't know.  There are a few retailers that might buy a complete collection of locos/rolling stock for 50 cents on the dollar, provided it was high quality stuff in like new condition.  Beyond that, who knows?  I would be interested in hearing the opinions/plans of others as to how they feel their investments (particularly the large ones we've been discussing) will ultimately be liquidated.

[Roger Holmes]

I finally had time today to read the article and 4 page thread.  The press loves Lionel guys but I can't complain too much since my layout has been in the local newspaper's weekend magazine and on a PBS series called Illinois Stories.

In 2005 I ran out of basement so I had more dug. Of course we got a two story addition to the house on top of the new basement which doubled the size of the dining room and the master bedroom.  The dining room was done in Frank Lloyd Wright style with Anderson factory made FLW stained glass windows.  The contractor also owns the LHS and is an avid HO and Garden railroader so he understood why I wanted holes in the walls at layout level between the old and new train rooms and can lights every three feet.