Tearing Down My Layout For The Garden State

Hi Frank, good advice! I like your stealth approach. If it were you, would you ship your trains or rent a trailer and do it yourself? My truck can pull a trailer with no problem (except for the lousy fuel milage I would get). It's the potential for theft in hotel parking lots that concerns me. I'm just not sure what the risk is in trailering it. I live just outside of Hollywood in Pembroke Pines.

Move it your self no ifs or buts that's how I did it.and I would not stop over with a u-hall trailer any were over night unless you plan on sleeping in your truck. Some people make a living by taking other people's stuff.

I have moved a number of times over the years that I've been back in the hobby:  Hawaii to Ohio, Ohio back to Hawaii, Hawaii to Maryland, Maryland to Wisconsin, Wisconsin to Iowa, Iowa to Norfolk (eastern VA), Norfolk to Blacksburg (western VA), and Blacksburg to Ohio.

 

I used professional movers for all of these moves and never had a significant problem.  HOWEVER, I packed all the trains myself to make sure this was done properly (keeping in mind that PBO items may be treated differently for insurance purposes).  And I made an inventory list of the contents of each of the train boxes, most of which were those heavy-duty kitchen-pack boxes.  Perhaps I was just lucky, but each of my moves went very smoothly and without any damage or loss to household goods or trains.

 

If I were to move again, and assuming the new location was within a day or two drive from the old, I likely would rent a U-Haul for the trains and leave everything else to the movers.  Yes, you can read "horror stories" about anything and everything on this forum, but if you use common sense about where you park overnight at a hotel or motel, for example, or even where you park when stopping to dine, you can certainly minimize the risk.

 

Whatever you choose to do, buy the necessary insurance to cover the move and don't worry overly much about it (moves are always stressful).  Trains are only "things", and things can be replaced.

 

Finally:  You have my sympathies for having to leave Florida for Jersey. 

How about one of those PODS you can pack yourself. They will pick up and deliver to your new residence.

Does anyone have experience with using PODS?

 

Thank you.

 

Paul

In the few times that I have moved my trains and my guns have always gone with me in my car or pickup truck. On two occasions articles from the moving van have gone missing!!! Let's face it, moving companies don't hire scholars.

Andy

 

Make sure the basement is dry and has room for your layout.

Good luck with the move and a new home.

 

 

I have.   Worked well for my situation at the time.   Packed everything myself.  The upside of PODS is they drop it off and you can take your sweet time packing it.   

 

I labelled my train stuff as random other things,  "kitchen, cleaning, pet food, etc."

 

Hgmaster,

 

Which town, or what  part of New Jersey are you looking to move to? I moved to Whippany (just outside of Morristown 2/1/2 years ago.

 

Good luck with your move.

 

Erol Gurcan

I agree with Allan.  A very good tip.  Hire professionals.

 

Rick

Welcome to the Garden State   If you want to run your stuff before your able to put up a layout bring it over to Paterson for a run

It is amazing that they call it the Garden State. You only have to go to Paterson to see why.

 

Gerry

When we moved from Maryland to Colorado I drove our minivan solo filled with my trains and her plants.  I stayed at cheap motels on purpose so I could have a room on the first floor with my minivan parked outside my room.  It worked fine.

Alan, thanks for the advice (and your encouraging words about moving north ) about letting the movers do it. Frank gave me some good tips on packaging and labeling. Once we arrive in NJ, we will be living at a residence inn type of place until we sell our house here and then find a house there. The movers will put our stuff into storage until then. They told us that since we are going this route, thay will crate all of our belongings.

Ben, you can count on seeing my smiling face at the NJHR's. We are coming up to your neck of the woods next Thursday for 4 full days to do a little recon to get the lay of the land. We'll be staying at a Marriott by Newark Airport. My wife will probably have to spend the Friday at the airport getting her security stuff taken care of. But I'll be free to roam about and we'll have a rental car.

Dennis, as far as where we are going live, though my wife will be working at Newark Airport, we will be looking at the Somerset County area and out west towards Lake Hoptacong. Passaic is also on our radar screen but we have concerns over local taxes. One thing is for sure, a major parameter in the decision making process on which abode we end up in will be basement size, shape, and quality. After years of operating trains in a 11.5' x 11.5' world, my little empire is ready for a MAJOR expansion. My wife and our realtor both know this. It's the penance my wife must pay for talking me into moving from the Sunshine to the Garden .

You have two very good side benefits to your move. The New Jersey Hi-Railers and York. That should make you feel even better about the move.

HOGMASTER=  read posts by  frank53. then, read them again.  some good advise there.  also  the pod is a good idea. maybe contact the nj hi-railers, [good guys] maybe one of them can help with some short term storage? in any case, try to bring as much of the high end stuff with you.  the long haul movers all too often hire  off the street "day laborors" at the final destination.  not the kind of fellows i want near my  good stuff..  anyway, wish you the best in your move and wifes new position and now you will have a better layout than before.

Add Gerry to to list of people who only know New Jersey as the industrial northeastern part they've driven through.

During the 'winter season', many companies like Hertz, Penske etc. are looking to get their trucks back North to have more Florida moves. They usually deeply discount the vehicles and give you a certain number of days to drive North. Try this it may be better than using a trailer.

 

Walter M. Matuch

Hogmaster: Some good advice above; I'm presently awaiting a house to be built in Jacksonville and used the PODS system to leave Ohio. 

From my "other" company moves, DO NOT let the movers contracted personnel do the packing. Do that yourself and inventory every box. Moving company packers could care a hinds pitootie about your trains-its all about shoving it in a box as fast as possible and going on to the next "chore".

I had too many trains to move in a U-Haul trailer, so they wound up on the truck. While I've never lost any trains this way, auto parts were a different story. Somebody has a nice Holley 780 double pumper carb of mine......

"Ben, you can count on seeing my smiling face at the NJHR's. We are coming up to your neck of the woods next Thursday for 4 full days to do a little recon to get the lay of the land. We'll be staying at a Marriott by Newark Airport. My wife will probably have to spend the Friday at the airport getting her security stuff taken care of. But I'll be free to roam about and we'll have a rental car. "

 

Shoot me an email   Newark Airport is 15 minutes south of the club   Right up Macarter HWY Rte 21 to rte 20

I would inventory it, box it, insure it, and either let the movers do it or ship UPS.

Ya know moving is enough of a hassle, Pack the most important pieces yourself and let the moving company do the rest. If something should go wrong, you will be insured. Good Luck and enjoy the Garden State.

 

 Casey

Ohhh I forgot to mention  We don't allow anything Santa Fe on our layout

Good luck

 

I have had a layout for a year but just found out about a new position at work I was asked to apply for.  It would require a move out of state, so I am not looking forward to doing the same if I was to be offered and take the position.  

 

Welcome to bucolic NJ.  The are areas like Middletown and Rumson where you could drive through and if you didn't know any better, with all the horse farms and wooded plots of land, you'd think you were in Virginia or some such area.

 

Perhaps a more telling indication of our fair state is the toll/turnpike situation.  You have to pay to leave the Garden State....but it's free to get in!!  Hmm, what does that say, I wonder?   

 

- Mike

Parts of Somerset County are very rural and beautiful, in fact the US Olympic Equestrian team is located in Gladstone and the United States Golf Association Museum is next door in Far Hills..

On that drive through, do they trust you to pump your own gas yet?  

Once you get settled in and find a new barber you will have to get a new avitar picture.

No, no, no. Gerry was just poking fun at NJ and knows lots of the state besides the 95 corridor.

 

The Pine barrens, western NJ,  the Jersey Shore, farmers markets (which is why it's known as the Garden State), etc. are all great. The refineries and 95 corridor, not so great.

 

I lived in NJ a fair number of years and like it very much. And I like the Governor.

 

Gerry

Let's not forget Snooki. Or maybe we ought to.

 

Gerry

Most of that Jersey Shore crew is actually from NY.  If they stayed there it would have saved Jersey a lot of headaches.  Nothing good came from that show.

if you have the urge to go larger and get outdoors, you'll also be in the area of the New Jersey Live Steamers.  from #1 to 7.25" gauge, they have a wide variety of options.  there also used to be a very small loop of #1 gauge at the Whippany Railway Museum also up north.

 

i do miss the Jersey Shore Line with all those great bridges, but i don't miss the weather.

I have made several moves over the years and have always a.) packed the trains myself, and b.) rented a U-Haul trailer to move them.  Relatively inexpensive price to pay to be in control of the situation!  If you don't go the trailer route, I would add the big transformers to the list of items you plan to take yourself.

Welcome to New Jersey! I am in Piscataway which is in Middlesex County, so might see you some time! Travel safely and look forward to meeting you at an upcoming event.

 

We have had to relocate for my job several times and the movers have never failed to "lose" something, a small TV, stereo components, take your pick.

 

I have always packed the trains myself, using original boxes (as you propose) and then rented a truck and driven trains and train layout to our new home.  Perhaps I have been fortunate, but I've had no problems with the truck parked in a motel parking lot (knock on wood).  As John noted, I've made certain to back the vehicle in near the door to the motel room.  I use a good heavy duty lock on the rear door of the truck and will also "temporarily disable" the vehicle so that it can't easily be driven away.  I know this is bordering on paranoid, but better safe than sorry.

 

Good luck with your move and hope you enjoy Jersey!

 

Curt

 

Joe, I have pretty much decided a U-haul trailer is the way I'm going to go. The stuff that I don't care about that much and the track will get shipped.

D&H, I live in a gated community with a totalitarian governing body callled the HOA. They frown on anything besides vehicles sitting in our driveway. The local Gruppenfuherer would go ape over a PODS being there. I WON'T miss the HOA.

Walter, I thought about a u-haul truck, but my wife's company will only pay to move two large items (ie; cars). I got them to assent to moving my bassboat up in lieu of my pickup. Locomotives, hard to replace rolling stock, and transformers/command control items get packed into the bed which has a watertight locking cover and everything else goes into the trailer.

Passenger Train, York was near the top of my personal lists of pros for moving. It was only exceeded by big basement, multiple train stores, and NJHR's and other clubs being nearby . Snooki didn't the list.

Harley, I couldn't get my hair to do that even with epoxy (nor would I want to). That picture frightened me.

Frank, so you're saying if I go out into to NJ pines I have a good chance of running into Pauly and Christopher plying their "trade"? I AM looking forward to seeing either the New Jersey Devil or the Jersey Bigfoot when I get there (but not Snooki) .

No Snooki???

 

Maybe its that "Party like a tomcat" part that misled me. Certainly different than old men who have grandchildren pictures.

 

Welcome to the GREAT Northeast.

 

Gerry

Gerry, this ol' tomcat's careful with whom he parties. That's why I can sleep like a kitten .

Welcome to NJ. Somerset county is nice, my son went to private school in the Gladstone area, it is still very 'horse' country-ish. It has access to route 78, which takes you to Newark, but in the morning that can be a rough commute, 78 often has tie ups on it (without heavy traffic from Somerset to Newark Airport would be about 35, 40 minutes).  I would avoid Essex and Passaic counties, their property taxes are sky high. You may want to check out Morris County, from where I live it is a fairly quick trip via 24-78 to Newark airport and there are towns with decent taxes around where i live as well (I live not that far from locolawyer it seems).

 

Wish you luck, hope it all works out!

 

Did you not tell Dennis to stand over the DUMB truck drivers and HAWK(intimidate) them until WEEEEE admit WEEEEE are not the brightest light bulbs in the pack???  You are harmless...but Dennis sells guns...OMG!!!

bob anson: Building a new house in Nocatee-Willow Cove community.

I sometimes work in NJ and find myself at hotels with my box trailer and never had  a problem. I wouldn't do that in Newark though. Fred

"without heavy traffic from Somerset to Newark Airport would be about 35, 40 minutes"

 

When is there not heavy traffic on I78   Maybe 3 in the morning but its worse than 75 in Atlanta

 

 

Hey Spider 

I might be a little weird but I know exactly what Ron is talking about

I agree with Frank 100% I will be in a similar situation and I've looked at buying a cargo trailer just to pack the trains in and tow it myself. The cost of the trailer will be about $1700-$2500 which isn't a whole lot more than the cost of time and materials to build shipping cases (that could disappear anyway) and is far less than having the equipment disappear in transit. If you can't do that, packing and labeling them in a manner that doesn't draw attention is the best alternative.

Or do this.  Pack the boxes yourself and video everything you pack.  Make sure to include items you borrow for the day from friends who have things you covet.  Stop filming then unpack the borrowed items and return them to your friends.  Have company paid movers ship everything.  Once in NJ, film the unpacking and express great horror at the missing items.  File a loss/damage claim and get some new toys!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before you flame me with comments, recognize this was 100% a joke. 

Thank you Ben...it is a sad state of affairs when ONE builds himself up by tearing others down.  I had a touch of that myself until I saw how it looks in PRINT!!! Guess I never got over the Paterson comment from a year ago...who knows why?  I'm 4 hours away!!!  Then the Rhodes Scholar comment!!! New Jersey is a great State...I travel overnite to every little town...the Seashore, the Mountains...the METRO area.  Lotsa people...lotsa lifestyles...ENUF SAID...sorry for thinking aloud!!! I was joking with Frank...not funny I guess...Ron B.

Nice, useful information.

 

Now has anyone used one of those storage facilities to temporarily store their trains and other items?   For example; someone is moving and they want to pack those items up that they want to move themselves.  They will not have access to their new house for maybe a month so they plan to rent a storage unit close by their new house.  When they finally move in to their new house they plan on emptying the rental unit and bringing everything over.

 

So, is this a safe and viable alternative for moving one's models and such?   These storage units advertise the fact that one needs special keys and such to gain access and they have cameras located throughout the property.

 

Thanks in advance,

Steve

Thanks for the info Fred. We will be staying at a residence inn type of place for the first few months we are there which isn't in Newark. My problem then is where do I store them until the final move. I more than likely will look at a climate controlled self-storage place.

Bigkid, I wasn't looking at Morris County originally, but I've been hearing good things about it recently. We will definitely check it out. I am very interested in tax rates coming from a state with no income tax.

Matt, where will you be moving to? I've decided I'm going to do the trailer thing as well for peace of mind.

There is a term used on the NJ radio show that describes the tax rates in NJ.  Bend Over Here It Comes.  We tax everything and what we don't tax we have fees that are not called taxes but serve the same purpose.  Oh and if you buy a house in NJ and then want to leave there is an exit tax.  The plus side is there are lots of train shows, some good hobby shops, and NJHighrailers should not be missed.

Andy

Half our building is empty  We can probably work something out in a locked room for you

Job hunting in Texas (Houston and Dallas) Where I get the job will determine where/when I move. Dallas has heat, snow, and the occasional tornado; Houston has humidity and the occasional hurricane; San Bernardino and Los Angeles have bankrupt local governments (and other issues I don't want to go into a rant about.)

Hey Dennis PRR2818, actually Piscataway is on our radar screen for places to look at.

Where in NJ are you going?

My wife & I just moved to Charlotte from NJ (Matawan) this past summer for her job.  It's been hard having to adjust from a basement size layout to a bedroom size layout (not really many basements down here)

I've lived in NJ my whole life. For all the bad stuff about this state there is a lot of good also. One of the nice things about NJ is the varied types of places to live. You have country areas, city areas, mountains, waterways and everything in between. I would decide on what type of area you would like to live in and how long of a commute your wife is willing to deal with and go from there.

*ahem* ... mountains?

i lived in a town called Mountainside and i wouldn't even call that a mountain.

 

Lionel chose the right town...

 

 

tend to agree with everything else.

...gary

Your town, being where it is, is definitely misnamed.  Go to the nortwest part of the state in Sussex County and you've got some elevation changes.  Now people from the Rockies might laugh, but there's enough to ski in NJ.

Isn't the so-called "exit tax" actually just a withholding against a large Capital Gains on the sale of the house?

 

Really, Ben?  How much??  Send me an e-mail!!      

 

- Mike

Piscataway is ok - just have to watch because it gets bound up with traffic between Rutgers and the corporate campuses. The Somerset Hills are is nice, Far Hills (where i currently live), Bernardsville, Bedminster and Peapack-Gladstone all have stable taxes compared to some surrounding towns.

I digress but this is serious. Someone above mentioned moving trains and guns.

Whatever you do, make sure you do not pack any guns with your trains.

The following is a very good source/ discussion of what you are faced with as you move from Florida to NJ. If you are caught bringing a gun into NJ you will be meeting a lot of new people who are not interested in trains.

http://www.gunlawguide.com/

I thought that you had to pay an 'exit tax' almost any time that you use a bridge or tunnel to leave NJ.  Crossing into NJ is free, but leaving generally costs.  

Hey Andy! Are you up here yet? id you find a place to settle yet?

Hey Dennis, thanks for asking. The answer to your question is yes and no. We have moved into a temporary residence in Union. My wife is here now working fulltime in her job. I have been up here for 2 weeks looking at homes and getting her settled in. We are going to be out in Morris County tomorrow (Sat.) to look at new construction. I am returning to Florida Monday to wrap things up in the next couple of weeks. My plan then is to rent a trailer and move my train stuff up here. At that point I am here to stay. One great thing about our temporary abode is that we are next door to Union's train station. I can sit on the third floor and watch the 1:1 scale to my little heart's content. How sweet is that?!?! If we decide to build, I'll get to watch the big boys until December.

LOL, if you look out the window, Tuesday thru Fri Morning at approx 6am the Inbound to Newark and then Monday thru Thursday the Outbound to Dunellen, at approx. 735pm wave at the Train! I will be on it!

Good Luck on the house hunt and keep us posted!

Hard to beat Morris County IMHO. I lived in Morristown and commuted from Morris Plains to Hoboken/NYC via the old Lackawana Electrics during the 1970s. 

 

Lived in Elizabeth and worked in Newark's Ironbound in earlier times. Morris County was a major upgrade. 

Andy another good NJ area is Hunterton County around Clinton off of Rt. 78 west of Somerset County.  Quiet country side plenty of hunting & fishing at Spruce Run & Round Valley Resivor.  Living about 1 mile off of Rt 78 it took me less than a hour to get to NJ High-Railers leaving at 4 pm for our weekly meetings on Wed. afternoon. Drive time 45 minutes to Newark, Philly airports or the Pocono mountains.  Any questions drop me a line, address in my profile.

 

Jack