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......