Who has recently retired or will be retiring soon and what are your train plans?

get my garage back and set up the board.

everytime my wife wants to get rid of something she throws it in the garage.

im tossing everything and tuff if she wants it.

After 39.5 years of working nights and weekend (since July 1977), I gave it up January 1. I am 63.5 and will work the next 3 years Monday to Friday( in reality, cutting back to a 60 hr week....). Every weekend off will give me more time 2 ways.......more actual time and more energy because I won't be recovering from 36 hr shifts.

Really enjoying it so far!

Peter 

I retired last year and as fall came on my wife suggested that I get my trains out of the attic. 45 years of working day and night left little time for my trains. What joy it has been to re-discover this joyful hobby.

Little did she realize the results of her suggestion would be the loss of one of her rooms.  

I took my wife's advice and retired in 2014 when I turned 62.  We were tired of my always having to work in another state managing construction sites, although it gave us opportunity to see a lot of our country and visit the local sites of interest.  Also, I acquired many trains and items from diff areas, pieces I may not locate otherwise and at low, local prices (antique shops, estate sales, etc.).  After 44 years of employment, too many 12/14 hr, 7 days a week in refineries, chemical plants, etc., I was ready and feels great being home all the time.  Have not got to spend time on the layout as much as I wish, but have made progress and it is slowly coming along.  With the storms/cleanup and other property to do's, I stay busy and feel great about it.  But, as stated, do have more time for layout and trains, making use of info and products found here, repairing/upgrading various engines, getting past issues taken care of.  LOVE IT !!!!!

Jesse   TCA  12-68275

Retirement is about a year away for me (I hope.)

Right now the post-retirement plan is to begin to deal with all the projects I've started or intended to start.

I set a cut off date last June for pre-orders of big ticket items (greater than $400.00.)   I still have two pre-orders in orbit and the cash is set aside for them, but otherwise no new pre-orders.  I'll still set aside 20 bucks a week for train things, so I may still pick up a thing or two if the cash is available.

Rusty

I'll be retiring this year (maybe getting rehired part-time). 

Changes nothing at all for me.

Hello, I retired 15 years ago but when I was planning it, my wife and I started to plan a move to a more "elder" living place. We selected a condo in her home town close to a golf course (country club) which allowed her to be closer to family and old friends and allowed me to walk about 400 yards to the first tee. The condo was still under construction so we could pick options like a semi finished basement in which I could construct a reasonably sized layout. No more trains around the Christmas tree. Therefore, I have a 24 ft by 8 ft layout that has running trains and beautiful scenery (I got help with the scenery). Of course, a layout is never really finished because you always find something you want to improve, such as adding a lighthouse in a corner or add signal lights.

Unfortunately, with age, my golf handicap is increasing but I am still having fun with golf and model railroading.

I wish I was still working, laid off after 25 years at one spot, then 2 years later disabled do to the dam Cancer and the crap treatment and surgery's that go along with it. I have all the time in the world now and I am alive with my Trains! My wife lets me do as I please as long as I do house work also.

I have been retired 5 years after working for 48.  I knew it would be good, I had no idea it would be THIS good.  I have more time for trains, that's for sure and that is a good thing.  I've expanded my layout and go to 2 shows a year instead of 1!  I also thought I would have beer for lunch every day.  I've done that 4 times in 5 years.  Pluses, minuses, like everything in life.

I turned 57, yesterday, and am eligible for retirement after 33+ years on the job.  Alas, as my wife and I like to eat three times a day, I will probably put off retirement until I turn 62! 

Although we have lived in the same house for the last 24 years, this is not our retirement house and we had planned on moving after I retired.  Given the fact that it looks like they may start developing the 100 acres next to us in the next 2-3 years, we have decided to try and sell our house this coming Summer.

Unfortunately, for the trains, this means the end to my current 11'x17' layout and the 12'x15' "U" extension (bench work already built).  I have spent my free time for the last two weeks cataloging and packing up my trains.  This week will be spent taking up my Ross turnouts and Gargraves track (selling on the forum next week.)  The trains will all be going into climate controlled storage.  As we will likely rent a condo or townhouse until I retire, this means the shift to a carpet layout (Lionel Fastrack) from my current Ross/Gargraves layout.

Our retirement house will have some type of permanent layout.  As I don't know where we might live, this could be a bedroom, family room, or hopefully, another basement. 

Jim

I retired in 2012 and had a nice layout that I put more time into but most importantly started traveling in Europe for two months a year and riding some of the premier trains that are available and my wife tolerates it as long as we go to places that she wants to see.

Mikey

Been retired for a year now. 66 years old next week; it's WONDERFUL! Drove big truck for Wally World, various work schedules over the years but gone from the house for days on end. Always seemed rushed to finish a project on the layout; needed  to show some progress. There were weeks that went by that I never even went into the train room, that was usually in the warmer months when I had outside activities to do; enjoying my 3 acres in the TN Smoky MTNS. Even contemplated getting rid of the trains. But now it's a real joy to be able to go down to the train room and play at my leisure.

Worked 46 years as an aerospace engineer/professor. Retired almost three years ago and began building a 10'-by-5' 3-rail scale layout opposite a 12'-by-8' layout completed in 2004. Have recently been posting photos on OGR Forum. New layout is built in two 5'-by-5' sections with light-weight modular construction to be transportable if we move. Grandkids love to visit and run the trains. Probably another year or so to complete new layout. Still buying some trains - MTH Premier and Atlas O, but no expensive steam engines or Lionel. I have a huge collection already. Hope to keep active in the hobby.

MELGAR

     I will be 62 this spring and plan on working for at least 3 more years hopefully, The Air Force retired me at 60 after 33 years (12 active and 21 reserve) they said i was too old but they did give me a civillian job so I can stay a few more years. I have slowed down on the scenery of the present layout but I do get to run my trains. The wife and I are planning on moving out of Ct. when I retire and looking possibly down Kentucky or Tenn.  The new house either buy or build has 2 very important requirements 1 everything on one floor for the wife ( bed, bath utility etc.) and 2  a very large open  basement for the trains and if no basement I have a 25' X 48' garage sitting on a pallet that I could use for the trains.

I closed my store and retired this year. I am rearranging the basement and getting the train room put together in one end. So far my office and work areas are mostly in and trains stored/displayed. Next is to take apart my old gun-room/dark-room/train storage room which is going to supply some of the material for the layout which is going to sit upon some shelf units that I salvaged from the store.

I retired in March 2016. I'm 67 years old. My current layout in the basement is a couple of sheets of plywood painted green with 031 tubular track. I've accumulated a lot of newer equipment which requires 072. My plan is for a new layout, but not sure if it will be in the basement or a spare bedroom. The hard part is tearing down what I have and cleaning up to make more room for what I want. The really hard part is that since I retired I am now staring at all the little projects around the house that were never done or never completed and I haven't had the time to spend on the layout. 

I retired 13 years ago and wasn't happy about it at the time.  I had wanted to work at least until I was 70, but circumstances dictated that it be at 62 instead.  I loved my job and was able to balance working with my hobbies.  It took me the best part of three years to accept it and get on with my life.  I know it's not possible, but I seem busier now that when I was working.  Way too many things to do and not nearly enough time to do them.  I have been blessed with good health, enough income to live comfortably, and a lot of varied interests.

Off to the movies to see a film recommended to my wife, then home to work on the layout.  My son is coming tomorrow so we should get a lot done then.

Best of luck in your retirement, it can be the best time of your life.

Art

Retired some years back and wife has 3 years to go to max out at her job her dream is to sell house and buy 1 in Florida which to my understanding has very few basements.

I want to make her dream come true in the move to Florida as we are both tired of Illinois winters and would also like space for a bigger than 4x8 layout  But i 'm thinking i need a basement .

It will definitely be a home in Florida and i think a spare bedroom would be to small .

I retire when I'm 65 in two months. My biggest train endeavor is major downsizing. I waited all my working life to retire so I could enjoy my acquisitions of a lifetime (not only trains) only to realize I've entered the sudden death heart attack zone. Dah, never thought of that! Sorry to be Danny Downer, but I know (knew) a significant number of guys in their 60's that have passed. Not fair to leave everything (very large collection) for my wife to worry about, at the same time it will be very depressing to "let go" of my toys. Time to learn how the Bay works and/or the best way to handle such an endeavor. Buying stuff is over, and the "hunt" was the second most thrilling aspect with running trains being first. So my "big" train plans in my retirement is to drastically thin the herd- gracefully!

Rich 

Rich:    Perhaps make estate arrangements with one of the brass re-sellers, like Bill Davis or BrassTrains.com, to handle the disposal of your collection. Since they are pros, might net more money then piece-mealing it off on ebay. And gigantically less frustrating for your wife. In the mean time, keep enjoying ALL of your trains !    

Dieseler posted:

Retired some years back and wife has 3 years to go to max out at her job her dream is to sell house and buy 1 in Florida which to my understanding has very few basements.

I want to make her dream come true in the move to Florida as we are both tired of Illinois winters and would also like space for a bigger than 4x8 layout  But i 'm thinking i need a basement .

It will definitely be a home in Florida and i think a spare bedroom would be to small .

 

Same here Dieseler - I retired a year ago and the wife wants to, at minimum, downsize here in PA, or move to South or South West. That means my basement size layout will have to come down and I will have "real estate" shock on what space I can carve out of a condo somewhere. 

I have no plans to retire as long as the Good Lord keeps me healthy enough to work. I enjoy working (especially the type of work I am lucky enough to be doing) and want to stay active. I have seen far too many younger-than-I retirees bite the dust a relatively short time after retiring. And I definitely plan to stay active in the hobby, which has significantly helped to keep me healthy up to now. I am looking to "upsize by downsizing" in the very near future. By that I mean selling the condo and getting a small single-family home with more space for storage, a decent-size yard, no association fees, and a significantly lower mortgage. Still looking forward to building another garden railroad (Large Scale). I have everything I need for that except the fenced back yard.

I will be 65 in August and have been retired 8 years at the end of this month. I spent 36 years with Caterpillar, Aurora IL in many different jobs.  As soon as I retired I started building the layout. Our retirement home has a full basement and that was the plan. Our old house was on a river bank and had no place for a layout with it full of kids and us. So it has been a great thing to keep the brain moving and keep me out of trouble.  It is the first layout I have had since 1983 a small one for my son that only lasted about a year before the space was needed for a sister.

Now the wife is now retired to so she is coming up with things to do as well.

https://www.youtube.com/channe...SOO7z0ybJlnUlwIp7JrA

Unsuccessfully tried to retire four times, but people kept offering to pay for my life experience.  Finally stuck on the fifth try.  Anticipating the next stages after retirement (downsizing and pushing up daisies), adopted webmastering and ecommerce as new hobbies to dispose of trains acquired over many decades in an orderly manner.  All the fun of working but on a flexible schedule and embracing various aspects of the model railroading hobby. 

I retired 2012 because with my pensions and social security i would have lost money to keep working. My train plans didn't change a bit.

great enjoy your hobby life is to short !

Retired 3-1/2 years ago.  MTH bugged me for a year to come and work there, so I had a weak moment 2-1/2 years ago and go in two days a week and do warranty repairs.  

This June I'll be retiring after 39 years with Delta Air Lines. I'll miss flying the 747 to Japan and the Pacific, but I've got two airplanes of my own to stay in the air. At least I won't have to be screened by TSA to fly my own. I started this hobby 40 years ago in 2 rail O Scale. Built a 2 rail layout in our home when we first moved to Florida 24 years ago. Then all the fantastic 3 rail products stated to appear in the mid to late 90's and my wife was kind enough to surrender the garage where I built a 3 rail layout. So I have two layouts that are  pretty much benchwork and track complete and running well, but without much scenery. All these years I think starting the scenery has intimidated me.  After retirement I plan to dive in head first and start making mountains, streams, canyons, and towns. I actually have most of the materials I'll need that have been ordered through the years, just not the courage to get it started. I'm actually looking forward to starting scenery.

texastrain posted:

I took my wife's advice and retired in 2014 when I turned 62.  We were tired of my always having to work in another state managing construction sites, although it gave us opportunity to see a lot of our country and visit the local sites of interest.  Also, I acquired many trains and items from diff areas, pieces I may not locate otherwise and at low, local prices (antique shops, estate sales, etc.).  After 44 years of employment, too many 12/14 hr, 7 days a week in refineries, chemical plants, etc., I was ready and feels great being home all the time.  Have not got to spend time on the layout as much as I wish, but have made progress and it is slowly coming along.  With the storms/cleanup and other property to do's, I stay busy and feel great about it.  But, as stated, do have more time for layout and trains, making use of info and products found here, repairing/upgrading various engines, getting past issues taken care of.  LOVE IT !!!!!

Jesse   TCA  12-68275

 

I can appreciate your working (moving) to many locations to work on Construction Sites. I retired from Fluor Corp in 2011 after 40 years and I did have a train or 2 before placing the "steel toes" on a shelf.

Brent

Well, I'm turning 80 this summer. I sold all my trains in 2015 and am living in a small apartment. I really don't even have room for a 4 x 8 layout but I am thinking about a 4 X 8 on 2" thick foam that I can put on kitchen table when I want to play trains and store it up along a wall.

Here's 3 pics of my last 2 layouts.

i'v been retired almost 2 years now,i enjoy my time more now,because I can do it when I want and spend however long I want,its great and I'm a lucky guy

I retired at 58 and my last day of work was April 1, 2016. Couldn't be anymore happier after spending 30.5 years combined with Kraft Foods and Nabisco as a sales rep. The company sure took good care of me while working for them and retiring from Nabisco who split up from Kraft in October 2012. With the pension and retiree medical, things are good around here. The wife works part-time and my stores that I called on really want to hire part-time. Just not ready to go back to work. I did that full time for 36 years.

Keeping very active as I have my own layout here, my club moved to another location last September (see our topic under the announcements section here) with much to do there, and daughter and son-in-law bought a 3 bedroom townhouse that needed updating.

Plenty to do and keeping active and working out daily at my local gym.

I retired in 2010, and I love every minute of it.  For the first time, I can keep a regular exercise schedule.  And I have two smallish layouts in the basement, one for O scale equipment, the other for Marx/Lionel tinplate.  I spent 25 years in the data-processing field, and don't miss it at all.

Basically retired as I work from home; but still can't seem to get much done on the layout. I started a year ago with planning. New England winters are time consuming with snow removal and burning firewood.

I retired in December of 2006 at 58. I been playing with trains and goofing off ever since.

And still loving it.��

Larry, still having fun.��

I guess it depends on your definition of "retired."  

I "retired" from running the 765 last September 25. Here's the video of my final station stop on the CVSR in Akron, Ohio, with my two grandsons aboard.

I will "retire" from OGR when we sell the company later this year.

However, I'm still flying for several clients, including a new client who owns a King Air 350 and owns a home in Key West. I plan to fly for a couple more years, as long as I'm healthy. In between flights, it's into the motor home to travel the country in style.

I retired ten years ago. We stayed in the same place for five more years and I worked a lot of the layout to try to finish it. Almost made it. Moving to Maui was a huge deal. Taking down the layout, packing everything we owned in a Matson container, shipping the car and on and on. I have to admit I worked on the old layout more than I do here. The new layout is twice the size of the old one and I tackled the hardest part first. With taking up diving again, kayaking and Aloha Friday parties almost every week, there isn't enough time. There really no a winter season here so your outside all the time. With the thousands of whales coming now I won't work on the layout much at all. Normally I found I go in stages. I'll work for a couple weeks and then lay off for a few weeks. That seems to be the best way for me. I love the trains and filming underwater. With this place only three blocks away it's hard to work on the layout.  Don 

I have been dairy farming since 1969 when I finished Cornell. I started taking winters off in 2014 and put a layout in a 20' by 30' addition. I go back to planting corn and running the forage harvester from April to November. Might go to trains full time after this year. I told my boss to let me know when I create more problems than I solve.

John, the perfect attitude for retirement. Don

I always thought this looked like a guy who could go places.........................

Well I will finally get to work on my layout. The Trains are running but the scenery has to be done. Maybe Rich Melvin has the time to help. Ha ha 

I am past retirement age, and have no plans to retire.  I like having a steady stream of income, Healthcare that works, and money to go to York.   If I retired I would have less money, and lots of time to think of things to spend it on.  I don't golf, hunt, or fish.  My desire to travel to other countries has diminished to zero since 2001.  For vacation and relaxation, I make the drive to that tiny withering York train show twice a year. 

Best wishes for those who have retired.  I've never had a house with a basement.  I've always wanted one.  They are not that common in Texas.  Don't know if I could ever give that up if I had one.  My brother in law has a huge basement in Tennessee which I have always envied.

I plan to retire in a couple of years.  Busy building a new layout and want to get the bulk of it done and paid for while I am still working.  Once I am retired, I plan to enjoy the layout by running trains and adding details here and there. 

On February 1, 2016 I retired at age 65 and now I am playing trains every day all day long and it keeps me busy! I added an S Gauge track to my garden layout (S Gauge PRR Streamlined pacific), I compiled 4 books on my collection and writing a book on scale and gauge. I recently made a very interesting website http://sncf231e.nl/ were you can find and download my books for free. Furthermore I built some kits, did some train repair, read some books on real- and modeltrains that I acquired earlier and look around on some forums like this one.

Regards

Fred 

Breece,  Yes, put my steel toes away, then, now have them out for when I am working around property cutting trees, clearing downed trees, etc.  I worked for Fluor Daniel for 19+ years in plants around Houston/Deer Park area.  Retired from Benham/SAIC after 14+ working all over our great nation.  Good to be home !!!

Jesse

Its never to early to start thinking about it. I started looking at how much stuff I had when I was 50. I knew I wanted to sell all but a few pieces. Some would be slow sellers. So I made a web page and started to slowly sell starting with the Plasticville and triplicates, duplicates of trains. Wife and I decided we wanted to move to the country where we could enjoy peace and quiet. In 2014 we found a small ranch which perfectly fit our bill. We did a mad rush to sell the big items and trains. It took a year to get to the point where we were ready to buy that land which was still available. We continued to sell until everything not on the small keepers pile was sold. We continue to sell as we clean out closets, garages, basements and find items no longer used. I have 2 years to go until I get full benefits paid in retirement at the job, and 1 year to go for SS eligibility. Then we sell the current house and use the funds to build a home on the ranch. The plans we have picked out are for a ranch style home, but it has an optional second floor man cave. That will be the shop and hobby room. I doubt I will do another big layout. I get the most fun out of a toy train display like layout, and doing repairs of items I pick up at flea markets and such. Any monies made after we bought the land will be used to buy a tractor, horse, and a cow.

Tin

OGR Webmaster posted:

I guess it depends on your definition of "retired."  

I "retired" from running the 765 last September 25. Here's the video of my final station stop on the CVSR in Akron, Ohio, with my two grandsons aboard.

 

I will "retire" from OGR when we sell the company later this year.

However, I'm still flying for several clients, including a new client who owns a King Air 350 and owns a home in Key West. I plan to fly for a couple more years, as long as I'm healthy. In between flights, it's into the motor home to travel the country in style

Whenever that is, Rich, we will miss you......you have had enormous impact on the O gauge hobby!

Peter

I'm 73 and have been retired for a year after working for 51 years. Upon retirement I began a 4x8 layout that increased to 8x10 very quickly. I had an office attached to the house which now is my "train station.' The 8x10 layout ( DCS with O gauge tubular,, fastrac and a combination of 022 and Ross switches) will increase significantly, once I punch a hole through the wall into the adjoining 12.5x15 room. Having more or less finished the 8x10 layout (photos already posted on the forum), I am busy with an overhead/shelf layout in the 12x15 room. Needless to say, trains right now are all consuming. But I also love skiing, visiting my 5 grandchildren, and playing my banjos (old-time fiddle tunes). In other words, I find retirement fulfilling, busy and productive.  There were two major surprises about retirement. First, I was apprehensive that I would not find enough to do. I'm busier now than I ever have been. Second, I didn't realize how much I was distracted by work. I didn't even know what people meant when they said that I needed to live more "in the present." I was always trying to get chores done so that I could get back to work. Now I enjoy almost everything, even chores, but especially, my wife. We are having the best time. She has also become as involved in the trains as I have. Life has never been better.

George

33 months to go, this will be the last house, I have seen grass, I know where they keep it, I can visit it anytime I want.  New Jersey is going to be placed in the rear view mirror and I expect to be a renter until we find a suitable location someplace warm.  Trains may not be in my future since we are going to downsize to a condo or apartment.

When I finally call it quits hopefully in a few years the trains will be sold. I'm gonna try and spend what time I have left with my wife seeing and doing what we can. I'm not trying to offend anyone but I can't spend my final days inside. I like my trains but I love life more. 

  I'm not trying to say others are wrong or anything. Everybody should do what makes them happy. I'm just answering the question for me.

Bob

Well, I will read and comment on others' responses later.  Shooting from the hip, My story is, I was hit with an early retirement offer a year and a half ago.  Knowing I would have to work a little longer somewhere, it still seemed in my best interest to take the offer and look for something else.  As it turned out, I get two small pension checks a month that is paying into my IRA and for some bigger dollar train items I probably won't be able to afford when I retire for good.  It also happened, that I have been able to work as a contractor for the same company, converting engineering records from companies they buy into our company's system.  We have a backlog of 3 companies to get integrated, so there will still be work left when I retire for good.  This coincides with out last daughter getting married, leave me a room, and I have been able to start planning this layout that will carry me into retirement.  

I am 59 and I unofficially retired in May of 2015 shortly after my dad died. I was going to keep working a few more years but I saw that I didn't need to keep an income coming in and I was hating my job so bad I didn't go back to work and they let me go.  I am living near West Palm Beach FL for about 12 years. Drove school bus for Martin County FL for about 4 years and worked for Palm Beach county school district for 15 months, didn't work long enough for a pension from the state of Florida. Was in the US Army for 6.5 years active duty and spent a few years in the US Army reserves.
My wife gets about $1500.00 a month from her retirement. I have to wait for about 6 years for my social security as I didn't have a pension plan set up like she did. Have enough money in the bank for now to pay bills or so I hope.

A little about Florida; most places don't have a basement because the water would come in very quickly because the water table is only a few feet from ground level or rain water would flow  inside because the ground is very hard down here too. Maybe some where near Gainsville FL they can have a basement but not southeast FL.

I have the extra bedroom set-up as my main train layout area and have shelves set up for display too. Also starting a drop down layout on a 4 by 6 sheet of plywood in the den area.

Lee Fritz

I started this thread and was catching up.  A lot of great stories.  I work for the state of Illinois so if you're aware of that environment 3 more years working isn't going to be pleasant.  Seems like everyone I know has retired.  I don't care for the younger crowd. We are in gulf shores Alabama this week on vacation.  Love the beach And ocean and was thinking about a condo down here.  I'm not so sure I'm ready to give up a house to live in a small space

i am sitting ALOT more, trying to BE in the moment... I will look to work somewhere PT, where THEY think old can still make a positive difference. Volunteer when I am called..... Grandkids make me smile, PT work helps to eat three times a day/// (Quote from others...) and, I QUIT watching the depressing news, Or, and having a little train stuff arrive on the porch makes me smile and get up to check <salute gents!> I appreciate ya

Retiring in less than two years as a professor of computer science:  I have a plan for my retirement layout posted here on another thread in the layout design area - 12X18 and 12X20 track plans.   I will be 62 and 1/2 at retirement.  If all goes well, I may decide to stay on another year or two, but I will start a new addition to the house for the train room this year either way.  While working I have excellent health care covered plus money for trains, travel, and to help out the kids, who are just getting their lives started and organized.

Here is the link.

I have about half of the track, and most of the buildings that I will need.   Not buying many trains right now, but I do have a LionChief SD60 on preorder.  Looks like I will add an addition under the remodeled deck at the back of the house just for the layout.   Menard's keeps coming out with great stuff, so that complicates things I just ordered the new Morton Salt structure.

Ken.  I graduated from wiu in macumba il with my bs in cs in 1988.  I started in cobal, went to a lil vb, went into system dba, and ending in z/os admin.  Spent 5 of last 7 years doing 3 z/os upgrades along with every other product on system at least once.  The 2 old guys didn't do squat.  One guy did automation and storage. They've retired and I've done it all for almost 3 years.  Unfortunately He left automation so messed  upthat it will knock system down when it is coming up after ipl.  Mainframe is going away so nobody cares that I'm 24x7 I just watch it spin and try to keep from getting called.   3 more years.... 

I see I need to catch up on this topic.  Lots of good ideas here!  I took an early retirement in August 2015.  It was one of those offers where they picked a bunch of people in positions they thought they could do without, and previous offers produced about Half the employees taking it.  Under those circumstances I was afraid not to take the offer.  Then they right away hired me on as a contractor doing integration of engineering records from companies they buy into our system.  We are two purchases behind, so who knows how long it will last.  Funny thing is, I am often asked to give the younger guys support on my old work.  I don't have the stress I used to have, but banked some money, get two small pensions, and get paid almost what I had gotten before, but with no benefits.  My wife is 4 years younger than me, and it is looking like she may be cut in June, but the work and stress is getting so bad, we may decide for her to resign if not cut.

That said, I have been buying more train related items than I ever did, and soon will have to stop.  I have a plan in my topic in my signature for a room our last daughter at home vacated last fall.  I have been selling and trading some of my engines and cars I won't use on the layout.  

I had hoped to have lighting and re painting done by now, but we have had to help elderly relatives more this winter than in the past.

Please take a look at the topic in my signature to see the line of thinking that went into the plan to date.

I don't feel like I'm part of the new world order.   Go to meetings, promote your supporters, and hire contractors to do the work.  I'm not sure who out there is a planet of the apes fan, but I feel like the primates have taken over.  If I could have determined who ceaser was a decade or so ago, maybe the humans would still be in charge. 

I retired about two years ago after a career in the Air Force as a pilot/staff officer and a second career as a Navy program manager.  Due to less income, I decided that I had more than enough trains to run so my train buying pretty much came to a halt.  My train related goal was to complete my layout, which I have been working on for 10 years.  Unfortunately, several other projects have taken priority.  We've completely redone two bedrooms, the kitchen/family room, and now I'm working on our guest bathroom (just bought the flooring today).  My wife, who retired at the same time, has us traveling more.  Plus I have gotten more involved in Civil Air Patrol's emergency services programs.

I do enjoy running my trains and do it mostly at club events.  Once I complete the house to-dos, I will finish that layout (unless something else comes up).

We are in gulf shores all this week.  Thinking about getting a condo.  My wife thinks kissame area cuz of Disney.   I told her I want somewhere where I can get back and forth by train.  She's retired and I'm not.  Not a lot of train activity by the gulf.  Went to foley train museum today and layout was closed.  Cool caboose in front of the depot   I'm doing a lot of thinking about retirement   3 more!

I retired 5 years ago but moved and bought a house 5 before that.  As in most of Florida houses do not have basements so I bought a 70s ranch with a combination living room/dining room. I spent the next 6 months painting and putting in flooring through out the house.

I started my next to last layout about a year after moving.  I retired 4 years later.  With everything that's been going on in retirement, I don't see how I had found the time to work 50 hours per week!  The layout has been idle these last two years with family issues and a redesign in the works.  There is still the "final" layout waiting out there. 

I will suggest, if you can, have the space for the layout in hand (or a workable plan to get it) before you retire.  It doesn't have to be finished.  Once you retire your available cash will likely decrease. 

The second it to work hard on getting your wants and resources in agreement. 

Third, take your time.  A layout is never finished.

Jan

#CHINATRAIN99  thanks for the photos, and taking the time to share with us "Snow bound" folks. By the way, getting old is not for the faint of heart, nor is retirement...

Miggy posted:

#CHINATRAIN99  thanks for the photos, and taking the time to share with us "Snow bound" folks. By the way, getting old is not for the faint of heart, nor is retirement...

I second Miggy's thanks for the photos for us up North.  My wife and I joke about moving back to Keyser West Virginia where we lived for a short 3 years.  We liked it there better than any other place we lived.  Well it won't happen as long as any of our parents (die hard change of season lovers) are living.  LOL

Jeff (and all lucky retirees and those soon to be retired),

Great topic. I work for New York State and hope to retire within 5 years. For those with me that are currently in a 9 to 5 daily grind, there is a great book that I've found which should help you to adjust to leisure life and controlling your own time, called How to Retire Happy, Wild and Free. Barnes & Noble carries it in their Money section and Amazon carries it too. I highly recommend it. I like it so much I end up reading it over and over.

I hope to retire to upstate New York (my pension gets treated well if I stay in NY), but the thought of moving again scares me. We have things from our last move that we haven't unpacked yet. I think my wife and I can cope with the possibility of more snow in Winter, in exchange for lower property taxes and hopefully a nice side benefit of friendly neighbors... which has only been 50/50 in southern NY (no offense intended, just what we have observed). 

My current "layout" is an oval on my workbench which is fine for now...already have the plywood for the next layout.  

Tom 

Plans are to retire at end of 2017,worked construction most of my life,unless a retirement package is offered sooner.15yrs ago started building a 30 x 60 garage,in my spare time.Downstairs are my cars,Pontiacs. Upstairs needs to be finished,which will be my trainroom.Now deciding on design. House needs new roof,want new energy efficient windows,interior painting.So I'll be busy.

I retired from Federal Service in March 2016.  I'm moving ahead full speed with construction of a 20'x20' hi-rail layout in a new, dedicated basement space.  I received my benchwork in December, hung my backdrop in January, and started construction in earnest in February.  I had gone 3 years without a layout, so I wasted no time getting track laid and trains running on this one.

In the 1:1 world, my wife and I have enjoyed excursions behind NKP # 765 the past two summers.  We hope to ride Amtrak's Empire Builder to, and stay at, Cascades National Park in the next year or so.

I can retire in 3 years but I'm going to try to stick it out 2-3 more than that.  Wife has been retired 2 years.  My oldest is a freshman at the u of I and youngest a freshman in high school.  Both adopted from China. We've lived within our means and I could go in 3.  I've saved 10 weeks vacation and I'd like to take 3 extra weeks a year to be a little better financially.  I don't think we will move from our current place but I don't expect to stay for the illinois winters.  

I have been retired now for 3 months and in that time I have got more done on the layout than in the 15 years before that. The phrase life after you retire is true, have fun enjoy whatever hobby you have. It's a great time of your life.

I'll have a better idea 3/27/17, but as of right now 3/1/18 is looking pretty good. Rich is bigger than life. Can't begin to compete with his resume.

I have lots of irons in the fire. Church, two granddaughters, golf, boating, cars, hunting, trains, renovating the house. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to find something to do.

Train plans; River City 3 Railers and my attic layout. We make sawdust like a bunch of Beavers on crack!

May of 2018 will likely be my last year of employment. I will be 66 years old. Though I worked part time in various capacities since I was about 12 (paid in cash), it wasn't until 1967 that SSI was first withheld from a sure 'nuf (part time) paycheck at the age of 14-15.

So, I've been at it consistently for 50 years as I type.

The hobby of trains? Well... I don't really have solid plans, though I have options.  Railroading full time for more than a decade (was a part time contract railroader since 1986, but such time doesn't count toward Railroad Retirement) has altered my perception of the hobby of trains somewhat, so I'll have to wait to see if my desire to dink with model trains returns once I'm away from the prototype railroad scene.

What is slowly being re-established as a priority in my life is my love of music via playing the bass guitar. (I've played the bass since I was 14 or so.) I'm currently anchoring the bass guitar position at the church we attend, also play bass for a group that does worship music outside my home church, and in talks with another group to cover their bass position on an "as can" basis. Eventually, by the time I retire, I'm hoping to have a small ensemble put together that does various genres of music. (R&B, jazz, jazz/fusion, funk, blues... pretty much anything with a groove to it.)

So, nothing firm... things are loose and flexible... but I'm looking forward to being retired more and more each week.

#Larry3railtrains.  Nice layouts, you had me at "Tressel"

Knowing a bloke who goes by the nomenclature "ROO", I had to snap a shot of downsizing retirement layout caravan.

"fold down full-size-bed-in front near dining area: can be used for train layout, full time queen sized "bedroom in the back" sutible for train layout, Pop-out- Living-room with extra power outlets" suitable for trains �� layout......."

Semi-retirement was for me in my mid 50's and it was the best move ever made. There are many things that one can do on life's journey and we have traveled from coast to coast every year since. As for trains and my layout it was only started 14 years ago. Its 95% finished and now just buying the occasional odd piece that fits. Trains are the ideal winter hobby when the colder weather forces more indoor recreation.

I retired two years ago at 61.  I was a teacher, then dean of students (30 years) at a local HS.  Definitely the best move to make.  Only two of the eight poker-playing, train-loving guys are still working.  Had a cousin, who was only a year younger and didn't smoke, over for our annual New Years Eve blowout.  All the guys were screaming at him to retire, as he coughed his way through the night.  He had developed a heart condition and died in bed, three weeks ago.

It's hard to believe how much there is to do, even though you have all day to do it.  All the stuff you were interested in, but never had the time for, is now available to you.  During the winter, trains are the major interest.  I have two large layouts in the basement.  One is a table layout with newly constructed overhead lines and one is a two year old overhead that goes around the main part of the cellar.  With O gauge, there is always more to do, including all the maintenance that is required.  I can run 8 trains at a time on the table layout, and four on the overhead layout.  There is no sensible way to connect them.

Summers still include trains, but mostly running and maintaining them, with almost no new construction.  The guys play golf twice a week, and there is lots of outdoor stuff to occupy my time.

Also, when I was a college senior, I saw a first generation copy of the Zapruder film on TV.  That started me on a decade-long research project.  I haven't read much about it for 30 years, figuring I knew about the murders and it was a dead end.  On this forum, I clicked on a train video and a JFK video came up that led me to start reading again.  It's hard to believe what has been discovered about the intelligence community and it's virtual takeover of American foreign policy for all that time.  This is another project that revises all the history I thought I knew about the PW era.  Turns out that Truman and Eisenhower (and the Kennedy's) were right.  

It's more than just the absurdity of the official stories and the indifference (or fear) of an otherwise voracious media to report what is widely known.  I've no doubt they consider(ed) themselves patriots for doing it, then shielding us from it all.  As a retired American educator who now has time, I'd rather know as much of the truth as possible.  Hopefully, those times are past, but....

Sorry for the abrupt change in my story.  It should end with this:  Retirement is the best.  If you can, do it, and start doing all those things you never had the time and/or money to do.  Believe me, MTH, Lionel, and now Menards may end up as dependents on my tax returns.

Good luck to all of us who are there, and who are nearly there.

Jerry

CAPPilot posted:

I retired about two years ago after a career in the Air Force as a pilot/staff officer and a second career as a Navy program manager.  Due to less income, I decided that I had more than enough trains to run so my train buying pretty much came to a halt.  My train related goal was to complete my layout, which I have been working on for 10 years.  Unfortunately, several other projects have taken priority.  We've completely redone two bedrooms, the kitchen/family room, and now I'm working on our guest bathroom (just bought the flooring today).  My wife, who retired at the same time, has us traveling more.  Plus I have gotten more involved in Civil Air Patrol's emergency services programs.

I do enjoy running my trains and do it mostly at club events.  Once I complete the house to-dos, I will finish that layout (unless something else comes up).

I posted this here over a year ago and I'm still without an operating layout.  I thought I'd have lots of time for the layout, but other things keep coming up that are more important to me right now.  House projects have decreased, but traveling by car to up north has increased to get out of the southern Maryland summer heat and humidity, and to go cross country skiing in the winter.  I'm helping a friend with his layout and running trains there, plus still doing some shows with the National Capital Trackers.  I'm also now very active in the Civil Air Patrol cadet program as well as emergency services (never thought I'd work with the cadets, but it is turning out to be fun).  Medical issues has temporality limited my heavy lifting.

I have a lot of trains that need to get on the track, so I'm thinking of looking for a local handyman to help me finish the benchwork.  Getting the @#*! benchwork done has been my biggest obstacle.

I work for New York State and hope to retire within 5 years.

Just noticed this post. If they are still offering it, try to get to one of the NYS employee preretirement seminars. Lots of good information intended for planning a future retirement. When I took it, I had to preregister.

Hi C.W.

  I agree. I've done one so far and it was helpful. If they offer one of these each year until I retire, I would sign up as there is nothing to lose from it/them.

Tom 

Well, since my above post, I'm now retired since April 20th. My thoughts so far:

* My railroad with which I was employed worked with me so that my income flow was seamless. (i.e. They paid me in one lump sum for my vacation pay/etc, meaning that the one month lag between end of workforce pay and the start of the retirement checks didn't exist.)

* Once actually retired, it took all of a couple days or so to LOVE IT. (The first Monday that I didn't have to get up at 5:30 AM!!)

* My week now consists of 6 Saturday's and one Sunday.

* THANK GOD for RR retirement. It has far exceeded what I'd originally hoped to earn when I decided to go full time with my RR-ing.

I guess there IS  a downside: You give up holidays once you retire.  (A holiday is just another one of my Saturday's now!  )

Fortunately, I have a LOT of interests, so now that I'm able to devote whatever time I want to devote to a particular interest, I actually have to allocate time among my interests. My train hobby is a part of the equation (I do both V scale and HO scale), but I expect to use both V scale and HO scale as my primary recreational outlets when the weather is too extreme. (i.e. Too hot or too cold to enjoy my outdoor interests.)

If I'd known retirement would be this fun, I would have retired decades ago.

Andre

CAPPilot posted:

CAPPilot posted:

I retired about two years ago after a career in the Air Force as a pilot/staff officer and a second career as a Navy program manager.  Due to less income, I decided that I had more than enough trains to run so my train buying pretty much came to a halt.  My train related goal was to complete my layout, which I have been working on for 10 years.  Unfortunately, several other projects have taken priority.  We've completely redone two bedrooms, the kitchen/family room, and now I'm working on our guest bathroom (just bought the flooring today).  My wife, who retired at the same time, has us traveling more.  Plus I have gotten more involved in Civil Air Patrol's emergency services programs.

I do enjoy running my trains and do it mostly at club events.  Once I complete the house to-dos, I will finish that layout (unless something else comes up).

I posted this here over a year ago and I'm still without an operating layout.  I thought I'd have lots of time for the layout, but other things keep coming up that are more important to me right now.  House projects have decreased, but traveling by car to up north has increased to get out of the southern Maryland summer heat and humidity, and to go cross country skiing in the winter.  I'm helping a friend with his layout and running trains there, plus still doing some shows with the National Capital Trackers.  I'm also now very active in the Civil Air Patrol cadet program as well as emergency services (never thought I'd work with the cadets, but it is turning out to be fun).  Medical issues has temporality limited my heavy lifting.

I have a lot of trains that need to get on the track, so I'm thinking of looking for a local handyman to help me finish the benchwork.  Getting the @#*! benchwork done has been my biggest obstacle.

Ron,

Get the help you need and finish the layout! Running your trains whenever you desire is priceless!

Good Lord, is this thread still going on?  

Well, I see my first reply was in January, 2017.  I'm still retired (since 2010) and -- apart from an unpleasant month recovering from a bypass operation in 2012 -- still love it.  

During the summer months, I go biking several times a week, instead of going to the YMCA to work out, as I do in the cold months.  Of course, what with the constant rain and/or heat this July and August, maintaining the biking schedule has been harder than I anticipated.

I don't buy as much train equipment as I used to, partly because our local train store closed about three years ago; partly because there's only so much rolling stock you can put on a 6' x 8' basement-floor layout at one time.  But although I'm buying fewer trains, I seem to be working on them more, adding details, LED lights and just general maintenance.  If I ever see a nice Lionel scale PRR S2 turbine at a good price, I'd probably go for one, but other than that, I have no particular purchasing goals in mind.  There are two train shows a year in my area, and my lesser acquisitions are often guided by what appears there.

I have been moving more and more into music, getting back into clarinet playing after lo these many years, and now working on getting up to speed with my trumpet (a Selmer K-Modified, for those who care about such things).  I have a modest collection of WWII/Cold War-era military rifles that I enjoy shooting, though the miserable Pennsylvania weather has been restricting my target-shooting activities this summer.

As I read back through this thread, a couple of comments stood out to me (forgive me for not attributing them to their original authors):

"It's hard to believe how much there is to do, even though you have all day to do it.  All the stuff you were interested in, but never had the time for, is now available to you."

Words to live by.  I'm as busy now as I was when I was working (for A Major Eastern University™), but now I'm busy with things I want to do, which makes an enormous difference.  As an example: my wife and I visited the local County Fair on Monday, which is something we hadn't done in fifteen or so years.  Little things like that add up, believe me.

And probably the most telling comment of all:

"I knew it would be good, [but] I had no idea it would be THIS good."

I don't think I can top that one.

Traveling the country in style is not in a motor home, it's in hotels.

eddie g posted:

Traveling the country in style is not in a motor home, it's in hotels.

True dat, eddie g.  My idea of roughing it is "no cable".  Also I thought I would have beer for lunch every day and I've done that 4 times in 7 years.

Balshis

PERFECT!

Words to live by.  I'm as busy now as I was when I was working in 2006, but now I'm busy with things I want to do, which makes an enormous difference. 

And probably the most telling comment of all:

"I knew it would be good, [but] I had no idea it would be THIS good."

I don't think I can top that one.

Larry

I had a forced retirement about 5 years ago. I was 66 and put in for SS and my pension. Found out the pension was not fully funded as the law states. Turned over to the govt. who took over the pension and cut most of us by 50-60%. It has now been cut again, another 25%. In the meantime the company went out of business and gave every top manager $500,000 to leave the company. Nobody was ever prosecuted for not fully funding the pension fund.

Although I enjoy my retirement the cutting of my pension has put a real crimp in my plans. I do work part time now but working at almost 72 is no fun. 

Also the passing of close relatives like my brother has made living not as fun as it once was. Thank god for my close friends like Jim, Mike, Greg, Jen, Cheran and several others.  

Im still having fun with my trains and will till the end, what ever happens to them after I'm gone will not matter to me one bit. Sell them, trash them, set them on fire, I don't care. 

Sorry for the downer of a post but I just had to say it.

Dave

Been retired for 17 years and have made it a point not to be as busy as I was when I was working 50 - 60 hrs a week.  Now I do what ever I like,  when ever I like and set no schedules or make any commitments.   Sometimes I go months w/o even looking at my trains and at other times I'll spent 18 hrs a day working on them. Those that say they are busier now haven't been retired long enough.   Life is good.

david1 posted:

I had a forced retirement about 5 years ago. I was 66 and put in for SS and my pension. Found out the pension was not fully funded as the law states. Turned over to the govt. who took over the pension and cut most of us by 50-60%. It has now been cut again, another 25%. In the meantime the company went out of business and gave every top manager $500,000 to leave the company. Nobody was ever prosecuted for not fully funding the pension fund.

Although I enjoy my retirement the cutting of my pension has put a real crimp in my plans. I do work part time now but working at almost 72 is no fun. 

Also the passing of close relatives like my brother has made living not as fun as it once was. Thank god for my close friends like Jim, Mike, Greg, Jen, Cheran and several others.  

Im still having fun with my trains and will till the end, what ever happens to them after I'm gone will not matter to me one bit. Sell them, trash them, set them on fire, I don't care. 

Sorry for the downer of a post but I just had to say it.

Dave

That is a terrible situation about your pension, Dave!!  Also, losing good friends and loved ones defiantly will put a damper on all of us who live long enough to see so many go ahead of us.

Wow, great thread, and I have been retired since April 2, 2018, at 4:00PM.... I miss the people, and customers, but, I do not miss my job....I waited until the age of going on 74 to call it Quits. Now, I attend most all local train meets, visit friends, and have enjoyed doing home projects that need attention. I was fortunate to attend the past LCCA Convention in Chicago.....Traveling with my wife at the spur of the moment is Fantastic.... We prepared for this, it’s simply a Lot Of Fun. I plan to liquidate most of my collection over the next few years....This forum is one of my favorite places to be, we have a Great Hobby....Happy Railroading.

You all are scaring me!  Thought you were a lot older than me then realized I'm getting up there.  

Hopefully with pension, social security and savings we will do alright.  They guys who want to charge us big bucks to plot our future tell us so, but we have to sign up soon.  

As for the trains, bought way more than I can run.  And the next home will probably have even less space, so it's time to consider selling the bulk of my toys.  

Larry,you beat me by two years but I retired four times,the last in Sept of 2012 finally never looking back.I spend a lot of time in winter playing with my trains and in Spring and fall traveling in Europe riding trains thanks to my wife going along with it but I always give my wife seven days in Paris at the end of our Trips.

Mikey

Farmer_Bill posted:

You all are scaring me!  Thought you were a lot older than me then realized I'm getting up there.  

Hopefully with pension, social security and savings we will do alright.  They guys who want to charge us big bucks to plot our future tell us so, but we have to sign up soon.  

As for the trains, bought way more than I can run.  And the next home will probably have even less space, so it's time to consider selling the bulk of my toys.  

 

 

Bill, yes it is scary, and it just kind of sneaks up on you!  As I said on the other topic similar to this one, I’ll be 62 in two months.  My dad and father-in-law both retired right after they turned 62.  I don’t think or feel like I’m that old.  I just had a job interview for a full-time job yesterday!  Not that I really wanted to.  They weren’t doing that at 61 and 10 months.

I'm just about to turn 61 and I retired last November. I still teach a little piano, and I hope to do some writing, but I'm enjoying having the time to do some of the things I never had time for before, and trains are a big part of that.

Jeff C

leikec posted:

I'm just about to turn 61 and I retired last November. I still teach a little piano, and I hope to do some writing, but I'm enjoying having the time to do some of the things I never had time for before, and trains are a big part of that.

Jeff C

Congratulations Jeff!

For those fellows that are preparing to retire, remember,those BTO trains We ( I am Guilty) have ordered will be coming in, One-Day, and that my friend, could be a really Fun day with the Wife....I mention that because my favorite Hobby Shop sent me an email saying my Lionel Legacy F3 Sante Fe ABBA is do in Friday....Wow....So, now I need to maneuver things around to let this set Blend with the rest of the trains.. I did prepare for this, but will have to Really slow my buying down from now on. It’s an addictive hobby....Happy Railroading....

I don’t do BTO.  On the one hand you have time to save, but on the other hand the order could come in right after a major unexpected expense!!

Well, I have been retired since March of 2014, when I turned 62.  Glad I did, was tired of always being out-of-state managing construction and Safety of powerplants, etc.  Besides, my wife had the train room built above the new 3 car garage (2010) and now I am able to make more use of it.... LOL!!  Actually, busier now than ever with property work, animals, the usual along with new out door projects.  Now.. as of today... did interview to be operator of the new streetcars in Oklahoma City when they begin service late this year.   Just couldn't pass up the chance to actually sit in the cab and run the rails.  Even if it is a streetcar, it is still an opportunity too good to passed over.    Besides, the chance of supplementary income, for trains, gives a strong incentive.

Jesse   TCA    12-68275

Mark Boyce posted:

Well, I will read and comment on others' responses later.  Shooting from the hip, My story is, I was hit with an early retirement offer a year and a half ago.  Knowing I would have to work a little longer somewhere, it still seemed in my best interest to take the offer and look for something else.  As it turned out, I get two small pension checks a month that is paying into my IRA and for some bigger dollar train items I probably won't be able to afford when I retire for good.  It also happened, that I have been able to work as a contractor for the same company, converting engineering records from companies they buy into our company's system.  We have a backlog of 3 companies to get integrated, so there will still be work left when I retire for good.  This coincides with out last daughter getting married, leave me a room, and I have been able to start planning this layout that will carry me into retirement.  

Well, it’s been another year and a half, and I’m still at the same company working part time now for the last year.  I got started in the daughters former room, then my wife realized we weren’t using the family room, so she suggested I build there.  You can see the details in the link in my signature line.

 I haven’t been able to get much done since my parents moved into personal care, and I’ve been maintaining and starting to clean out the family homestead. 130- year old house and average and outbuildings.  We will see how things go.

Two of the recurring themes I have read is people selling off big chunks if not all of their train collections and people backing off if not completely stopping purchasing trains.

If thinning out or selling off my trains were part of my retirement plan I would make it a priority and sell them now. The average age of a 3 rail O gauger is getting up in years, pretty soon it will become very hard to sell those trains, especially the expensive ones.

I am not saying that to get anyone scared, I do not believe for a minute the hobby is dying, its not. As we all know, the baby boom generation is significantly bigger than the generations behind it. Everything will change as we retire and die off.

As an example, I was into O scale trollies 2001. I sold off everything, I had no problem getting decent prices for my stuff. Fast forward 17 years and the market for trolley parts is about dead (parts to build model trollies from scratch). The prices of complete working models has flattened out or dropped off. This will happen with all of the 3 rail stuff that has been made over the last 30 years.

I have 8-10 years to go, if I could retire now at 55, I'd run away from my job and go back to driving 18 wheelers around part time. My hat is off to all of you that made it!

I don't want to darken this thread but I am getting a little nervous about retirement lately, I was planning to retire in about 2 years and build my last layout, but seeing what has been going on around me I don't know. In the last year 3 of my friends and co workers have retired, One lasted almost a year we buried him 1 month ago, another really good friend and co worker who I have been deployed with several times when we were in uniform retired on monday and was gone by wednesday, and another good buddy who retired in july just past yesturday.  To all who have made it congratulations and God bless, for me I am going to take it one day at a time and continue planning my last layout and god willing and the creek don't rise I might get to run some trains on it.

Old toymaker, I retired early ( medically ) at the age of 59. I do not regret a day of it. I had open heart surgery 2 years ago. I'm still doing fine. I know how you feel thou, Back in 2002 I no more got done going to a friends funeral ( he was 47 ) that I got a call another who was more like a brother than a friend passed away ( he was 46 ). We were the three amigo's in high school. I was sure I was next. It happens and you never know when, but don't let it worry you. I never made a deployment with either, but if they had been in the Navy I'm sure we would have somehow.