would you buy a train layout to help sick childern

well as some of you know i have a son who is fighting a genitc dissorder called canavan's. we been trying to come up with foundraisers to help him and the other childern with this dissorder and i told my wife i would build another layout and sell it off to help these kids but she told me that no one would buy it and you have a layout that you have not finshed yet i told her that the layout i have will never be finshed and i would build a new smaller layout to sell. nothing big as for a layout but it would be able to join on to another layout or they can add to it. so here i am trying to prove her wrong and see what you all think about it. as for the track plans im open to any and all. but just keep in mind it is going to be sold to help my son and the others fighting this dissorder ..
 
What a great idea! It sounds like a great way for you to have some fun while helping your son. How about something in HO that could be an engine terminal (for both steam and diesel), but not including the turntable and roundhouse. Depending on the final setup and size, I might actually be interested in purchasing it.
 

MasonJar

It's not rocket surgery
Local Fundraiser

A local (Ottawa, Canada) organization - Ottawa Valley Associated Railroaders www.ovar.ca builds a layout every year to raffle off at Railfair, the biggest local show. The proceeds go to CHEO, the childrens hospital.

If you have a local club, maybe they'd be interested in getting involved in a fundraiser to benefit a support group, the local hospital, or research or treatment facilities.

Andrew
 
Scooby, In all reality, unless you are comsissioned to build a layout, you will be unable to make a profit by building one and selling it. Take a look at the completed or partialy completed layouts on E-bay and you'll see what I mean. They are selling for about 20 cents on the dollar. On the other hand, If you can get someone to pay you to build a specific layout for them... You might be able to make some money.

Good luck.
 

N Gauger

1:20.3 Train Addict
So, combining these Three Great ideas - We have:

If you sell chances to have someone commissionnyou to build a ayout for them, you will solve the problem. :D :D

Of course, you will have to buy supplies. --- Not many though - Ask for donations of Bldgs & supplies. - We did for our Museum Layout & you would be suprised how many people will "Just donate Money"

Good Luck in this endeavor keep us all informed!! :D
 

Ravensfan

New Member
if it will cost more to build than what you can get from selling, then don't bother. what you will likely need is to have a LHS or two, or three, donate various parts - that is the only way to make it worth the effort. otherwise, just use the money you would have spent on the layout and make an appropriate donation.
 

Woodie

Active Member
Scooby,
I have just looked up all about Canavans disorder, and am sorry to hear of your son.

I'd go with Andrew and, yes, build the layout and maybe approach a local hobby shop/delaer for sponsorship, and also, at the next local train show, raffle it off, and display it as part of the shop/dealers display. My local annual train show has more than 10,000 people go through it over 3 days. 1000 or so tickets at, say, $1 ea would raise more than just selling it off, IMO.

Just a simple 4 X 8 single track loop, with a couple of sidings, and a tunnel would suffice. (HO, but N could be smaller).
 

MCL_RDG

Member
Focus

Forget about applying modeling (of any kind) as a means to support a child (even the professionals are having a hard time just trying to make a buck). That's for you to enjoy.

There's no way to know here what lengths you've gone thru to prepare for future care.

Practicality suggests you exhaust all practical means. Hoping someone will buy a train... is not the answer.

If it's a question of how to raise money for a legitimate cause I suggest you contact your local, state, and federal representatives and ask that their offices provide you with names and numbers for where to find access for support. If they're no help, move on, they're bureaucrats who are paid to answer the phone, give no answer and leave you wondering why you pay taxes for all the programs you can't get access to.

Establish fund for donations. Have you done that? People appreciate legitimacy, so does the IRS, etc. Seek legal advice. Call a couple of prominent local attorneys who offer free family consultation about setting up a trust/fund. Explain the situation. DO NOT think that he will do anything other than listen for 3 minutes. Make sure you ask when he is going to start BIILLING you.

Talk to several banks, ask the same questions about how to set up a fund.

Whatever you do- DONT DO ANYTHING until you have many more questions answered.

Do not build model railroads to sell. Ain't gonna happen.

Local newspapers always pickup this kind of story- call the local paper after you've established a trust. Pick their brains.

You've got more to do than build model railroads.

This is HARDBALL when it comes to a child! All avenues, at any means!!!

Hobbies and trains and easy means- forget about it.

Best wishes,

Mark
 
well mark
i went to the gov but i'll tell you this. this disease is what they call little known their is more money put out on other diseases than this one. not to put pepole down but the goverment puts out about 2.3 billion in to diet pills each year but when it comes to a gentic diseases little money is spent on them. all money going in to the foundation goes to help the childern fighting this disease and all the reasearch done will help other childern and people fighting other diseases that are linked to this. i'm not saying that i just want to sell off a train layout. i got in to this hobby as a young boy and would like my son to have what i didn't in life. i love this hobby and would not change it for anything. i just thought that with this hobby growing as fast as it is it would be a great plan to do a layout and reffle it off at the next train show here.
 

billk

Active Member
Scooby
Your desire to do this is understandable and commendable. My concern would be that you get more money from it than you put into it, otherwise as a previous poster noted, you would be better off just making a donation. With this in mind, would a train show raffle be the best method, or would it be better either raffled or auctioned off at a fundraiser put on solely for raising money for the charity?

I think it would make a difference, whether your "target market" was model railroaders or the more general public, as to how you made the layout. For example, MRRs would want something with more operating potential, the general public might be wondering "If I win this thing, where would I keep it?" so keeping it compact would be a priority, etc.

Once you get a design in mind, you may be able to get sonations of supplies and materials from hobby shops, suppliers or even manufacturer's - this would certainly help. It's kind of hard to think of the hobby from this standpoint - one doesn't usually consider the "profit" potential.

Luck - BillK
 

interurban

Active Member
Hi Scooby.
Build a nice simple layout HO 4X6 or 4 x8.

Get Permmision from the next railway show and raffel it .
I Pray you will be pleasantly surprised.
Also it provides an oppertunity for people to be more aware of Canavan.

As Andrew said Railfair had one , and our local whitby show did very well.
You and yours are in our thoughts and Prayers.
 
well tinks for the thoughts and as for the layout it would be done at the train show here becouse i think that i would have more out come on it their than at a foundraiser i have planed later this year. doing it at the train show would be the best way i think becouse then pepole getting into this hobby would have a chance to win a complete layout. and they are more into the hobby than the ones that wouldn't go to the train show. but that layout wouldn't be the only thing i been thinking of locos and rolling stock and some other things to but the layout would be the biggest thing.
 
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