My heart goes out to the old man. Lived his dreams and passion. I hope he had family that cared about him. When I was in Cub Scouts in the early 70s my Denmother's husband was a lover of model trains. His track system covered over half of their houses basement. He created mountain side scenes with tunnels, small towns and villages, pasture scenes, trusseled bridges over rivers . It was beautiful. As a boy of 6 or 7 years old the man's hobby set my heart afire. And who else remembers the old Casey Jones show with Round House Rodeny? Your channel came across my suggestions feed. I like how respectful you are going about tour. Subbed and 👍👍
Sad story no matter what it was. Seven years ago I became seriously ill even to the point of being in hospice and somehow miraculously survived but upon returning home finding my home had been gone through by “friends” No one ever came forward after my return home to give back my personal items. Before going in to hospice I do remember one person asking if he could have a picture I have hanging in my living room and another asked me for my PIN to my ATM card while I laid in my almost death bed. When my best friend died three years ago her family told me to look through her things and to take what I liked. Brought me to tears feeling like I was looting and plundering and I couldn’t do it. It’s about respect. Thank you for this video. This man was once known and loved by somebody I’m sure
That's too bad but I'm glad you recovered! Either way though, those people weren't your friends to begin with if they would do something like that! Thanks for the comment!!
I’ve seen the very same thing with my brother , he lost his wife of 45 yrs and his kids and grandkids just stopped coming over never to be heard from again until they found out he was about to die ! They we’re fighting over his things and trying to get into his bank accounts ! Then he made a 360’ and none of them have been heard or seen again ! So sad ! Some people just SUCK!
When my Grandma passed away my cousins went around to her house and took anything and everything of value, handbags and purses all gone etc, when she was alive non of them went around to see her even though they all lived literally 5 minutes away away, we would travel 40 minutes each way each week to visit her. Luckily the only thing we wanted to keep was old photos from my Grandparents, my grandad in ww2 and a pic of my grandmas first boyfriend who was killed as a pilot in ww2, there were hundreds of photos and they luckily hadn’t touched any of them.
Have to say who ever removed the trains didn't know much there worth twice the money with the boxes. Must of been a show to see the trains moving on those crazy tracks 👣☺️
I'd like to have in my pocket now what that guy paid for all of that stuff. Have you priced that stuff lately? He couldn't have been poor. Probably an old retired guy with a nice income.
That Man's pasion for the Lionel Train was epic. I assumed the people that ravaged that property after their passing, didn't care about the VALUE (just the quick cash) but all those boxes make the train worth so much more. That track is fairly New, still worth a bit money if salvaged properly.
They are only looking to steal what they can quickly sell for drug money. Trains may be collectible but only to a very small number of people, and once they can't get anyone to buy them they'll likely end up in the landfill. If they did the research and learned that the boxes are very important they'll just give up rather than go back for them.
I have 240 feet of track on my layout that hangs above my work shop. I know from experience that you need power feed every 10 to 12 feet to counter voltage drop from long runs... Just keeping that amount of track clean would take time. Bet he had a track cleaning car or two!
Grow room maybe made by someone after the house was abandoned because it just feels like some widower lived here long after his wife passed away. Loved the old wallpaper and linoleum flooring in the upstairs bedroom. There was something so satisfying pushing those buttons to turn on lights like using a rotary dial on a phone.
Ya, the old wallpaper and linoleum in this house was great! I have never had the pleasure of using push button light switches but have now found them in a few different abandoned homes. Thank you so much for the comment!!
you need to understand how much good you do with these videos. I'm 50 and when I see these videos I'm transformed into a child again you don't get it cause your just a kid but you are dusting off our memories..thanks
What you are looking at @22:27 is called a "Helix". It's basically a spiral of train tracks that allow the train to go from the lower level to the higher levels. They do this because the train can't pull cars up steep, long slopes. The steepest slope a train (Real or model) can go up is about a 5% incline. That's where the helix comes in for that type of job because you are basically taking miles of 5% incline and wrapping them around a circle to reduce the floor space of that traverse. Looking at all that track, if you straightened out that helix, it would probably stretch out 20-40 miles in a straight line. I wonder if "Back in the glory days" of that house if the Helix in the basement brought the trains into the dining room through the walls and such.
I can't imagine the patience it took to build that track! Sad to see all of the empty train boxes. I'm sure they have been taken, although I think they are worth more with the box. Love that you are finding places other explorers haven't been - keeps your channel fresh. Thanks for the tour James!
Ya, i can't believe the amount of work that went into that model train setup, it's unbelievable! I visit most of the popular places too but i try not to post them when every other explorer is doing the same. Thanks for the support KMF!!
This man must have been Ward Kimball's unacknowledged brother. The poor man was obviously obsessed; 90% of his utility bill was to run the trains and grow his doobage. Imagine him sitting, watching the trains go round and round and round, smoking his "boom-a-latchie", and thinking his odd loco - motivational thoughts. A very inventive man. The bathroom sink with the wrench handle just floored me. I guess the household duties overwhelmed him and he let them slide a bit too long. That aluminum foil thing attached to the bed is a makeshift reading light. If you look under you'll likely see a bulb. At least he didn't burn the house down. Thank you for this trip to the twilight zone. Well done.
Definitely seems as though he probably enjoyed his life, which is good. Ya, the house may not be pretty but he managed to make things work for him. Thanks for commenting!!
Some old man use to sit down there playing with his trains watching TV. I can picture that. Fire up the wood stove, watch tv, and play with trains. That’s the life.
You might consider calling the local train club and letting them know that there is a boat load of track and it is probably in good condition. Each 9" straight or each curve sells for $1 in ok condition up to $4 in really nice condition.
It’s a lifetime hobby. For most people, including myself, the love began after seeing my new Lionel train set running around the Christmas tree. Once you get hooked it never goes away
I would say it was an extremely strong bet that the house was taken over by squatters for a while. The janked-together light on the bed with the closely-fitted reflector, that's to keep the light from casting on the window. And the other room with the reflectors, those were most likely put first in the windows to keep the light from getting out, and then to maximize output of a thrown-together pot growing project. As cluttered as this place is, it was a LOT neater when its legitimate resident was around. Trains are orderly, regimented - the boxes and parts and supplies were all well arranged, probably even sorted by a category system. The chaos you see is the result of an uncaring intruder.
I enjoyed this video ❤ this person enjoyed his trains!! Don’t want to upset anyone but I want to save the piano!!!! Thanks for playing it!! It still has great sounds!!❤ be safe!! Pam❤️❤️
First time seeing one of your videos - really enjoyed it! I really appreciated the thoroughness, care, and respect you showed as you went through the house. Great work - I look forward to watching more!
Glad you are enjoying the videos Mara and thank you so much for the comment!! PS, if i forget your name in the future because it's not in the comment and i call you "Rusty", don't take it personally, i rarely can remember people's names!
Looks like one of my Dad's Model Railroad friends house. Our basement, has a unfinished model railroad layout in O Guage. Dad never got a chance to finish, let alone run his trains on it. Started in 1951 and ended in 2005. Unlike this house, Dad's has the overhead wiring to run interurban and trolley/pentagraph style model trains. Age 81, it was difficult to go under his layout and began to cut into the layout to make a rising bridge like entry. Suffering a severe heart attack, dying 2 weeks later.
Your narrations have such a calming effect. Next time I get all stressed out, I am going to tune into one of your uploads and just close my eyes and relax!
The elevated O Gauge train tracks is common for hobby stores and such. It's a set-up that allows you to run the train through the house without the train interfering with people or furniture. But yes...usually people build a layout in the basement. Surprised you didn't find any big train layout there.
I can't believe you walked right past the door with the giant hole and a fan mounted in it! That was the most makeshift thing in the whole house. The last owner definitely spent more time and money on model trains than on home maintenance and repair. Great video, this is my first time watching your channel.
Yeah , you could say he got every cent of use out of his available resources, it gave the video a kinda strange appeal ,as if one had stepped through some dimensional wall so to speak, and entered another , simpler time. That stuff could have been there for thirty years. Strange isn't it?
When I was a kid I loved these trains. There is a mall that our local model train club had a display at. I was always mesmerized watching it everytime i go to see it. This an expensive hobby. Some of that stuff in there could be worth a bit. Dang. Great Explore JH. Big Hugs 😊😊
Yes, i would imagine one can spend an almost endless amount of money on these model trains. Glad you enjoyed this one Kimmy and thanks for the support!!
I'm envisioning a guy who inherited this house from his grandmother and turned it into a model train aficionados heaven. Because he spends every last penny on things train related he has to grow his own pot and improvises on home repairs, i.e. the wrench that's jammed into the faucet for use as a makeshift handle; the large fan mounted in a custom hole in the kitchen door; and what appears to be a custom light fixture bracket in the kitchen that's made out of old hockey sticks. He also used hockey sticks as supports for the ceiling mounted train track assembly in the living room. He was so enthusiastic about building the display shelves for his trains he forgot to remove the mirror that's hanging on the wall and built the shelving over it.
I wasn't able to find out much of anything about the home, only it's current owner and that he is not the one who created that track setup. Thanks for the comment!!
This one was a weird one. Whoever lived there seems to like trains and their calendars. I think I saw 4 or 5 calendars. Thanks for the explore James.✌🏻
Hmm, i only know of one other person that has posted a video from here but maybe there are others i don't know about. Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the comment Colleen!!
Awww your welcome.What other video do you know of?Maybe I've yet to see if?Have you ever explored grandma's house or the sexy retreat?those are other favorites as well please be safe
Don't know if i have ever done grandma's house before, would have to see what it looks like. Î have filmed sexy retreat but it was one of my earlier videos, so the sound quality is terrible but i will release it one day. Terry Wilson is the only other person i know that has posted a video. He has posted two different ones
Oh, my gosh James. What a find! Lionel trains were top of the line. Worth so much money. Huge in the fifties and sixties Something happened to this person to leave it behind like this. I’m guessing the house always looked like this.. even when he lived there. Just a vibe I have. Thank you, James!! Love from the Ft Worth Smith twins
Yes, the house probably did look like that for a long time, it's just the way some people are. I am guessing he died of old age, just judging by the how old a lot of the items were in the home. Thanks for the comment!!
Not all Lionel trains are worth a lot of money. A big misconception. Lionel made expensive items and inexpensive items. Some had collector value others did not.
All of the hoarders I've ever known always left pathways through their rubble. Thieves (and probably raccoons and other animals) aren't fussy. Thieves look for things they can easily and quickly sell; animals look for food.
It looks to me like he was a retired signal maintainer judging by some of the artifacts I saw. Im a retired maintainer so I know. Anything with the Lionel name on it booklets even empty boxes are worn money on E-Bay. Very creative layout in basement, he did the best he could with limited space and money. I hope he is working on a layout in the after life, a man after my own heart. Go back and save what you can.
@@StaticSpaces I was a signal maintainer on the railroad for 38 years. We repair and maintains, signals switches, RR crossings. I also have a large N-scale train layout.
My dad used to take me to the Lionel train show in NYC every year, it took up a whole floor of a big building. I was heartbroken when in the mid sixties the doors were locked, the trains still inside, Lionel went bankrupt, like the real railroads, people moved on. Thank god for the Japanese they started making quality model trains unlike the toys that were being sold in US. When I die my daughter could sell all my equipment on E-bay for many thousands of dollars if she took the time but it will probably end up in the trash, its very sad, one mans treasure.
Ahh Canada. Where Timmy's cups are collectors items, and hockey sticks are used in construction! I don't ever want to live anywhere else! Also, a yet another model train nut, what all of the tracks stacked along the wall could have been. The whole system on the ceiling may have dropped down to connect with each one if wanted. Not sure though. Could have just been display. Shame it ended up that way. Cool vid though! Also, I had the exact same TV at a younger age. Thanks for the new grey hair!
Lionel is a huge name in model trains. The prewar era trains are worth a lot of money. My Dad has a set and some of them he got from his father. Trains are cool toys, but can be very time consuming.
Some of that three-rail Lionel track is very old, and the oldest model train boxes I could see seem to come from 60s or early 70s. In general this is a very old fashioned way of building a layout, sometimes called the "spaghetti bowl", where you just try to jam as much track into your space as possible. Usually people building layouts at this size try to at least partially emulate real railroad construction and operation methods. TBH this seems like evidence of hoarding behavior, because that layout seems impractically elaborate and actually operating and especially troubleshooting it would be a nightmare.
It's a helix...a giant spiral intended to bring the train up a level or two. Since trains can only rise 5% at the most up a slope, you need a lot of room to bring a train up even to it's 4" body height. Since it would take miles for the train to travel in a straight line and your house doesn't have miles inside it, a spiral with curved track cuts the running room down tremendously. - Helixes exist in the real train world too. Look into The Spiral Tunnels which is outside of Hope in British Columbia.
Bizarre the things left behind.weird how they held things together the make shift shutters gave me the creeps in all interesting. Thanks for the look 👣🌞
Ya the makeshift shutters were a little odd but i think the owner just liked working with his hands. And maybe other than model trains, didn't like spending money. Thanks for the comment!!
Strange alright SS! He must have been extremely short to put up all those tracks in the basement . That place looked like it was deserted in the 50’s. I can picture the kids in the neighborhood back in the day talking about the strange guy that lives there. All he does after work is build more & more track for his trains. I really would love to hear this background story. I assume only a bachelor would get away with using the majority of the house for this😳. Thanks James
It sure would take commitment to create such an elaborate setup. I suspect he was a bachelor as well or maybe widowed or divorced. Thanks for the comment CK!!
Interesting channel, just found it. That was probrably a cute little cozy house, long time ago. I bet the last owner fell very sick, had no family to take care of the house, and sadly never was able to return home. Oh well, very interesting video. Cheers, Steve in Minneapolis
I saw this house when probably one of the first explorers went in. The trains were still there. Sadly with the empty boxes they were probably stolen and they had no idea their worth with the box. 😔
I only know of one other explorer that has posted this one and the trains weren't there for his visit either. Do you happen to remember who the explorer was? Thanks for the comment!!
How do you know you are in Canada without saying it? Tim Hortons and Hockey Sticks! I’m not talking smack as I love both! Seriously though, it’s sad to see all these items like that. I’m hoping that my model railroad collection fares better when I pass away. Thankfully both of my kids love the hobby. As for all the items left behind, I personally would love to find someone that is family to save the model items left behind because they were obviously loved and they deserve to be saved. I hope something like that ends up happening. Great video!
Hahaha true. Although Tim Hortons has lost favour with a lot of people over the years, the quality has gone downhill and I hardly ever go there. It's good that your kids take an interest in model railroading, I am guessing this man's family did not. Thank you very much for your comment and glad you enjoyed the video!!
Ya, was a pretty spectacular location. There were no trains in the boxes and i have no idea where they went but hopefully it was either family or the owner that took them. Thanks for the comment!!
Enjoyed your video, sad remnant of a past life. The house was so tiny, he must have had a very low income or was very conservative. Often when older persons die or are placed in a home, relatives simply look through what's left take a few things and what is left is left. I wonder if he was alone, I did not see any women's items. So sad thinking of him living alone, becoming old with only his trains for company. For some reason this video touched me with a sad message of our own mortality. Your calm voice and clean language also adds to it's appeal. Thanks for a great work, I will follow you in your future endeavors.
I get the feeling he was living alone too, i don't remember seeing any signs of anyone else living there. The good thing about that though is you get to do whatever you want, whenever you want. Thanks for commenting!!
I would love to get an inventory of the boxes just to estimate the value of his collection. Plus he probably had trains he had when he was a boy. I have 4 complete sets from the 40s and 50s but no boxes. To the one thought this layout would be hard to keep running. Nope my newest toys dated to 1962 . The analog technology is pretty much bulletproof. Everything still runs like it did 60yrs ago. I still have a small can of singer sewing machine my dad gave me in 1965 a few drops keeps locos and cars rolling fine.
Lionel is still top of the line in O gauge model railroading, and you can tell the age of them easily from the the age approval on them the original pre war era says for ages 8 and up then the MPC/TMCC era says ages 10 and up then more modern from some were around 96 and up says from ages 14 and up
I understand some people have a raging addiction to Lionel trains trust me I'm one of them but my trains would never end up like that and you're right somebody must have just come in and scooped up everything they could get as far as trains and Rolling Stock and then left the boxes the boxes are worth money as well that's a damn shame
I believe it’s called a Helix. Circles stacked to allow trains to climb to a level that would continue to another flat run. Switchbacks are another way to gain or lower height for more straight track. This one took a Lot 😵💫of work! Looks like more than one layer of track. What a sad home. 😢
I think that oven is an old brand that was part of the 'Hamilton-Beach' company. I think they still sell cooking appliances in Australia. Makes you wonder how they got the bed and all that furniture upstairs around that tight bend in the staircase. Symphonic was a cheap discount brand sold at places like Kmart and discount electronics stores. Their HQ was in Montreal. Weird thing about how the guy had the trains run at the top of the ceiling is you couldn't even see them if they ran or for display.
Most of those boxes were from the 2010's, so most of the stuff was fairly new. When the person left, I'm assuming they died, the engines and cars probably got sold off, they would've been the only things that were worth anything out of all the train stuff. Magazines that said "Trains" on them we're also from the 2010's.
My guess is that a person who loves trains live here (somewhat obvious) and then died without anyone left to take care of the home. The trains seam to center around Lionel. This would tend to indicate an older person, as new enthusiast tend to be collectors of newer train types like HO or S scale. The house now abandoned, then it fell to the homeless squatters for a time. I kept hearing a fire alarm chirp, so I would think it had not been a long-time scene someone lived in the house. 2 or 3 years. Of course, this is all guess work. I'm sure whoever lived here would be disheartened to see it now.
You are on the write "track" with your guesswork but i think it's been more than 2-3 years judging by the calendar but i could be wrong. Thanks for the comment!!
Greetings from Monster Hobbies. So YT recommended this video to me. Anyway, K-line and Lionel is O gauge trains, which are 1/48th scale and uses the tri-rail system. Shame that those catalogs are all over that floor. - If the trains are still in those boxes, you should pick them up. From the wall paper, oven and Christmas decorations, I'd say 1950's - 1970's for the decor. Push button light switches would be 1920's - 1930's.
Hi James 👋Wow this place kinda does look like a hoarders house 😳Weird wallpaper too 😁Thank you for your up loading this video James 👍 I really enjoyed these one 😊Great find as well 😎This place seen better days 🫠
Yes a lot of work to be done for sure. I don't think the roof has any holes in it though, so the buildings bones are probably pretty solid. Thanks for the comment!!
20:00 The really tight space in the pantry amongst all the mess was a tight angled corner it was terrifying to see this creepy hidden basement door with a very strange ominous padding on the wooden door looking into darkness i claustrophobic feeling came over me as i was waiting down there i am sure a ghost of a old man i saw out from the corner of my eye. The scene is like it is from a indie Horror game.
I would guess that the padding may have been to reduce the noise from the train set when in operation downstairs, either that or maybe insulation to keep the cold from creeping upstairs. Thanks a lot for your comment!!
I think they lacked or had improper grouting done, that's what usually keeps tile work waterproof. Either way, it strange to see. Thank you very much for the comment!!
Unfortunately, they were all empty. I would imagine he kept some trains on the display upstairs and likely the rest on the helix in the basement. He probably just kept the boxes in case he ever decided to sell the trains. Thanks for the comment!!
There doesn't appear to be any space for dioramas (little buildings and landscape items) although it's possible that the person who took the trains also made off with the dioramas, if there were any.
You mention not being able to tell when it was abandoned and say you saw a 2007 calendar. Based on a few glimpses of the various train magazines lying around and trying to match them with ones in my collection, I can say with confidence that whoever lived there was receiving mail in at least 2014.
Ya, it's really strange because usually the calendars are a good indicator of when a place was abandoned but some of those magazines i am finding out now are far more modern. Thanks for the comment!!
Great video, that smoke alarm low battery warning beep made me wonder how long ago that battery was fitted as mine needs changing every couple of years or so. Maybe a safety conscious squatter?
Could be, i mean i figured it had been abandoned since 2007 because of the calendar but you are right, usually a couple years for a 9 volt battery is typical. Thanks for the comment!!
@@StaticSpaces Thinking about it though,I set my alarm off at least once a week whilst cooking things 🤣 so without use at all they could last triple time 😁 I'll have a watch through your older videos ASAP as I've enjoyed the few I've seen so far👍🏻
@6:40 My Grandmother gave me the exact same santa claus on a reindeer when I was a kid in the 1970s. She used to have it in her window and it was old when she gave it to me.
What's pixelated there? What's up with that? That was definitely somebody's grow room upstairs. All the empty boxes, somebody stole everything of value and left the junk behind. The fan in the door is a unique touch. Somebody left that place in a hurry. All that cool "makeshift" (Read: ingenious and inventive inexpensive solutions...) stuff. That's not that old of a TV, looks consistent with 2007. That's only 15 years ago. Somebody was likely squatting in there. Them cellar stairs are sketchy as fuck. I wouldn't have trusted them. That was a helix in the cellar. I'm gonna guess it was Grampa's house, Grampa died, grandson moved in, sold all the trains, had a grow room upstairs and a game room downstairs. Maybe he was a fuckup like Ricky from Trailer Park Boys, and he got busted and went to jail, and people squatted there afterwards. Maybe not. Where's this house at? Don't just say Canada, I mean like _where at?_ I can see other houses by it, so it's not out in the bumfuck woods somewhere, it looks like it's in a neighborhood. I've come across abandoned houses in the woods before while hunting. Sometimes somebody dies and they ain't got no family, or their family doesn't care about the place, so it just goes to shit. I could show you a 52 Chevy panel truck, and a 59 Willys, and lots of other poor old vehicles in the woods, if they're still there, in the woods there, in an undisclosed location way up in the cut, off the beaten path, where the fur bearing critters roam, and the Sasquatch folks. Sorry, can't say where, somewhere in the US of A.
Hi James : Hope you made this vid in the winter , judging by the way you're dressed .We hit 32 degrees here in Southern On this past weekend ! I knew a guy that was into train sets and had a basement full of them . Strangest perv I ever met .Really like your vids . Keep up your great work !
Ya, i guess it was still technically winter but definitely cold that day! Right now I am trying to enjoy the warmth while it lasts! Your last comment is both funny and disturbing at the same time. Thanks for the comment John!!
@@StaticSpaces James : I removed my last comment the day after I posted it . Knew you would get a laugh out of it ,but your viewing audience might not get the humour in it ! I promise I will clean up my act in future .You make my day when you post a video . John
Can't remember what it was off the top of my head but it's up to you. There is more leeway in the comments than with the videos people can post and still be monetized. Always appreciate your support!!
The home I'm guessing was built in the 20's, classic craftsman style trim, Wall paper looks like period to that time. The plastic tiles are called bakelite tiles, very popular in the 20's and 30's. If you ever find an old toilet, or old plumbing, many times there will be a date stamp on the under side. FYI
I think you are right, 20s or 30s was my guess as well. Bakelite tiles i have heard that term before I think will have to look it up. Where on the toilet would the date be, like on the base near the flange area? Thanks for the comment!!
@@StaticSpaces Check right under the lid. That was common practice until the 80’s. For porcelain sinks you’d look underneath and it would be date stamped. On a side note, some of the flooring looked like linoleum which would be similar to todays vinyl. If you see thick squares of flooring in older basements, that most likely would be asbestos tile.
Ok cool, I'll have to try to remember to check the sinks and toilets now! Yes, linoleum and floor tiles containing asbestos i am very familiar with. Appreciate the insights!
