BTW, the "railroad" is a park train, about 2 foot gauge, maybe a bit more or less, I can't recall... Taxes certainly didn't help the problem, but this was also a factor: (Quoting the article)



The train was definitely the star attraction, and having it not operate for 16 years, along with the golf course being in poor condition, also contributed to the problems.

On an un-related note, the train had the steepest grade I've ever seen on a park train. It wound around back and forth through the woods climbing up the hill (still hard to believe they had a mile of track crammed in there...) but then on the way back down it was a straight shot, and quite steep. He brought the train down at a crawl, but it was someting else.

The headline makes it sound like the big bad taxman destroying a beloved train. Actually, they are sitting on a multi-million dollar chunk of property with a park train that has been stored for 16 years. I wish I had that problem. I would sell the property, retire, and play with my train on cheaper property elsewhere.

Aww, don't be too hard on them Tom, these people (news outlets) are in the business of selling eyeball impressions, and therefore, will NEVER miss the opportunity to include one of the "hot button" words in their story titles...

Oh, how I wish I could go back 40+ years and get "media literacy" included in mandatory high school curriculums. Sheesh.

It does my heart well, though, to see that not everyone is duped!

This story sounds like so many other business (and non-profit group) stories: Times change, things wear out, and there are not enough resources (financial and/or human) to rebuild or modernize. I think of railway museums that started in the 50's. Cars that were just out of service when they were acquired have now been historic relics for longer than they were revenue producers. Cars that were worn out but still operable have finally arrived at the point where expensive repairs and replacements are necessary. At least some museums have grown to where they are attractive destinations for non-railfans, and have moved beyond what one sympathetic but realistic author characterized as "an oddly specialized dump". I also thought of Hilton & Due's Electric Interurban Railways book and how nearly all of the interurbans were OK as long as they didn't have to do any major repairs or upgrades, but once the original "physical capital" was spent, they weren't making enough money to keep things going.

Tom really said it well with his comment. As I mentioned, they haven't run the train in 16 years, and I suspect that while it was the dad's pride and joy, the son wasn't as interested.

Also, as mentioned, times change. This place was like something you'd see along the road in the 1960's, a home built park train and some hand made displays along the line. Quite nice actually, and interesting for young children, but probably not someplace you'd visit frequently. Even being a train fan, I went once and never felt the need to visit again. The "golf" part, from what I recall, was a sort of small driving range, though it may have been a putt-putt too. But I don't remember it being anything overly impressive.

With today's mobility, and high tech amusement parks, this place can't compete, just like most other miniature golf courses, bowling alleys, go-kart tracks and the like.

Also, as Tom mentions, unless there's some financial circumstance that's not mentioned in the article, they're going to come out of the deal looking pretty good...

The story may not be accurate in all details, however:

In the past five years, his property taxes have nearly tripled. In 2006, the tax bill was $14,065, according to Snohomish County Assessor’s Office records. His tax bill this year: $40,698.

You guys really think this is deserved or are you just miffed because its NG or hasn't run in a while?

Guess what-all over the country, there are ticking time bombs of underfunded state and municipal pensions that are about to go off-so take this as a warning about YOUR property, and be so unexcited when you get your bill. Property taxes mean you never own your property, you rent it from a rather arbitrary landlord.

If you have property that could be considered agricultural or forest, depending on what state you live in (Ohio is one), it might be possible to sell the development rights to a government agency for what is known as a conservation easement. This means the property cannot be subdivided or developed for more residents, and for tax purposes will always be treated as farm or vacant land, not as potentially developable property. I know someone with a miniature railroad who was able to do this with his farm. His railroad can be expanded, the house has to be single-family, but it can be added on to, and most importantly, it can be inherited by his kids without the need to sell to pay taxes based on development value.

When I lived in MD, there was a huge farm (King Farm) still stubbornly being farmed almost across the street from the end of the DC Metro Red Line at Shady Grove into the '90's, near Gaithersburg. 400 acres, the largest undeveloped tract of land in the region. It was really strange to drive up Rockville Pike past all the shopping centers and car dealerships and then find Longhorn cattle grazing beside the road. It would really have been nice if the county had acquired the land for a park, or heritage museum, but it was too juicy a parcel for the developers, so when the old man died his kids were forced to sell to developers, and in-fact didn't make out all that great, I think, because the owner was in arrears on taxes or something like that. You can imagine what 400 acres in the middle of Montgomery County, MD would be worth. Well, now it's one of those pseudo village developments, probably has 10,000 residents, just more unneeded sprawl.

The conservation easement alternative probably was not available to the family in WA because it was already commercial property. I'm guessing that most museums or non-profit tourist railroads who own their own property would already either not be taxed, or taxed at a much lower than commercial rate.

> You guys really think this is deserved or are you just
> miffed because its NG or hasn't run in a while?

I don't think we said it was "deserved", I wouldn't wish the loss of a business on anyone.

However, it's the reality of having what amounts to a small amusement park in the midst of what is now an urban area. This property is visible from Interstate 5, and is surrounded by housing and strip malls.

The land is far too valuable for a miniature golf course, western store and (defunct) park train. If the owners think it's not, then they'll have to earn enough money to pay the property taxes. Otherwise, do as others have suggested, sell this prime real estate and go buy 10 or 20 acres somplace out in the 'burbs and put your operation there. Remlinger Farms in Carnation manages to do quite well with it's 2 foot gauge operation and kiddieland amusement park. Down Portland way, the Phoenix and Holly runs a 2 foot (?) gauge steam outline park train and seems to do OK.

I don't begrudge the small operations and in fact I'm fond of park trains and live steam. But the reality is that you can put a park train, mini golf, go-kart track, batting cages, paint ball course or any other similiar operation on a million dollar piece of land in what is now a high value area, and make a living at it, at least not long term. Nobody says you have to like it, but you do have to accept it.

The biggest part of the deal is it is a multi-million dollar chuck of property. If I were saddled with that kind of problem I would be riding off into the sunset ringing the bell on my little home-built park engine.

Not in today's economy, you won't. I suspect the problem is the same as many elders who live on fixed incomes have when their property taxes go up; the property is worth more money, on paper, but it's difficult to tap that value to pay the tax bill. If it was me, I'd be a bit upset if my two choices were to mortgage property I own free and clear simply to pay the taxes, or alternately be forced to sell at fire sale prices because of the rotten economy. Housing starts aren't down, they are non-existent, and I see plenty of new retail and commercial property sitting vacant.

But none of this has anything to do with the park railroad, which has little enough to do with railway preservation as it is.

This is the classic "Detroit vs. New York" problem. Detroit taxes a parcel based on what's actually on it (abandoned warehouse). New York taxes what COULD be on the parcel. You'll be paying taxes for a 70-story skyscraper whether you build one or not. Your call!

But what right does the government have to FORCE you to develop? That seems like it has 4th and 5th Amendment problems...

Washington supposedly taxes based on the fair market value of the land.

It used to be that the appraisals were about 80% of what you could get. Now they're usually worth more than market value. I'd love to sell my house for what it's worth... Last year my property valuation stayed the same. I wonder what planet they live on? Everywhere else values went down.

One of my favorite cases was here in Seattle, where they appraised a parcel for way more than it was worth. The owner appaeled, said it was too high, go other appraisals, they insisted it was worth what they said. A few years later they had to condem the property to widen a road. She said pay me the tax value, they replied "It's not worth that much!" She sued and won...

What's this have to do with railway preservation? Well, unless your entire operation and museum is nothing more that a website it affects you. If you have a physical loaction you're also involved in the property tax issue.