Railroad Retirement Gifts

railroad crossing image by William Burnett from Fotolia.com

If you have a friend or family member who is getting ready to retire from the railroad industry, then commemorate his career in the business with a unique railroad gift. Your gift should reflect the personality and interests of the gift recipient.

Railroad Art

Purchase a framed piece of art or an art poster that reflects the railroad industry. Have the art framed so that the gift recipient can hang the work as soon as she gets it. Some examples of artwork might be colorful train ads by Edward Eggleston. Alternatively, take your own photographs of railroads and train cars and frame them.

Railroad Crossing Signs

Purchase one or more railroad-related metal signs that the retiree can hang on his walls at home. These signs make a whimsical and sentimental addition to a den, living room, study or recreation room. If your budget allows, purchase a trio of different signs that bear messages such as the following: "Train Xing," "Warning Locomotives Must Not Pass Beyond This Point," "Look for Trains" and "Attention Passengers Who Snore Will Be Removed At The Next Stop."

Model Train

Give a retiree a model train as a retirement gift. This may be a great way for a retiree to continue to "work on trains" or to connect to his work in the railroad industry. The retiree also can put the model train on display in his home throughout the year or during a specific holiday. Have one or more of the train cars customized to reflect a special retirement message to the gift recipient or the specific railroad he worked on.