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Hello everyone!  I’m in the process of relocating my downstairs, small, train room to an upstairs room with nearly unlimited space! My downstairs “train closet” is half full of the original boxes of my O scale engines and rolling stock. I understand that, if sold, they are worth more in the original boxes. However. I don’t see me selling anything in the foreseeable future, so, should I keep/transport the boxes or not?  Many thanks. Oh. And if you’re REALLY bored, you can listen to our podcast: On the Track-Myrtle Beach on Spotify or Apple. Thx again!

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Hello everyone!  I’m in the process of relocating my downstairs, small, train room to an upstairs room with nearly unlimited space! My downstairs “train closet” is half full of the original boxes of my O scale engines and rolling stock. I understand that, if sold, they are worth more in the original boxes. However. I don’t see me selling anything in the foreseeable future, so, should I keep/transport the boxes or not?  Many thanks. Oh. And if you’re REALLY bored, you can listen to our podcast: On the Track-Myrtle Beach on Spotify or Apple. Thx again!

Just half full?  You're not fooling anyone with that "half full" talk.

Hello everyone!  I’m in the process of relocating my downstairs, small, train room to an upstairs room with nearly unlimited space! My downstairs “train closet” is half full of the original boxes of my O scale engines and rolling stock. I understand that, if sold, they are worth more in the original boxes. However. I don’t see me selling anything in the foreseeable future, so, should I keep/transport the boxes or not?  Many thanks. Oh. And if you’re REALLY bored, you can listen to our podcast: On the Track-Myrtle Beach on Spotify or Apple. Thx again!

Bill if you’re getting more space keep the boxes. I know your problem I also live in Myrtle Beach. If you would contact me through my email which is in my profile I would like to know about your podcast and maybe we could meet up.

I keep all my boxes. I am fortunate to have a 6x30 storeroom. All are in plastic containers. Each container has a QR code, so I keep track of the boxes. It comes in handy as I send stuff for auction. I use the Tote Scan app to do this.

About 4 years ago, I realized that I have so much stuff, that I should pare down my collection. I was real happy that I kept my boxes. It really does add to the value.

Peter

I keep all my boxes. I am fortunate to have a 6x30 storeroom. All are in plastic containers. Each container has a QR code, so I keep track of the boxes. It comes in handy as I send stuff for auction. I use the Tote Scan app to do this.

About 4 years ago, I realized that I have so much stuff, that I should pare down my collection. I was real happy that I kept my boxes. It really does add to the value.

Peter

I do as Peter suggested.......Large plastic storage boxes. I ha a few under my layout, but most in the attic. I have sold some pieces, and the boxes make a significant difference! I kick myself when I come across a piece of rolling stock that I threw the box away early on.

Mike

Last edited by LT1Poncho

I was drowning in boxes.  After much discussion, my sweetie reminded me that we plan to leave our house feet-first (hopefully not for awhile), and asked if I planned to sell my trains before then (of course not!).  I'm leaving the disposition of my trains either to her, or whoever has the misfortune to find my rotting corpse.  While I understand that a lot of folks don't want to burden their significant other, we agreed about this.   

As a result, I'm thinning the herd of boxes - keeping boxes for rare or valuable items (really very few of these), locomotives (when possible, mostly for transport if needed), or for items I plan to sell (very few of these either).  Giving them away when I can, recycling when I can't.

For most items, I'm willing to take the small hit to the value that the box represents.  Personally, I've never passed on buying an item I wanted just because it didn't have a box, and I've rarely saved more than a few bucks doing so.  (Please note that this applies to modern era boxes, not prewar or postwar.)

If you have the space for boxes, go ahead and keep them, but unless money is no object, don't pay to rent a storage unit for them - IMO, better to spend that money on more trains.  I really like @Putnam Division's use of QR codes, as keeping track of box location is a real challenge.    

@Mallard4468 posted:
For most items, I'm willing to take the small hit to the value that the box represents.  Personally, I've never passed on buying an item I wanted just because it didn't have a box, and I've rarely saved more than a few bucks doing so.  (Please note that this applies to modern era boxes, not prewar or postwar.)

I don't own any stuff that would greatly increase in value because of the box, that's my reasoning as well.

Another important consideration is recognizing the value of minimizing the "mental clutter" that comes along with reducing the physical clutter. That could well be worth the nominal hit you may be taking in terms of resale value, and may also enhance the quality of life for any significant others that share your living quarters. I really like GRJ's approach, saving them for the higher-ticket items and recycling the others. I know he has posted before about some nifty baseball card storage boxes that work well for storage and transport, should that ever be necessary. Who knows, you may get to enjoy one of your recycled rolling stock boxes again someday with your next take out pizza!

Last edited by Tuscan Jim

I originally kept all my boxes. When I moved, it did make the move nice being able to put everything back in the boxes. However, it was a lot of work and it was time consuming. Probably would have been easier to just wrap up the trains and put them in totes.

After I moved and the layout was up, I got rid of all my boxes except for engines, rare items and my tinplate stuff. I had the room to store them but just did not feel the need. Glad they're gone. For newer trains, very little extra value is added for the box.

Last edited by NJCJOE

I need to get my brother in touch with you guys that don't want your boxes.  My Father, around 1950 and a couple of years after that too, bought a War Bonnet 2343 A-A combo that came in a set with some cars.  That set was contained in a bigger box that held it all.

We call it the 'Family Train' because it has been in mine and his possession since our Mother passed away (Dad died before she did).  I had it first.  Spent a lot getting the engine basically rebuilt and getting all of the couplers and trucks in working condition.  I learned how to repair and improve some of the cars, like the operating milk car, and did that to the best of my ability.

My brother just this year is now in possession of it all.  He has made it his mission to get each piece restored to perfect condition. He researched the 1950 Lionel catalogue and he also added cars from that catalogue.  He also is on a mission to find ORIGINAL boxes for each item, including the big box that held the original set.  He has spent a lot of time and money finding those boxes.  Had some success but can't find 1 or 2 and has searched high and low for the big box with no luck.

So boxes DO mean something important to some.  If you think you have some of these boxes and want to unload them, email me with what you have and I'll let my brother know.  The BIG BOX is the ultimate prize.

- walt

This topic comes up several times a year. The answer resides in just how much of a collector you are vs. a model railroader and the balance between them that you occupy.  Available space figures in to some extent.  I keep my brass in the boxes if they exist. Everything else goes into 4"x4"x10"(12" or larger) white mailers. When I do sell stuff, folks are surprised that I supply the rolling stock in any boxes at all. I doubt I'll worry about this after my demise.

Bill, it sounds like you're moving out of the spare bedroom into a bonus room over the garage.  When we moved to Myrtle Beach I was really hoping for one of those bonus rooms but things didn't work out that way so I'm stuck in the spare bedroom.  Since the plan had always been for a larger train room I've got ore trains, buildings and accessories than I do layout space.  Most rolling stock is stored on a shelf around the top of the garage, in individual boxes within the moving boxes they came from New York in.  All engines and any rolling stock with electronics as well as building and accessories are on display shelves in the train room and the empty boxes are in the storage space above the garage.  Space is at a premium for those of us that live in areas where basements are few and far between but in my case having the boxes makes storage easier for the rolling stock not on the layout.  If I had the space to display everything I would probably dispose of the rolling stock boxes, the baseball card boxes @gunrunnerjohn has posted about before would make easy replacements if you sold anything or had to move again, and accessory boxes while keeping engine boxes to make transport easier if required.

Like @poconotrain has said, I too am located in Myrtle Beach, email in my profile, we should try to get together.

Our club received a donation of trains in a musty basement. My predonaton mind kicked in expecting a box of junk. I was pleasantly surprised to find every model unopened and still in their  shipping box including a Z4000! We took what we wanted and are storing the remainder in my garage for the auctioneer. Whatever we get we are giving to the daughter as she has been super.

As many have pointed out, keeping and storing the boxes can be a chore space-wise for sure, but in my view, the perception of "added value" of an item in the original box has some truth to it.  I solved the majority of my storage issue by using the 1' x 8' plywood off-falls from my 4' x 8' table top pieces (cut to 3' x 8') to make shelves to sit on cut-to-sized 2' x 4's under the table on the basement floor...and the final step was to cover the entire exposed area with fabric skirting, with great help from my wife! 

Can you see any boxes...lol???...  I just wish those lally columns would disappear...lol...

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@walt rapp posted:

I need to get my brother in touch with you guys that don't want your boxes.  My Father, around 1950 and a couple of years after that too, bought a War Bonnet 2343 A-A combo that came in a set with some cars.  That set was contained in a bigger box that held it all.

We call it the 'Family Train' because it has been in mine and his possession since our Mother passed away (Dad died before she did).  I had it first.  Spent a lot getting the engine basically rebuilt and getting all of the couplers and trucks in working condition.  I learned how to repair and improve some of the cars, like the operating milk car, and did that to the best of my ability.

My brother just this year is now in possession of it all.  He has made it his mission to get each piece restored to perfect condition. He researched the 1950 Lionel catalogue and he also added cars from that catalogue.  He also is on a mission to find ORIGINAL boxes for each item, including the big box that held the original set.  He has spent a lot of time and money finding those boxes.  Had some success but can't find 1 or 2 and has searched high and low for the big box with no luck.

So boxes DO mean something important to some.  If you think you have some of these boxes and want to unload them, email me with what you have and I'll let my brother know.  The BIG BOX is the ultimate prize.

- walt

Boxes for prewar and postwar Lionel, Flyer, Ives, etc. are the exception.  Some sell for ridiculous prices.  This discussion is primarily focused on the boxes for items that had to cross the ocean to get here.

@Putnam_Division posted he uses ToteScan to organize his boxes. I discovered this app about 2 years ago. i had boxes in totes under my layout and boxes in my garage...stuffed anywhere I could find space. I now use ToteScan to not only store boxes, but to organize them and more easily locate any individual item. I was so taken with how it is to use and the benefit to our hobby I posted a "how I use it" video on You tube. The App scans the barcode on boxes and fills in the data (works about 50% of the time); you can add photos and it provides a hardcopy inventory if you want one. 

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