Club and Museum runners

I usually take my locomotives in their original boxes.  Cars I usually carefully pack in a plastic storage bin and they've been fine for many shows.  There are probably safer ways if you're willing to construct a special box specifically to hold your rolling stock and locomotives

Original boxes where possible. With some cars, they're carefully packed in plastic storage tubs with foam dividers.

Engines in their boxes with all the foam pads and wrappers, etc..., if I can move cars without the boxes, then I use bubble wrap and rubbermaid tubs, but for the cars that need their boxes (for example, atlas 33k tank cars with the fragile railings, or MTH Sherman tank flats to keep the tanks in place), then I use the foam inserts without the outer box, then pile those in a rubbermaid.
I see a lot of people use towels, I always worry about snagging something small in the terrycloth loops, which is why I dont use them.

Really, use whatever you feel comfortable with. I've seen people pull some of these new lionel steamers out of a duffel bag rolled in a towel and nothing more, and some people bring things in their original box, with the outer carton around it.

RTR stuff goes, I think thats probably the least likely to be damaged, as it lacks the little detail parts that are often the casualties of transit. I wouldnt worry too much about rolling them up in bubblewrap and taking them with you. If you want to move them in a box, bubblewrap then a shoebox or other similar sized box that would allow you to individually pack them.

I am more a Collector, so I wrap my loco up in an everyday towel, and away I go.  The best way to lower the resale of a loco is to carry the original box out in the rain, sun, and snow, not to mention ripping the flaps of the boxes.  You guys asked the question, so don't jump on me about being a box collector also.  Actually, I sell most of my postwar boxes so I can better afford the contents!!!

I prefer to use bubble wrap and/or towels and a sturdy box such as a bank file or copy paper box.

Club members who squeeze them back into the original tight Styrofoam often cause damage to handrails, detail parts, etc. in the process (as well as to the original boxes themselves, as Ron points out).

Besides, the most time consuming part of take-down at the end of a show is waiting for all these guys to find all the little foam pieces and repack everything while the rest of us stand around waiting for their help in taking down the modules.

It's not like the loco will be going through the UPS box grinder. You will just be carrying it carefully back to your car! 

Can you sense that this is sort of a minor pet peeve of mine!

Jim

See this thread here!

https://ogrforum.com/d...969#2415514336991969

I was glad to see the mention of suitcases on that referred thread. I've done that as well, with the cars in bubble wrap or towels. The suitcases  are wheeled, another plus. However, I've now obtained some plastic tubs and will use my small magna cart. 

Until recently, I never had a locomotive with very fragile handrails. Now, though, I will have to be attentive to that issue.  I've now taken trains to 5 shows, and only casualty so far is one lost B&O coach. (If anybody finds a Lionel B&O "Cumberland"......LOL)

B&OBill

My Locos travel in their original boxes without all the foam and wrappers. My cars I wrap in shelf liner, or papertowels, and stack in big tupperware tubs.

In 13 years of modular railroading travels, I have only had a few detail parts break off on a couple of cars.

I have learned that the best rolling stock for traveling shows that are scale sized with good detail, good paint jobs, couplers that stay shut, and have the most sturdy detail parts are: Atlas Trainman, MTH Premier, K-Line, and Lionel.

All the others stay home as they are their parts break off too easily.

There is an individual in our area that uses hard sided shotgun cases. Mixed reactions from the public (as expected) to his chosen mode of transport. They do seem to do a good job....

I like to use the under-the-bed plastic storage boxes with foam core poster board separating the layers. Very easy way to carry a couple of dozen cars. Locos stay in the OEM packaging.

For long pasenger cars that are too wide for my Tupperware tubs, I have found that a medium sized soft sided suitcase works well, with the cars wrapped in shelf liner, and stacked.

Steamers are in gun cases.  Those cases are excellent.  Diesels in their respective boxes.  Rolling stock, wrapped in towels, then placed in plastic containers.  Works for me.

I wrap my cars and engines in doggy piddle pads.  the engines ride in tool boxes and the cars in a rolling box.

Depending on my mood and what I'm bringing but I'll usually put rolling stock in plastic tubs wrapped in towels. I've also used the same method for engines but have recently been using original boxes for transport. Sometimes I've used paper kitchen towels with good results if needed. 

I never would of guessed!

I use the plastic bins that slide under beds, and separate the engines and cars with towels or old t-shirts. 

Rob