How do you store your trains?

I suggest that you look into whether your foam sheets will react with the plastic or finish on your trains. Many materials will, including the Styrofoam that was used to pack many of our trains when they left the factory.  

When I am storing trains, I put them in food grade plastic bags (gallon size, traditional twist tie) that have been perforated, and leave the end open.
Then they either go into individual boxes, or get wrapped in newspaper.

I bought a bunch of boxes on eBay. The ones used for storing baseball cards. Dirt cheap, very sturdy and many sizes available. I wrap train in tissue paper also from eBay. I forget specifics but the paper is non-reactive and safe for trains.

I then went online and copied pictures of engines and cars that I would put in the box. Scaled pictures so all uniform. Glued car picture and details such as year made, truck type, road name onto end of box. Works very well and looks organized and neat. Very easy to grab anything I want to run with pictures on front of boxes. No problem stacking 7 boxes high.

Jeff - Your method of labeling is outstanding!  If I was that organized I'd use it myself.

 

Pete

I store my stuff in large plastic tubs with attached lids. I purchased these at Wally Mart pretty cheap, something like $7 a pop. They hold a good amount of trains, are great for hauling them around, storage or what ever, and are water proof unless completely submerged. The trains inside either have the original box, or are placed in a long plastic bag I salvaged from my morning news paper delivery, then wrapped securely in newspaper.I thought of using Uline boxes but they were not water proof, you had to buy a 25 box minimum and although the price looked good, the shipping more than off set that low price.

 

Gandy

I'd like to echo what Jeff said.  The collector card boxes are great, and if you have a comic book store nearby, they're available there too.  Tissue paper is the best to use for wrapping since news print will come off on the paint of your models. Beware of plastic wrap, because some types of plastic will bond to the models after a short time.  Don't ask me how I know...

 

For short term storage I did this for my more frequently used trains.  The drawers are lined with felt, and it keeps the trains handy for switching out from time to time on my layout.  Not an easy or cheap solution, but I've too much time and effort in my layout to be as "frugal" as I usually am...

 

 

 

Notice, I model in S.  The TIE fighter is only there for a short visit...

 

Jerry

card boxes from the baseball card shop

As far as my O scale goes, I keep most of them in the original boxes.  Anything I'm currently running or have run recently and was just too lazy to put away is on my layout.  For my G scale trains,  I built shelves to store them on, out of the boxes.  And, if I don't have room on the shelves, they are stored under the layout in their boxes.

 

Rick

4" x 4" x 12" boxes from ULine - buy a pack of 100 that get shipped flat and you fold them up as you need them; store them flat until you do need them. 

 

Aftewards, they all fit neatly on the shelving, clean and consistent, with a label on the end that matches the information in the inventory in Excel.

Original boxes. Upstairs in good humidity.

dont make the mistake I made about 25yrs ago.

we lived in an old house with stone foundation

and damp basement. I set up my board down there,

we were only there about 2yrs, but had some early

signs of rust starting to appear on my locos and rolling stock

when we went to move. Glad we got outta there, everything

cleaned up nicely, nothing was damaged.

I keep them on shelves and usually throw away the boxes.  I know - but it's what I do.  I bought them to look at or run, so . . .

 

My trainroom is in the attic but just in case I have a dehumidifier.

Mike grabs his chest... His icon has slipped. (just a little) *GASP* "throws away the boxes".....

Ladies & Gents,

  I have always stored all my Engines and Rolling Stock back in their original boxes and put them in seal tight plastic storage containers in my attic, or our extra room in a big steel storage cabinet.  In each of the seal tight containers I place moisture control packs.  I store all my Transformers, Track, Switches and Houses in the same manner.  Some of our Engines & Rolling Stock are on display in glass cases thru out our home in Pa.  When we lived in Slidell, La or Kileen, Tx everything was kept in our big Garage, where there was air conditioning and moisture control. 

Before that everything was stored at my father home in Forest Hills, Pa, in his attic in the same manner.  His storage methods have safe guarded our trains for generations.  During WWII my Grandfather shipped my Fathers complete Lionel 263E Train to the US Navy SeaBees on Guadacanal, so the US Navy SeaBees could celebrate an American Traditional Christmas, even in the middle of a War zone.  In many cases it was the last Christmas a lot of those brave men ever saw.  That 263E Lionel Train is on display 24 hrs a day, in either my home or my brothers.  We store our O Gauge Trains to pass down thru the family.

PCRR/Dave 

 

 

 

My method, only they go into the attic, Greg:

 

I thought I would post a quick picture of the baseball card storage box use with basic labeling. Also note how easily they can be stacked fairly high.

VERY NICE

MY METHOD EXACTLY,BUT MINES GOES IN DA STORAGE ROOM AND BASEMENT

I store my trains on the layout.  The secret is not to buy more trains than will fit there. This means you have to have a large layout or at least be continuosly expanding.  Bigger is better. 

.....

Dennis

Display shelves.  Click on the link for a slideshow.  They are models, designed to be seen.

If there is one in a box, there are too many or I need more shelves.   

 

Although I would love to display them I just don't have the room. So I built shelving under my layout to store my trains. They are also ready for me to change cars and engines when I decide to run something else. One side of the layout holds my engines and the other side holds the cars, not perfect but works for me.

 

The boxes are in a storage facility along with other household items. I put single freight car boxes into a 35 gal. trash bags and store them in the storage facility.

Except for my tinplate rolling stock, everything goes in their original boxes.

The Lionel Corp Tinplate comes in big boxes with enough foam surrounding it that you could throw the box off of a building and the item inside would be fine.  I take them out of the boxes, keeing the wrapper, and put them in Hot Cases with black foam around them.  Hot Cases are intended for Hot Wheels in blister packs.  Since I have extras, I use them for O gauge.

I love the trading card box idea! 

Thanks!

All rolling stock are stored in large RubberMaid tubs under the layout. Each steam locomotive or diesel MU "set" are stored in plastic 20" or 26" long tool boxes from either Home Depot or Menards. 

 

Thus, anything & everything is quickly accessible and also available for transport to shows.

Thanks to everyone for their feedback. My Post did exactly what it was meant to do... Get me thinking/researching/deciding.

Here's my approach and why:

1. To store the trains on my layout or display shelves - My Christmas Garden / Holiday Display is my winter hobby. With nice weather comes Convertibles/Camping/Yard Maintenance. So storing the trains in boxes is required as I pack up the large layout (28x8) for 8 months out of the year.

2. I’m a firm believer in keeping your valuables in conditioned living space, so the trains and track will be stored in the Den along with my Hot Wheels, Slot Cars and other Toys. Plastic only items will be stored in the garage and wood table structures in the shed.

2. I was planning on multiple trains per box, but in light of the posts I have decided to store each individually thus permitting easy selection of who runs each year. Plus I really liked the picture label idea on each box. And it works with my other loose original boxes.

3. BB Card boxes – I was concerned with the dims as offered and afraid the 3 ¾ x 2 ¾ of the card boxes would be too small, especially if I use any padding. So I’ve decided to use 12x4x4 Mailers. This keeps me from sealing a regular 12x4x4 box and the size should be more accommodating with padding. There will be a few trains that fall outside of the Length and Height. I’ll cross that bridge then. J Attached is the link to the item: http://www.amazon.com/12x4x4-Corrugated-Mailer-50-Count/dp/B008I3WBG2/ref=sr_1_4?m=A28F0DZ4YPS6RS&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1360861654&sr=1-4&keywords=12x4x4

5. To further protect my “Toys”, I’ve selected the 3/32” 12x12 Foam sheets. I researched the likelihood of interaction with the trains and finish. The product seems to be inert, but will be pulling boxes every year to ensure nothing bad is going on to be safe. A Desiccant Pad in each box is planned as well. Attached is the Item and Spec sheet for the Foam: http://www.zorotools.com/g/Pol...m%20Sheets/00056838/

http://www.polyair.com/Product...csheets/Starfoam.pdf

BTW – For those who want it all… I purchased these nice 24x36 5 shelf units (2). Nice for indoor storage. Attached is the link: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100006678/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=plastic+shelves&storeId=10051#specifications

The above thread certainly contains a number of useful and creative ideas about storing and protecting your stuff. Topics covered include avoiding having either newsprint or bubble-wrap touch train surfaces (they will transfer/deposit print or patterns); crush resistance; labeling, excess humidity, tight-fitting styrofoam containers (don't forget the "removal ribbons") certain types of "peanuts,  etc., etc.

 

The one subject I didn't see was protection against STATIC ELECTRICITY. (I may have missed something.) As I understand the subject, all you have to worry about in this regard are modern pieces that have electronic components, and older (say, postwar) pieces that have been retrofitted with electronic e-units, whistles and/or various other after-market devices.

 

This concern dovetails with recent threads about the uses and placement of TVS Diodes. To be as clear as possible, it appears to me that some of you may have chosen very questionable materials for wrapping/storing trains. 

 

Does anyone else share this concern and/or have any suggestions with it in mind?

 

wolverine

Wolverine,

   I never tell another runner or collector how they must store their trains, I do however show them how I store mine.   Most times they take my advise.

PCRR/Dave

Good topic.  We have not focused on layout improvements or expansion this winter and instead have been working on getting more organized.  I was looking at some items online and discovered that I had purchased several of them already and didn't need more.  One box I hadn't seen since moving from my parents house over 20 years ago and it contained 3 Lionel Chessie Passenger cars that go with the Chessie Berkshire set that I have from the late 1970s.  I have been looking to add to the "two" passenger cars that I thought I had and was nice to see I already had 3 more. They were still in their original boxes and in pristine shape.  There was also some HO buildings and landscaping that might get used or put up for sale.

 

The winter layout with foam boards and Ceramic buildings are on 2 shelving units bought at Lowes in a storage room in our finished basement.  The future fall/Halloween buildings are on an identical shelving unit. 

 

The existing layout has most of the locos and rolling stock on the tracks or sitting off to the side of the rails waiting for their proper turn.  Their boxes are stored under the layout and ping pong table.  I hope to build some display shelves to get some of the locos off the layout.

 

I also have a finished closet with built in wire-type shelving that I have neatly stacked the remaining track, parts, and rolling stock in their original boxes until I find a better place for them. 

 

At this point I can at least find everything!

 

Paper boxes with easily removeable lids, typically about 12"x 18"x 10" high, are convenient and standard size for storing many different things. Some print shops give these away for the asking.

 

For low-value train items that don't have original boxes, I find it expedient to group them in larger boxes with dividers. Some sizes of cereal boxes can be cut down to make convenient dividers to use inside a larger box. You can use tissue or foam wrap around each item if you wish. I put cardboard over the first level of dividers to add a second layer in the same box. Or you could cut down the height of the box to use it for a single layer of items.  

 

 

And a second layer in the same box.

Cereal box dividers?  Good idea!

The TIE fighter must have taken off just before you snapped the shutter, Jerry.  All I see is a rebel X-wing Snub fighter.

Oooh, You're right!  The Force wasn't with me too well when I posted that one 

 

But I also have a few shelves on the walls in my "train cave" to display more trains.  They're simple shelves with grooves routed in them to hold in the trains.  Since we live in Michigan, earthquakes aren't a big problem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And since I'm in S, many Hot Wheels and Johnny Lightning cars are almost perfect 1:64, so they have become another collection.  But I didn't plan on it... honestly, it just HAPPENED!

 

Jerry

 

 

Jeff that is very nice.

I use my computer printer to make self-adhesive labels but had not thought about including pics.  Maybe in my next life; what are the chances I would succumb to the train bug again?

 

 

 

 

What, me worry?