Keep the boxes?

Only for engines and Cabeese. In the event I need to sell off some rolling stock I am still getting as much at swap meets and here on the forum as others are getting with the boxes.   My need fr discarding the boxes is I belong to a club and my rolling stock is bubble wrapped and containerized for transport to the club which also translates in quicker set up and breakdown time

If you don't have the space, toss it. Even for the cheap stuff the box helps if you re-sell it or choose to re-gift it. I'll buy these types of sets to give as gifts to young kids but only if it comes in the box mainly for effect for them to open the box. Otherwise, I wouldn't buy or buy for $25-50 less for re-selling online. Basically, you have some folks that want the box with it, some don't care but I haven't heard of someone paying more for something without the box. If you don't plan on selling or don't have the space then get rid of it.

I keep the boxes for the engines & cars. I've recycled all of the accessory boxes. (buildings, signals, etc.)

I Agree with Steve on the engines,

 I have been cutting the tops off of the really big boxes to use as wall art, I also keep the engine boxes.  For most rolling stock,  I keep the box, but toss the plastic inserts.  That way, i can break down the box for easy storage. These are general guidelines for me,  but I do make some exceptions, for example passenger cars and other cars that are really expensive. 

I like to keep EVERY box.  Helps with inventory and when we had to pack up everything to build a new layout.  Stuff that did not have a box gets scattered or broken.

If you have storage issues, check out this ingenious rolling cart that is stored underneath your layout.  I am definitely doing this.  It's on page 1... just scroll down.

https://ogrforum.com/t...-andamp-video?page=1

Good Luck!

Ron

I try to keep all my boxes, being a collector and operator.  With your starter set box that takes up way too much storage space, I would probably discard...keeping the paperwork.

at one time I kept every box for everything including track & switches. Recently had a ceremonial box burning in my back yard. It was a touching moment, seeing all that "new" shelf space, imagining what next I could place there...
I keep all the boxes for my "good" stuff, and my Isaly collection. But, I have culled about one third of the herd. Feels good.

Definitely keeping the locomotive boxes. I've been filling under-bed storage boxes with cars. As these tubs get filled, the car boxes get bagged in large leaf bags. The bags of car boxes are currently being stored in the crawl space under the house. 

Having the cars "loose" saves a ton of time when setting up and putting away trains when running the club modular layout.

Gilly

This topic comes up frequently. IMHO, if you have room, save the boxes. While having the boxes may not add any value, they certainly make trains easier to sell.

Given two identical trains, in like condition, at the same price,  one with the box (and paperwork), and one without, which would you purchase?

Even if you don't ever plan to sell, which would your estate have an easier time liquidating?

Having spent most of my life moving around the world, often at short notice, I tend to keep the boxes for everything, not just my trains. This does present a storage challenge, but it saves a lot of grief when packing and shipping.

this forum is amazing, you post a thought/question and twenty minutes later you've got a dozen (or more) great comments, you all are awesome...

I only retain the locomotive boxes, and the boxes for some high end brass cars & cabooses. Everything else gets tossed.

I keep all the boxes and store them under my layout. It gets in the way when I have to do electrical work under the layout but it's not a big deal to me to move the boxes.

Otherwise the wife might be temped to ask me to get a storage unit or throw the boxes away.

I have some old Lionel and Plasticville boxes that I want to keep no matter what.

Have lost some pre war boxes to a flood in the 1970's, but otherwise I try to keep all boxes.

Lee Fritz

I still have the boxes but when age and health drove us back to our condo-sized place I had to send the overflow to the farm shop[1st photo]. The remainder are on high shelves in the garage and under the now small layout.

What I don't have are the outer carton original shipping boxes. This becomes expensive when one sells an item and has to rely on the expensive shipper boxes[UPS,etc]. Priority mail boxes are free and great for small to medium items but not sized for a majority of Engines, structures and the like.

Fortunately, this week I discovered an Overstocked Box Store that can pretty much come up with any size box or can easily modify it. Case in point---I had to ship the 18-1/4" x 14" x 5" Legacy 990 and none of my normal grocery store used cartons [and nothing even close at USPS] would work. A new/old Diaper box[$1.60] from the overstock place was perfect with space for protective foam and bubble packing. The Legacy carton will arrive in Carmel N.Y Monday just in time for the snowstorm.

ps:

I specify "new diaper" box to avoid any implication regarding Lionel's alleged problems with the Legacy System. 

KEEP THE BOXES!

Isn't that what all the empty space under the layout is for?  I keep all engines and cars boxes, but have thrown away all track boxes and some of the buildings.

Art

It's not complete without the box.

I keep Nicole's point of view in mind.

If it would cause me more space or effort to pack something up myself if I have to move it, it's worth keeping the box. 

I have pretty much a box for everything I own, save maybe a very small number of items purchased without a box to begin with.

-Dave

I keep the boxes, not for selling, but the box is a quick and safe storage package when needed. Yes they do take a lot of space but it's still the best place to store the item.

I need a box for a MTH Railking E8 set if your contimplating tossing stuff.

I tend to keep them.

As an aside, I was at a train auction some time back, and I saw a box sell for more than the same box WITH the item inside. That's nuts.

quote:

Frankly, IMO the whole thing is nuts.  I'm a train collector, not a box collector.  The idea that the train is "not complete" without a box is a little whacky if you think about it.  Is your computer printer "not complete" because you threw out the box it came in?

Different strokes for different folks.

I don't imagine there are many people collecting printers. There must be a few people among those that do who prefer to have the original box.
Try watching Antiques Road Show, or any of the other various "treasure hunting" shows on T.V.  Having the original boxes in good shape always adds value to toys, no matter what type.

I probably have the box for my printer up in the attic. I keep boxes for most things in case I ever have to move, or ship something for repair. I guess I got into the habit by saving stereo boxes so I could move my equipment from abode to abode as I moved around in college. I probably have boxes for equipment I no longer have.

Last box I actually had to use was for an Xbox 360, which went back to Microsoft on some sort of warrantee exchange.

No right or wrong answer of course.  Depends on want you want to do.  For me, recently I have been going through an assessment of all the “stuff” I have acquired over the years and decided I wanted to reduce inventory to the things I still need and want.  It takes time and reflection to determine what I really need and want.  And it took time to say I don’t need certain things.  Part of that exercise dealt with train boxes.  I had even kept Lionel boxes for building kits and switch boxes for atlas equipment. But I got in a clean out mode recently and recycled all but the loco and rolling stock boxes and a few signal boxes. It was a therapeutic exercise for me actually. 

I don't make any effort to keep the boxes but that means I have probably half - and most of the bigger (locomotive) boxes.  It's easier and takes less time away from the trains to just open the skirt around the layout and shove them under the layout than carry them down two flights of stairs to the trash bins, so . . . usually I do. 

I keep them all. There's 3 different bedroom closets with boxes, and under the switching layout is jammed full. If you have room, why not keep them? If you don't have room, you should really find the room at least for the engines.

I keep all my boxes for my cars and engines. 

Having more trains than layout and not having display shelves makes the boxes quite valuable for storing trains.  I kept all the Lego boxes when I was a child too.  To me the box is part of the set or item. 

Nathan

Thank you all again for your comments.

"Sail Loco", if you'd like the box let me know, my email is in my profile and I live in MD as well, we could circle up.  If you don't want it I might try to find somewhere else to store it, perhaps above my garage or something in a plastic trash bag so it doesn't get ruined.

Thanks again...Rich

Yes those large set boxes are a pain. I had a Christmas set at one time and finally dumped the box. It was easy to just wrap the trains and put them in a moving box. All my other trains have boxes. I really saved time when we moved. Don

You never know when someone is going to throw a hissy fit when you sell a loco and don't include the box.

the box lends a sense of completeness to a deal which cannot be strictly money valued.

Bob C.

But it won't be as bad as the one that they throw when they get the box, open it and find that you didn't include the loco. 

I needed an electric meat grinder last year. I liked the one I had in the 1970's, but it had disappeared thru the years. Good heavy duty all metal quality unavailable today in the under $100 price range. There were several of that model on eBay. Bidding wars broke out on any that were with the original box. I won one in the original box at a substantial premium over an unboxed grinder. So on the box issue, it's not just trains or other hobby items - it could be almost anything even a 40 year old meat grinder.....

I keep all boxes and if available, even the shippers.

If the boxes were not important than why does TCA have the grading standard for packaging?

Original packaging impacts the market desirability of almost any collectible. Ask collectors of Barbie's and the like.

I know the statements about "collecting the trains and not the boxes" and "running the trains and not the boxes", and while I don't buy with the intent to sell, I do sell, usually to buy the next generation, if affordable. My personal experiences lead me to believe that items with packaging "might" be a tad more marketable, On the other side of practicality I tend to move about a bit, and while I always handle my trains in a move the packaging is that extra ounce of protection.

Consider selling the boxes you don't want on E-bay......there is a market for even newer empty Lionel boxes, so there must be a reason behind it.      

I have most of my PW boxes and usually will not purchase anything without a box.

Boxes? Trains come in boxes?

i kid you not I was once at an auction where empty Lionel boxes were going for some serious money!!!

I keep my boxes

My experience of buying and selling is that having the original box increases the objects value.  I keep all of my boxes.  I do have an MTH Tinplate Traditions starter set I purchased on ebay that did not include the transformer.  In this instance I see no reason to keep the set box.

Those that throw out the Styrofoam inserts for rolling stock and keep the folded boxes, I don't understand your plan.  If you are going to reuse the box, what are you going to use to wrap the car in?  Newspaper?  Bubble wrap?

I have been tossing out the Fastrack track and switch boxes since they have been on my layout for several years being used. I will keep engine boxes and set boxes but some of engine boxes maybe not. I bought these to run and have bought a lot from train club meets and auctions that do not have boxes. I want to run and play with them for my personal enjoyment and I really do not worry about resale value.