Newspaper ok for temporary storage?

Newspaper was used for this purpose long before bubble wrap. Are there any dampness issues where you are storing this equipment?

Bubble wrap is very bad.  Don't do that!  Lots of reports of it damaging the paint.

In the old days, we used to wrap the trains up in newspaper every February until they were brought back out in October / November with no damage.  Since the inks have changed a lot would not recommend it anymore since there are better options.

I would recommend cotton towels or acid free wrapping paper you get from packing stores.  I currently do this (in replacement of the old newspaper idea) and have not had any damage to post war or modern items so far. 

I'm sure other will also chime in with great advice.

Personally, I'd be a bit cautious about putting modern newspaper in direct contact with painted/printed surfaces for any extended period.

Modern newspapers are not printed in the same way as they used to be, and the 'ink' can transfer if the conditions are right.

You would be best to use wrapping tissue, or even paper towel (Undecorated) for the the layer in actual contact with your trains. Newspaper should be fine for any subsequent layers.

If you do the paper towel idea, try to get acid free ones if you can find them.

All of the trains I don't have boxes for are wrapped in a couple sheets of tissue paper, never had an issue.

Jerry

Short answers:

Newspaper?  No!

Bubble wrap?  Not in direct contact with the item.  If wrapped in gift-wrap tissue or the like first, and then wrapped in bubble-wrap, you'll be okay.

Really, we buy mega-buck stuff or 100-year-old antiques and then risk damaging it

by wrapping it in blasted newspaper (the definition of temporary) or plastic bubble-

wrap (the definition of permanent - but only in a bad, eco-toxic way), when all we

have to do is do a little research on acid-free, non-clingy (butcher paper?) product,

spend a few cents to protect that $2000 piece, and not worry about your Pre-War

Ultra-Loco coming out next time with no paint or with a photo of Miley Cyrus

transferred from the Living Today section onto its flanks. Picture that.

Really. Talk about penny-wise and dollar-foolish. Me, I store things only in factory

packaging, which is not necessarily long-term-safe either, but it has a shot at it.

And my "storage" is primarily on the layout or on the shelf, unwrapped. 

Do right by your guys; buy them nice clothes.

I agree.  But it's amazing how many people don't keep the original packaging; even for expensive things.

On the other hand...

My dad's old Ives tinplate trains and accessories from the 1920's were all carefully wrapped in newspaper each year after the holidays and packed away in the attic in cardboard boxes.  Can't claim they look mint today, but the scratches are from multiple derailments, and the paint flaking is a known Ives phonomenon, so I'm quite sure the newspaper did no harm at all for 90 years.

I use the brown paper bags from supermarkets, cut in two and wrap a car in each half. The paper is sufficiently thick to provide protection for the piece and, when put in a box, acts as a sort pf cushion when resting against the other pieces. Also, no issue with ink rubbing off, as you would with newspaper.

I put my trains into plastic bags, and then wrap them with newspaper. I do not close up the bags, because I do not want to trap moisture in with the trains.

Items that came in cardboard boxes also get placed in plastic bags to avoid box rubs.

Items that came in Styrofoam get the bag treatment too. I have seen Styrofoam leave a permanent marks in the paint of items left in direct contact for too long.

puppy piddle pads are the best for wrapping trains.  they soak up any excess oil and with engines they soak up the residue from smoke fluid.

because I take my trains to the club often that is what I use.

Coming from the newspaper business....my advice is NOT to use current modern day newpaper as wrapping for your trains.  The inks are semi-permanant and will rub off quiet easily.  If you go to your local newspaper, ask for a left over roll of news print paper.  Usually they will give it to you and it will work just fine....it is newspaper that has not been printed on and was left over at the end of a run.  Tissue paper and some of the other suggestions above will work as well.

The other option is to go to Home Depot or Lowes...or your local hardware/builder store and buy a roll of contractor's paper. 

Alan

U-Haul claims to have acid-free packing paper, might be a good source.

That's the secret - they were re-wrapped yearly. My uncle wrapped his trains in newspaper in the 1930's. Kept in normal apartment humidity levels in Manhattan. When he unpacked them in the 1960's the paint was all stuck to the paper. He also blamed the newspaper for disintegrating his engines. My opinion on the engines is that they fell apart due to zinc pest. I'll blame the newspaper for the paint loss however.

Thanks for the suggestions. I was planning to store the trains for about 6 weeks. I realize modern newspaper is different from older newspapers as the newer ink is totally different from older ink. Brown paper bags are in short supply here as our modern environmentally conscious "green" community has banned plastic bags and instituted a nickel charge for each brown paper bag. The same bags merchants used to give away with your purchase.

Rick

I simply use wax paper.  I've never seen a problem even after years.

Alan

quote:

When he unpacked them in the 1960's the paint was all stuck to the paper.

I have seen rare tinplate trains in this condition. The newspaper was stuck to the trains and could not be removed.

 I have unwrapped trains stored in newspaper from the 70's that  didn't seem to have any damage,but now after hearing all of this.....I think I'm going to unwrap anything I have put into newspaper over the last few years.

 What if you use the white tissue gift  wrap then newspaper ? 

IMHO any paper product has the potential to get stuck to the trains. As I wrote above, I use plastic bags (food grade) as an interface to protect the trains.

This may send shockwaves through the board. I have trains that were stored for thirty-five years that way with no ill effect.

The soy ink on present-day newspapers is the culprit. If it smears on wrapped items, you can wipe it off, but you might want to avoid that to begin with. Newsprint roll ends are good (and a lot of fun for small children) but white paper towels are a better idea. The guys read me the riot act about Vivas, however--lint in all directions! Cheap dollar-store ones work well as an inner layer.

Ditto. I'm dealing now with trying to get newsprint off of an American Flyer tinplate water tower. The newsprint it was wrapped in dates back to the 70's.

If I really want to wrap/protect I use the thin foam underlayment used for laminate floors.

Gilly

I'm stating again puppy piddle pads.

Bubble wrap

bubble wrap TRAPS moisture and will cause damage to your equipment.

Bubble wrap is okay IMO only as an outer layer of protection.  Definitely not ideal as the first inner layer with direct contact with the trains. 

Moisture is not so much of a concern with bubble wrap if wrapped loosely; other methods can trap moisture too, it's more of the bubble wrap scuffing/marring the finish on train items.  I think in addition to frictional forces, chemical reactions from to dissimilar plastics and plastics/paint between the trains and the bubble wrap being in contact with each other can also play a role in damaging the finish on trains.

Acid-free wrapping paper is the way to go to wrap your trains in as others have suggested.  If purely for long-term storage purposes and moisture is a potential concern then get some moisture absorbent packs and add those to the boxes or put in a dehumidifier for wherever the trains will be stored.

I agree with John Korling, re "bubble wrap". Personally, I NEVER allow the bubble wrap to come in direct contact with ANY of my models! I first wrap each piece in tissue paper, purchased in packages from the local Hallmark Store, and then wrap in bubble wrap, with the "bubble" portion to the outside.

If you're storing long term, you'd be pretty surprised how much desiccant that it takes to insure protection, even with a sealed package.  The little packs that are shipped in products are only good for a few weeks at most, and any excessive moisture will saturate them in a heartbeat.

I'd simply store them in an environment where there isn't excessive moisture, which eliminates many basements and attics.

Where would you get that stuff?