Storage Recommendations

Honestly, I think you should either renew your search for climate controlled storage or ask a friend to store your trains in a house (with climate control).  I lived in Central PA; you need climate control.

George

Hopefully you wrapped with paper first, or you may find little circular marks on everything from the bubble wrap.

Also, +1 on finding a climate controlled unit.Even if you have to drive 20, 50 miles, it's better than the result you may get without it.

-Dave

Thank you George and Dave. My daughter and her family are close so I guess I will borrow some of their rec room. I had to get the unit for the lawn furniture, etc. that I didn’t want to keep moving around during the construction. So paper, not newspaper, and bubble wrap it is. Thank you.

I have seen bubble wrap mess up paint on trains, and others here have mentioned it here over the years.  I wrap each item with tissue paper (ideally archival / acid free)  before the bubble wrap.  If you did not do that, I would change it now.  Your time frame is short, so you may get away with it.  Plastic totes are excellent and silica gel is good.  If you are storing track there are some rust preventatives to consider (The rust store/Frog).  Again your time frame is short.  I agree with others about looking more for climate control.

Bill

You might want to remove batteries from cars and/or engines.  John

I buy acid-free tissue paper and wrap with that first, then with the appropriate plastic wrap.  I agree with John's suggestion, remove any batteries.  Obviously, supercap based batteries like the BCR or my YLB can remain in place, they won't deteriorate in storage.

It is not really a very long time from today - 9/25 - until January - even February. It seems to me that your items, if packed with common sense, and dry, should hold up just fine. I suppose low temps might make a difference (I live far south of Pennsylvania), but I don't recall PW Lionel being a delicate product line. Quite the opposite.

@D500 posted:

It is not really a very long time from today - 9/25 - until January - even February. It seems to me that your items, if packed with common sense, and dry, should hold up just fine. I suppose low temps might make a difference (I live far south of Pennsylvania), but I don't recall PW Lionel being a delicate product line. Quite the opposite.

For what it's worth, I've stored trains in my attic, in boxes, or if none wrapped in paper, sometimes for years, with no adverse effects. No climate control there - humid when it's raining, 120+ degrees in the summer (Texas). Other than wrapping your trains with paper rather than bubble wrap, I think they'll be just fine in that storage unit in PA, especially for such a brief period.

I agree with breezinup.  What range of temperatures will they be subjected to?  If it's not below freezing or above 120F I think they'll be fine.  My bigger concern would be rust or oxidation from excessive moisture / humidity.  And the silica gel packs will help with that.

You are in PA. With cool and then cold weather approaching now, humidity (a major problem for trains and the electronics in them) should not be a problem over the cold-weather months.

As others have noted, wrap the items in a paper wrap first (ideally an acid-free paper/tissue, and definitely NOT printed paper) and then in bubble wrap. I just recently moved--actually, still in the process of doing so--but I kept and stored about 95% of the original boxes for my trains. I have done this for years to make the items far easier and safer to ship if/when I sell them. Empty boxes do take up a whole lot of space, but you will than your lucky stars you saved them if/when you move, and even when you sell them at some point.

You can buy all sorts of dehumidifying agents that you can store with your trains (sporting goods and gun stores sell a variety of types). Keeping things in plastic containers is definitely a good idea.

Gentlemen, thank you very much. A lot of excellent advice. I pleaded my case with the Executive Director who took pity upon me. It’s agreed that space will be allotted within the house; as long as I clear out the space. 
Thanks for your help.

Jay

@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:

Silica gel packs have been ordered.

Silica gel packs serve no purpose unless your storage containers are air tight.  Their value as desiccants diminish almost immediately upon exposure to air.  Their usefulness boarders on mythology at best. 

@mwb posted:

Silica gel packs serve no purpose unless your storage containers are air tight.  Their value as desiccants diminish almost immediately upon exposure to air.  Their usefulness boarders on mythology at best. 

What he said!  I regularly toss the tiny packs that come in new locomotives, chuckling as I pitch them.  Leaving the packets in the boxes after you have opened them is totally worthless.  They have no more absorption to give.

I seriously doubt that enough care is taken in China when they're packing the stuff to insure those packets are dry and able to absorb moisture anyway. 

Silica Gel FAQ's

Is Your Silica Gel Past Its Prime?