Which bags do you use to store your engines inside the box
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Grocery store vegetable bags
Never would use plastic bags. Wrap in paper. Acid free paper. Not newspapers. That's freight and such. Locos go in their foam or on display.
Wrap in a soft paper. I like Tyvek, the house wrap. Breathable. Plastic bags can hold in moisture.
@Windy City posted:Which bags do you use to store your engines inside the box
I use the foam sheets that you can buy from Home Depot for plates they are perforated for easy sizing. Plastic bags can cause damage especially from the stores (for groceries) they can react with oil/grease and then dissolve onto the trucks or body.
I use acid-free paper and then a plastic sheet over it.
@ThatGuy posted:I use the foam sheets that you can buy from Home Depot for plates they are perforated for easy sizing. Plastic bags can cause damage especially from the stores (for groceries) they can react with oil/grease and then dissolve onto the trucks or body.
I would expect that foam could stick to them as well. I figure if the acid-free paper is good enough for Sunset 3rd Rail, it's good enough for me. 
@gunrunnerjohn posted:I use acid-free paper and then a plastic sheet over it.
I would expect that foam could stick to them as well. I figure if the acid-free paper is good enough for Sunset 3rd Rail, it's good enough for me.
The foam is rated for archival storage. That works for me.
@ThatGuy posted:The foam is rated for archival storage. That works for me.
Well, obviously the exact specifications do make a difference, I'm not familiar with that particular foam. 
YOW!!!! I'll stick to my method!
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@gunrunnerjohn posted:YOW!!!! I'll stick to my method!
Yes if you need 128 rolls. The average engine takes 1 sheet. Still the better choice as it provides cushion and protection.
@ThatGuy posted:Yes if you need 128 rolls. The average engine takes 1 sheet. Still the better choice as it provides cushion and protection.
I didn't notice the 128 pack, no wonder it was so expensive!
One problem with adding bulk is sometimes that makes it harder to get the locomotive in and out of the package.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:I didn't notice the 128 pack, no wonder it was so expensive!
One problem with adding bulk is sometimes that makes it harder to get the locomotive in and out of the package.
Very true, I find it works best on older engines as the foam is not as tight.
when I looked at your post I thought well prices up again……….lol
@gunrunnerjohn posted:I use acid-free paper and then a plastic sheet over it.
I would expect that foam could stick to them as well. I figure if the acid-free paper is good enough for Sunset 3rd Rail, it's good enough for me.
John, Would you be kind enight to provide a link for the acid-free paper and plastic bags?
Thank you.
Richard
The plastic was a free contribution, I got some huge 8 foot x 16 foot 4 mil plastic sheet in a shipment as packing, but it looked so handy that I saved it. I cut it in strips and use it to wrap locomotives after the paper, that keeps the paper from tearing.
I bought the acid free paper years ago on Amazon, I don't have a current source. The order link is dead, so apparently the vendor that offered it is gone. It was for wrapping photos and artwork. Howver, this ad is very similar to what I bought, there are tons of these listings on Amazon. The size looks about what I have.
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When I took delivery of my MTH restoration-edition Big Boy, I found it to be wrapped in paper within the usual plastic sheeting. Needless to say, unwrapping this very heavy locomotive did a number on the paper. Knowing it wasn't going to survive re-wrapping the BB, I sought a substitute with the understanding that it needed to not interact negatively with the glossy paint job (which is probably why the usual foam-sheet wrap wasn't used. I came up with a pack of microfiber cleaning cloths from Amazon, reasoning that if they're smooth enough to clean your eyeglasses without scratching, they should shield the BB's paint job without ill effect:
(original post with enlarge-able photos)
Later on, I confronted a slightly different scenario with my PS-1 Class A, a York purchase which was missing its outer box and both original foam and plastic-sheet wrap. I initially sought the same solution as above, but after I received the microfiber set, I remembered reading one of MTH's emails listing newly-arrived items and one thing stood out to me: the 60-1001 locomotive wrapping material pack. Since the Class A carried a more conventional matte paint job, the standard wrapping was a viable solution, and a Google search for this item number revealed an MTH dealer listing which I then ordered:
(original post with enlarge-able photo)
It contains 25 sets of MTH-branded plastic sheeting and ribbons, as well as the foam sheets that form the inner layer of wrapping. So, it might be overkill if you only have one loco to wrap (I have a few more needing this), in which case maybe a few folk could split a pack amongst themselves, though the cost of the pack isn't really that great, certainly less than a typical (new) RailKing freight car.
---PCJ
Should I be repacking my trains in something other than what it came in? I have just been reusing the foam and plastic wrap. Some of my newer purchases did not come with foam but the plastic wrap seems thicker and appears to be anti- static.
Brad
Brad, I was wondering the same thing. In fact, most of my stuff that isn't on the ready track or shelves is just put back in the Styrofoam w/o plastic wrap. FWIW: once an item is opened, I don't put anything back in a plastic bag for the reasons already mentioned.
@Paul Kallus posted:In fact, most of my stuff that isn't on the ready track or shelves is just put back in the Styrofoam w/o plastic wrap.
Well, I can assure you, this is a bad idea! The Styrofoam will stick to the locomotive or whatever, and can damage the paint. I've gotten several 2nd hand purchases that were stored directly in Styrofoam that had it stuck to the paint, never to be removed completely again without repainting.
I keep everything in the factory provided packaging, or on a shelf.
@NYC 428 posted:I keep everything in the factory provided packaging, or on a shelf.
Me as well.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:Well, I can assure you, this is a bad idea! The Styrofoam will stick to the locomotive or whatever, and can damage the paint. I've gotten several 2nd hand purchases that were stored directly in Styrofoam that had it stuck to the paint, never to be removed completely again without repainting.
I would never put a model directly on the Styrofoam without it being wrapped with something. The original wrapping or microfiber towel etc... Heck, I would use plastic wrap before I would let it sit directly on the Styrofoam.
Brad
