How Do You Arrange Trains On Your Shelves?

[Northwoods Flyer]

This is how I organzied mine when I first put up the shelves.

O gauge in sets where  possible, extra cars and engines were placed where they fit.

Wide Gauge freight equipment and engines, and accessories along the back wall on shelves and brackets.

Wide Gauge passenger sets, with odd cars tucked into available space.

I have increased the collection over the years since these photos were taken, but the displays remain pretty close to this.  Unfortunately many really fun sets are boxed up waiting for more wall space.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

[rtraincollector]

On mine I start at the top and try to do complete sets and if room may add another car or 2 that goes with that period of the set. next shelf same as first except engine and caboose other direction then rotate back and forth run out of sets and start making sets up with what I have and try to keep to period made ie prewar, postwar, and modern.

Now that you brought this up I need to go back down there and reorganize it as I did some changes and it not how I like it. I have two sets of shelve one I start with Post war the other I started with prewar. then just fill in with what else I have and not room for on train table I also need to build a couple of shelves somewhere might end up being in here as I have two modern sets never been run one is still sealed in plastic ( 1988 )( box bottom and all the contents ) lid lifts off to display and then another from 1996 new in box and never been run but not sealed in plastic but have taken out to ensure to my satisfaction it hasn't been used. 

 

 

 

[Nationwidelines]

I guess it is all about how much space you have and how many trains you have.  I have about 1,000 feet of aluminum shelving on my walls, with the shelving being 12 shelves high running floor to ceiling in parts of the room and 6 rows high (above the layout) in other parts of the room. 

I have grouped my trains several different ways:

First, I grouped trains of similar ages;

Second, I grouped trains of similar sizes (as pre war Flyer has several different sizes);

Third, I grouped trains by type, i.e. passenger sets, freight sets, streamline sets, lithographed items versus enamel painted items;

Fourth, I grouped items by length, in that some sets did not fit on the smaller walls, or there were several long items that needed some short items for spacing.

Fifth, as far as direction for facing the trains, some of my wind-up engines have to point in a specific direction as the shelves are too narrow for the key to face the wall (key sticks out too far for item to be on shelf with key against the wall, so key has to face the viewer).

 

 

Basically, it all boils down to what you want and what works for you.

NWL

 

 

 

 

[stebbycentral]

My arrangement is a little bit of every way.  The first shelf from the bottom holds my one streamliner.  The second my "reefer block", the third my work train.  After that is just rolling stock arranged at random.  The purpose of the shelves in the first place was to simply get my cars out of their drawers and on display.  So the sorting and stacking order is somewhat irrelevant to me.

 

[traindaddy1]

Although we don't have shelves  (our non-running items are on the layout in rail yards) we have considered it. 

      Some thoughts: 

             Stage them in consists.....Alternate the directions.

             After they are on the shelves, stand back and give the shelves a visual. 

Good luck...post pictures when you are finished.

[pgtr]

How Do You Arrange Trains On Your Shelves?

 

I recently put up 3 rows of aluminum shelving on 1 wall of my office and have started putting out some of my PW fare. I'm experimenting with putting diesels on 1 shelf, steam on another and rolling stock on a 3rd. (or one could go sections from left to right...) Also toying wiht larger at the lower shelf and smaller items up top and vice versa...

 

By the time I read this thread again I'll hopefully be done - there's LOTS of options here - just curious what thought, theme or criteria others do...