Empty box storage

[Anonymous]

I know how I do it. My inventory spread sheet has a column for case#, which corresponds to 1 of the 16 storage cases I have in the next room. When I add a piece to inventory, I also inventory the box. Then the car either stays in storage, or becomes part of the current fleet. Why go through all this??
I have found when i have sold some items, it really helps to have the item AND the box! [;)]

No, I really do it because it drives the wife NUTS to see me organized![;)][}:)][;)]

[rexhea]

I may regret it later, but I chuck all boxes except for my loco's and better rolling stock.

Yikes! I just realized what time it is.[|)]

CU
REX

[simon1966]

I had a old 6" high storage unit, one of the particle board pack flat type, which was basically in the way in the middle of what has become the train room. I chopped it up, to create a shelving unit that runs the lenght of the train room for freight car storage, and a nice cupboard with doors under the layout for locomotives. All boxes have been kept, sorted by brand.

[Anonymous]

When I get the train room sorted, the boxes will be stored under the layout in cupboards - at the moment, they're stored under desks in the attic.

[CP5415]

All my boxes are stored under the benchwork on shelves.
The rolling stock & locomotives that do not have boxes are stored in a display cabinet.

Gordon

[Anonymous]

All my boxes are stashed away with lots of other stuff on a shelf under part of my layout.

[Anonymous]

I store mine in an old steamer chest underneath the layout. The box has been used for car storage for as long as I can remember. I used it to store my cars after started a rebuild, and it brought back memories of bringing that steamrup around christmas time to set up the layout around the christmas tree.
Andrew

[Anonymous]

kbfcsme -- good idea for the extra column on the spreadsheet. Now I have several more hours of work to do on the computer when I have time.

I learned my lesson several years ago when the Barbie dolls my daughters had when they were young began selling for outrageous prices "if the box was available." I keep my rolling stock boxes in the best condition I can, just in case....

I went to one of those supermarket-sized stationery and office supply stores and bought six 30" wide by 15" deep by 30" high multi-drawered plastic rollaround storage boxes with "clear" drawers. Each drawer I use for empty rolling stock boxes is labeled for that particular style car. For example, all my hoppers are in one off the larger drawers, as are box cars, reefers, etc. Units that I don't have a lot of inventory share a smaller drawer; cabeeses, snow plows and crane car sets are in one, while gondolas and flat cars are in another.

Locomotives are returned to their respective boxes after operating sessions and stored in another rollaround dedicated to locos. Drawers are designated for steam, diesel, electrics, Central of New Jersey, etc. I cover the rolling stock with a thin plastic dropcloth placed across them in the layout storage yards.

The rollaround units are just high enough to clear the bottom framework of my layout, allowing me to store the empty boxes out of the way behind the other rollarounds I keep clear for easy access. Two of the units hold my tools and supplies (track, couplers, etc.) that I might need at a minutes notice at any time.

[AggroJones]

On the shelf.

[Mark300]

I go the full bore....by marking the date of purchase on the box and cross referencing the purchase in my computer's (Quicken) both as a purchase and for insurance purposes, an asset.

Then I store each box in a larger file box in a well ventilated, dry place.

Keeping the boxes does increase the relative value of the collection (in case I'm no longer around to enjoy it which I'm not planning).

HTH

Mark

[on30francisco]

I use them to store small parts and tools.

[Anonymous]

My boxes are put to good use. In some, I have pieces of cars that are to be shopped sometime in the future. Others, have the car wrapped in plastic film and packed in foam. As I have way too many cars, I only keep about 10% collecting dust and dings. The remainder are put away in their box. The cars are cycled depending upon what I am running. As for the engines, I make my own "Reboxx" and put them in foam after wraping them in plastic film. As with the cars, only 25% of the engines our out and the rest safely stored away.

All of the boxes are stored in a tall metal 2-door storage cabinet that is used as a "room divider". As I recall, the cabinet was $65.00 new and is spacious enough to hold everything I own (trainwise).

[Anonymous]

i keep all my boxes but have no real organization for them. they are either put in bigger orange boxes under the layout or shoved on shelves, under shelves, under the bed or where there is space. before they are put away they often get filled with randome stuff. lots of them have other junk cars in them, or parts to junk cars, or un finished projects. if for some reason i need a perticular box i just have to dig it out and transfer what ever junk thats in it to a difernt box.

i thought about storeing my trains in their orignal boxes, but that didn't work out well b/c over half my stuff dosent have boxes. so now they are all stored in old tuna can boxes that i pick up from costco. they can fit like 9 cats each, and for the engines i put a peice of foam inbetween each of them. this limits the number or engines per box but keeps them protected.

[Noah Hofrichter]

The boxes jsut go on a shelf. Right now I don't have enought boxes to worry about it, and I don't have that many cars so I put them on 4, 4 foot long storage tracks, althought that may be changed to eight tracks soon. I may start putting them away in between operating sessions though, and catagorize them, as I am getting more soon, because I'm adding three new industries that need different types of cars then I have right now, so my collection will probably go from about 40 cars to about 60, at least I hope. And those are the cars that are in active service. I also have about ten cars that are to light and too cheap to both modifying, so I don't use them anymore. The spread sheet is a good idea, I never really thought about it.

Noah

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mr_mathyou

i they can fit like 9 cats each, .

[}:)]How do you get the 9th cat in the box without the other 8 getting out????[}:)]
[(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D]

Sorry,,,, As a cat life support system,,,, I couldn't resist[:D]

[fec153]

all my cars are in their own box except when on the pike. I keep my cars by R.R.
all n.p. , acl, sbd, F.E.C.,etc. They are under the layout in cabinets.
Phil
p.s.- wheels down so the weights won't shift.

[SP9811]

I stick em in a Rubbermaid bin, or I should say, "many" bins. [:)][:D]

[CBQ_Guy]

I don't know if I'll be saving any or not. Only the blue box, 40 footers fit back in after being built. If I end up leaving this house at my age, it will either to go somewhere smaller, to a nursing home, or in a box of my own. Ha!

I have a friend who saves all his on shelves above the layout, but turns the built ones upside down.

[darth9x9]

I put all of one type of box in a larger box ie box cars in one, tank cars in another, etc.

BC

[Anonymous]

I voted B. Once I have an item on my layout, the box usually drifts randomly around my house (I swear they move by themselves! [:0]) until I need them again. Unless the item is being stored in them- then they go in a shoebox under the layout.,,

[Fergmiester]

I keep the Loco boxes and one or two of the Blue Boxes as they may be collectors itemems someday!

[Anonymous]

I've now changed my system - I've found a type of cheap flat-pack zip-top fabric box from Ikea (Their name: Brana) - basically these are made from fabric with what seems to be stiff card sewn in to strengthen it. The boxes, when assembled, can hold 6 Walthers passenger cars (in original boxes), or assorted other stock. They also have a small clear pocket on the front to allow you to add a paper label - I use these to organise locos and stock into matching trains stored together. Not sure if Ikea has made it across the Atlantic yet, but if it has, these are well worth looking out for!

[cbq9911a]

I put te empty Lionel O boxes in the crawl space over the garage (trains are on display shelves) and the empty HO train boxes with the full ones.

I've gotten several storage containers from the Container Store for cars that come without boxes.

[Nieuweboer]

All of my boxes are st ored in empty Xerox copypaper cartons and under the layout.As much as possible the cartons contain e.g. only Athearn BB boxes or Roundhouse boxes or LL boxes. Locomotive boxes are in separate cartons. On the outside the contents are indicated so it's easy to find a specific box. Actually I'd like to get rid of the boxes but I also think that if ever my family has to sell everything( hopefully not for a long time) they'll be worth more if in the original box .

[Anonymous]

Seems like we need to have a "train room" and also a "box storage room". My place is starting to look like a hobby shop with all the boxes sitting on shelves.

Jim

[vsmith]

Everything I have is weathered or kitbashed, also I'm in LARGE SCALE ...fur Chriss-sakes, If I kept the Boxes, the box collection would be Bigger than the layout!

[mcouvillion]

I store the empty boxes in larger boxes in the garage. The rolling stock is now stored in car cases to keep whole trains or like cars together. The cars in the cases are inventoried (so I know where it goes and when I am missing one). I only have 27 full car cases and could use a few more.

[dharmon]

Oh no RRBrit.......Ikea is alive and well in the US, funnelling $$$ back to Sweden.


I used to keep the boxes, but .......1) they take up alot of space and I move rather frequently, 2) for the most part really don't adequately provide protection once details are on, and 3) At one time I lived in an area of fairly high humidity, with little ability to control the climate in the house. Many of the boxes were attacked by mold and had to be discarded. Since then, I use plastic underbed storage boxes, lined with foam. For rolling stock I constructed a cardboard tray so there are two levels per box....24-30 cars per box (length dependent) on their side. Locos are stored upright in a single layer, so usually it's no more than 12. It also makes it easy to haul stuff down to the club.