For my rolling stock, the answer is almost never. I understand that it adds to resale value if an item is in its original box, but I don't expect to sell much of my rolling stock and when I do, I just take it to my LHS in a cardboard box and they give me a fair price for it.
Locos are another matter. There might come a day when I decide I have too many (if that's possible) and will want to put them up for auction on ebay. Then it might be worth it to save the boxes. I have lots of 1980s Rivarossi steamers that I intend to sell and the boxes are long gone. That will probably affect the sale price. I also have saved the boxes for passenger car sets which also should increase their value should I decide to resell them.
Saving all the rolling stock boxes would require lots of shelf space which is already at a premium in my basement. I have more rolling stock than I can fit on my layout at any one time so I store the excess in Sterlite, 3-drawer, plastic, stackable cabinets and rotate them on and off the layout as I see fit. I see no reason to store the empty boxes as well.
I do not save any boxes once the model is assembled and painted.
There are better solutions for storage for cars that go on and off the layout. Less used equipment goes into a display case.
I do not even save the boxes for brass steam locomotives. Once they are painted for the SGRR, they have no value anyway.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I agree with Kevin. My locomotives usually get Kadees before they ever feel track beneath their wheels. Most of my rolling stock is kits anyway, and those get couplers, metal wheelsets and weathering. Older engines now have non-OEM decoders I installed.
So, the boxes aren't going to add value.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I save all of the boxes from locomotives as well as rolling stock.
One reason is possible future sale. But, another reason is a possible move. The safest way to transport locos and rolling stock is in their original boxes.
Rich
Alton Junction
If the locomotoives and/or rolling stock come in boxes, then yes, I do save the boxes.
If I buy locomotives that don't come with a box, I'll often make a box to suit, but in most cases, the locos are on the layout. The locomotive boxes are useful for transport purposes.Most of my freight cars came with boxes, but I have bought new boxes and/or constructed ones to carry rolling stock items that are related...such as a wreck crane with a boom-tender car....
Freight car boxes are a must, both for storage purposes...
..and for transporting purposes.
For passenger equipment, I use these Mountain Goat boxes that are used for both storage and transport...
...then use cut-up cardboard boxes to create partitioned trays that fit inside the boxes...
Fragile rolling stock that's stored in either their original boxes or in owner-created boxes, often require methods to protect those fragile details. Here are a few examples...
It seems to me that if you own expensive and/or fragile model railroad stuff or similar scratchbuilt items, it's in your best interests to ensure that those items are well cared-for and well-protected.
Wayne
Guess I would have to answer yes since I still own the large box and individual boxes my first HO set came in. Tyco, around 1965.
I have always saved the boxes, there is always plenty of room under the layout.
I don't have more rolling stock than the layout design can handle so rotating equipment on and off the layout is not an issue. That is what staging yards are for.
I'm not concerned about resale value, and I have no intention to ever sell anything, and no intention of ever moving again. But after I'm gone, the boxes may be of some use to whoever gets the trains, or wants to get rid of the trains.
I do consider the original boxes a good way to transport or store them if necessary.
I do not lug my trains to clubs, so tote systems and such do not interest me, just one more expense I don't need. Some things won't go back in their original boxes, and other arrangements are then made as needed.
As stated above, I don't concern myself with value, but I do think it is nice to preserve the history of these items, brand, description and prices on boxes, etc. I have a fair amount of stuff from the mid/late 50's and all thru the 60's/70's.
I have brown box, and red/white box Athearn, which predate yellow boxes, that predate blue boxes....... same kind of history with Varney and MDC.
They are all in there boxes right now, as layout contruction is getting under way.
Sheldon
Yes, mostly because I never get around to buying A-Line boxes.
Hello All,
Yes, I save my boxes to store the locomotives and rolling stock that won't fit on my pike.
If they didn't come in OEM boxes I will fabricate a solution for storage.
Because my pike sits on top of the bed in the computer/railroad/spare bedroom I use low-profile plastic storage boxes that slide under the bed for long-term storage.
I also built an industrial shelving unit that holds the boxes of the "in-use" units along with modeling supplies.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
Yes.
I save mine, but I have the room to not notice them. When I croak or have to just downsize I would like to have the boxes to pass them on in.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
No.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
Yes - RTR and kit...
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Yes, most of the time. I did discard some boxes in that past that I wish I had kept (Athearn blue boxes for rail cars only of value to me, nothing special).
I keep all boxes which actually can protect the model. aka I throw away boxes that contained kit models since they often dont actually hold an assembled model properly. Just threw out a batch of kit boxes recently.
Charles
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Modeling the PRR & NYC in HO
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/@trainman440
Instagram (where I share projects!): https://www.instagram.com/trainman440
Trainman440 I keep all boxes which actually can protect the model. aka I throw away boxes that contained kit models since they often dont actually hold an assembled model properly. Just threw out a batch of kit boxes recently. Charles
Well, it is easy, and inexpensive, to add some modern packing foam or other padding to the average Athearn box......
Yes, I do keep them. They are all in my attic. The only reason that they are kept is if I am replacing them with a superior model, it makes selling the old model easier.
An "expensive model collector"
Some I do, some I dont. Frequent use cars, I get arid of th eboxes. But ones that only get occassional to rare use I do keep them. Like the boxes for steam is kept to store them while the deisels mostly dont keep boxes. My post war stuff is a different story altogether.
shane
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
Yes, I saved all the loco, rolling stock, electronics, etc. boxes and packing - for storage and possible sale and possible moves.
Not a surprise, but all three reasons proved to be prophetic. Two years ago I sold almost all my MR "stuff", and the boxes were the perfect shipping containers. Of course they were wrapped with tissue and in a few cases the couplers were removed. And, there were 3 or 4 cars that needed bigger boxes (i.e. Athearn passenger BB boxes). Believe it or not, out of 20 or so powered units and 250 or so cars sold, NO damage was reported.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
I save the ones that are good for keeping and organizing little parts and projects. A few are used for the models that came in them. I built or modified cabinets for holding those that I keep. Dan
I wasn't expecting so many replies. It appears the consensus is for saving the boxes. The two main reasons seem to me to preserve resale value and to protect the equipment during transportation. Neither of these are a compelling enough reason for me except for my expensive equipment, locos and passenger cars. The added value of being able to resell those in the original box makes it worthwhile, if not for me, for my heirs. Limiting it to just the expensive items doesn't take up that much room. Looking at some of the photos of saved boxes, the space saving of tossing most of the boxes outweighs preserving the resale value of the cheaper items. I do have lots of room under the layout but I would need to either build shelves or get cabinets and that expense would offset any gain by saving the boxes. It also seems like one would need an organized system for storing boxes and organization is not my strong suit.
I don't belong to a club nor do I know other modelers near me that I would need to transport my equipment. If I ever did need to do that, I'd just grab a cardboard box and wrap the equipment in newspaper.
What got me thinking about this was my recent purchase of three used Athearn RTR 50' Santa Fe ice cooled reefers. The packaging is much more elaborate than the old BB kits. The cars have nice detail on them and came with clamshell packaging inside the box. When I put them on the layout, my first thought was to toss the boxes but I thought I'd get some other opinions on whether saving them would be worthwhile. I bought these for $15 apiece so even if I save the boxes and the clamshells, I don't think there is much benefit to it.
Thanks to all who replied.
John-NYBW I wasn't expecting so many replies. It appears the consensus is for saving the boxes. The two main reasons seem to me to preserve resale value and to protect the equipment during transportation. Neither of these are a compelling enough reason for me except for my expensive equipment, locos and passenger cars. The added value of being able to resell those in the original box makes it worthwhile, if not for me, for my heirs. Limiting it to just the expensive items doesn't take up that much room. Looking at some of the photos of saved boxes, the space saving of tossing most of the boxes outweighs preserving the resale value of the cheaper items. I do have lots of room under the layout but I would need to either build shelves or get cabinets and that expense would offset any gain by saving the boxes. It also seems like one would need an organized system for storing boxes and organization is not my strong suit. I don't belong to a club nor do I know other modelers near me that I would need to transport my equipment. If I ever did need to do that, I'd just grab a cardboard box and wrap the equipment in newspaper. What got me thinking about this was my recent purchase of three used Athearn RTR 50' Santa Fe ice cooled reefers. The packaging is much more elaborate than the old BB kits. The cars have nice detail on them and came with clamshell packaging inside the box. When I put them on the layout, my first thought was to toss the boxes but I thought I'd get some other opinions on whether saving them would be worthwhile. I bought these for $15 apiece so even if I save the boxes and the clamshells, I don't think there is much benefit to it. Thanks to all who replied.
John, if like me you save boxes for the long end game, you don't need shelves or fance organization. Just stack them neatly in large cardboard cartons or large plactic storage containers. Easily moved when needed.
I save most of the boxes. When the volume of space used up gets too great, out some of them go.
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
I keep them. Cant understand why you wouldnt! Matter of fact, there isnt a reason to get rid of them. If you have space for the trains, you have space for the boxes.
Getting rid of the box is like selling a Rivarossi steamer without its tender.... it just doesnt work!
PMR
"Do you save your loco and rolling stock boxes?"
Yes
Terry
Inspired by Addiction
See more on my YouTube Channel
To condense and summarize........
If you throw away the boxes/packing, you may well regret it.
If you save the boxes/packing, you will likely not regret it.
But I can relate.....my collection of HO stuff began in 1961. Through the decades I built and improved it and the thought of selling it all NEVER crossed my mind - even through a number of company moves.
But things happen, and two years ago I decided it best to take down the layout and sell almost all of my "stuff". Thank goodness I still had all those boxes!
PM Railfan I keep them. Cant understand why you wouldnt! Matter of fact, there isnt a reason to get rid of them. If you have space for the trains, you have space for the boxes. Getting rid of the box is like selling a Rivarossi steamer without its tender.... it just doesnt work!
I have actually gone a step further and saved the boxes that structure kits come in. Countless times, I have gone back to those boxes to scavenge extra parts that inevitably have been included in those boxes. I keep all of those boxes in large moving boxes that I store in my attic.
A couple of years back, I decided to switch from Tortoises to spring loaded turnouts. I sold over 60 Tortoises in their original boxes that I had saved. I am sure that the buyers appreciated that with even the original instruction sheet included in each box.
Do you save your loco and rolling stock boxes?
Absolutely! I don't keep the cars in them though. They are all in a great big box down in the storage cabinet. I had stacks and stacks of loco's, freight cars and cabeese. It was always a Royal Pain in the Butt!, to find a particular car when looking for it.
Here's some of the cars
I seen these plastic fastener totes at Harbor Freight one day, that reminded me of the Hot Wheels- Matchbox caddies we had as Kids. The translucent plastic provides a good enough view to find a car you're looking for quickly.
Fit like a glove
A little story with this. You can see the rubber mats that are used in mechanic tool box drawers. They were immediately, (Thank Goodness!) changed out to black felt.
Tom (tstage) and Ed (gmpullman) had both told me, that the rubber mats would eat into the paint of the cars. Sometimes I don't think, as I should have known better. When I changed them out to felt, a few of them were already starting to stick
Some help from my Forum friends saved the day Still appreciative for that one!
TF
My LHS has a couple shelves of used equipment. It seems to me that more often than not, it doesn't have the original boxes. Just sits on the shelf with a price tag stuck to it. Next time I go in, I'm going to ask the proprietor how much added value equipment has if it is in its original box. Given that the resale value is fairly low to begin with, I doubt it would be much. As I said earlier, I have no use for the boxes since I don't transport my stuff to a club or other layouts.