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Do you save your loco and rolling stock boxes?

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Monday, December 5, 2022 7:23 AM

PM Railfan
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.

My wargaming stuff will take up all storage space in the train room.

Track fiddler
Absolutely!  I don't keep the cars in them though.

When I was in N Scale I saved all the boxes. Nothing is as good an an N Scale Microtrains jewel case box.

The HO scale Kadee version is not as good.

-Kevin

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Posted by John-NYBW on Monday, December 5, 2022 7:27 AM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL

 

Sheldon

 

Maybe if I were starting over that would be good advice but I've been pitching boxes for over 40 years so starting to save them now probably isn't going to make much difference. 

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Monday, December 5, 2022 7:34 AM

It just orrucred to me that I did save one box. The packaging for my Bachmann EM-1 2-8-8-4 is perfect for protecting that locomotive.

Once the layout is built, it will probably be gone too.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by gmpullman on Monday, December 5, 2022 7:34 AM

Track fiddler
Tom (tstage)and Ed (gmpullman) had both told me that the rubber mats would eat into the paint of the cars.  When I change them out to felt, a few of them were already starting to stickTongue Tied

Glad you caught that in time TF. I was just looking at one of my $90 Walthers Great Northern Pullmans that got ruined by the puffy shelf liner stuff. I gave it to a forum friend in California.

I WAS an avid box saver. I even saved the boxes that the box came in. Audio equipment, appliances, G scale trains, HO trains, I saved it all. One night in 2012 changed all that. Whoa! You should see just how fast all that foam bead and tinder-dry cardboard goes up when your house is on fire.

 IMG_9198 by Edmund, on Flickr

You can see a few AristoCraft and USA Trains G scale boxes that fell through the attic ceiling. Of course the fire department uses a fire-suppressant agent that is like a clay material so even if your box survives the fire it is coated with a chalky substance and soggy wet to boot.

 IMG_9196 by Edmund, on Flickr

Still, to this day I do have all the boxes for any brass engines or "higher-end" stuff (Genesis, Broadway, Rapido, etc.) and I made a database with an ID number so my heirs can match up the loco with the box.

The boxes are stored in a free-standing building away from the house. Lightning doesn't strike twice, does it?

If you stuff a lot of cardboard and beaded foam in your attic you should really consider a sprinkler system, or more insurance.

Cheers, Ed

 

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Monday, December 5, 2022 7:35 AM

John-NYBW

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. 

 

Price aside, when I go to a train show I never buy stuff from those people who just have soda cartons of loose rolling stock. Even Athearn blue box rolling stock has parts easily broken and finishes easily scratched.

Sheldon

    

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Monday, December 5, 2022 7:40 AM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL
When I go to a train show I never buy stuff from those people who just have soda cartons of loose rolling stock.

When I have sold my stuff at train shows, I have never had any problem without the boxes. Of course, it is not in cardboard boxes, but displayed on track with care.

Of course, the unbuilt stuff is still in its original boxes.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by richhotrain on Monday, December 5, 2022 7:52 AM

SeeYou190
 
ATLANTIC CENTRAL
When I go to a train show I never buy stuff from those people who just have soda cartons of loose rolling stock. 

When I have sold my stuff at train shows, I have never had any problem without the boxes. Of course, it is not in cardboard boxes, but displayed on track with care.

Of course, the unbuilt stuff is still in its original boxes.

-Kevin 

How do buyers transport those items home?

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Monday, December 5, 2022 1:12 PM

gmpullman

 

 
Track fiddler
Tom (tstage)and Ed (gmpullman) had both told me that the rubber mats would eat into the paint of the cars.  When I change them out to felt, a few of them were already starting to stickTongue Tied

 

Glad you caught that in time TF. I was just looking at one of my $90 Walthers Great Northern Pullmans that got ruined by the puffy shelf liner stuff. I gave it to a forum friend in California.

I WAS an avid box saver. I even saved the boxes that the box came in. Audio equipment, appliances, G scale trains, HO trains, I saved it all. One night in 2012 changed all that. Whoa! You should see just how fast all that foam bead and tinder-dry cardboard goes up when your house is on fire.

 IMG_9198 by Edmund, on Flickr

You can see a few AristoCraft and USA Trains G scale boxes that fell through the attic ceiling. Of course the fire department uses a fire-suppressant agent that is like a clay material so even if your box survives the fire it is coated with a chalky substance and soggy wet to boot.

 IMG_9196 by Edmund, on Flickr

Still, to this day I do have all the boxes for any brass engines or "higher-end" stuff (Genesis, Broadway, Rapido, etc.) and I made a database with an ID number so my heirs can match up the loco with the box.

The boxes are stored in a free-standing building away from the house. Lightning doesn't strike twice, does it?

If you stuff a lot of cardboard and beaded foam in your attic you should really consider a sprinkler system, or more insurance.

Cheers, Ed

 

 

Being a construction professional, former home inspector, and the son and father of firefighters, I understand. 

Also with the above background I strongly discourage anyone from storing anything in unfinished attic space. It is generally bad for the items in any case and very bad in the event of a fire.

Sheldon

    

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Posted by Doughless on Monday, December 5, 2022 2:05 PM

Once again,  I see things differently than a lot of folks on this forum.  I save all boxes, but it has nothing to to with transporting them in a move, or reselling the items (although they are helpful in both areas.

I used them because that's where the cars that are not currently on the layout are being stored.  I handle the cars frequently, taking them on and off the layout frequently.  I swap out different cars and locos probably monthly or so.  Run different themes sometimes, but mainly just to see a fresh set of cars to run.

Like the OP, I have no reason to store empty boxes.  All of mine are full of cars and locos.

Its much safer to ship an unboxed car by wrapping it in bubble wrap than to try and fenagle foam and packaging around a car in an Athearn BB box.   I sold my older BB and MDC cars without boxes so I had empty boxes with which to store cars I purchased from train shows.  So in that vein, I guess I still have some empty boxes laying around.

- Douglas

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Posted by kasskaboose on Monday, December 5, 2022 3:15 PM

I tend to keep most of the boxes for rolling stock and locos.  Not sure why. 

Some of the cars at train shows don't have boxes, but I never buy locos from there.

 

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Posted by BigDaddy on Monday, December 5, 2022 4:43 PM

richhotrain
How do buyers transport those items home?

I carry one of those cheap nylon carry bags that pharmaceutical companies bribed me, as doctor.  I also got free pens a couple t-shirts and clip boards.  It would be rare that I bought more than 1 car from the soda boxes.

As to whether to keep the boxes, having downsized and moved at age 69, I wish I saved every box.  At Timonium, Spring Depot Models sold, perhaps still sell, boxes that hold a couple dozen cars.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Monday, December 5, 2022 5:04 PM

BigDaddy

 

 
richhotrain
How do buyers transport those items home?

 

I carry one of those cheap nylon carry bags that pharmaceutical companies bribed me, as doctor.  I also got free pens a couple t-shirts and clip boards.  It would be rare that I bought more than 1 car from the soda boxes.

As to whether to keep the boxes, having downsized and moved at age 69, I wish I saved every box.  At Timonium, Spring Depot Models sold, perhaps still sell, boxes that hold a couple dozen cars.

 

Spring Mills Depot announced a while back that shipping costs and slow sales have forced them to get out of the storage box business.

Sheldon

    

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Posted by Track fiddler on Monday, December 5, 2022 5:05 PM

Dang!  You had a fire Ed.  That musta sucked.  Besides the nightmare of the fire, I understand the aftermath can be a nightmare as well.  I've heard of some insurance company's dragging their heels, something to do with the investigation and reports to see if they're completely liable or can find some kind of a loophole somewhere.

Hopefully you had a good insurance company and found a decent contractor to take care of things in a timely manner back then.  I don't blame you a bit for putting that kind of stuff in a shed separate from the house after all that.  I've also heard the fire smell doesn't ever go away, is that true?

 

I agree with you Kevin, that those jewel cases for N scale are the cats meow.  I just can't throw those away as I will need them not too far down the road.  Judy and I are going to eventually get out of the city and retire on a lake up north.  All that fragile stuff will be protected one day for that move.

 

Hi Rich.  At the train shows I go to in the two state area up here, they just gently roll up unboxed locomotives or rolling stock in a couple of paper towels, then in a couple Walmart bags.  Seems to work fine.  Haven't came home with anything broken yet.  I would imagine there's more delicate ones that you wouldn't want to do that with.  Would rather have the original box when buying them but when the deals are good....

 

 

TF

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Posted by gmpullman on Monday, December 5, 2022 5:25 PM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL
Being a construction professional, former home inspector, and the son and father of firefighters, I understand. 

My son is a lieutenant with the VFD. He was quickly on the scene and when the axes came out to smash the windows I asked him to intervene. I showed them that the Pella windows can be completely opened and the sliding door removed. So, fortunately no glass shattered to "vent" the fire.

The next day a board-up crew arrived and they all mentioned, "Hey! How come none of the windows are smashed?!"

Track fiddler
Hopefully you had a good insurance company and found a decent contractor to take care of things in a timely manner back then. 

Couldn't have been happier. The fire chief suggested that we should vacate the property but we explained we have to be here to look after the cats, goats and chickens. Dee Ann's sister has a huge RV and we brought that on to the property and the insurance company reiombursed them for use of the RV instead of paying for a hotel, which would have been miles away.

Contractor was great. Fire department was great and within four months most everything was back to normal.

Track fiddler
I've also heard the fire smell doesn't ever go away, is that true?

Every square inch of the attic area where much of the smoke damage occurred was completely spray painted with pigmented shellac (Kilz or Binz) and most of the drywall and studs were replaced on the main floor. Then Servicemaster cleaned everything and a complete interior repaint was done. All good.

Fortunately, very little water made it into the basement. After temporary wiring was made I was running trains within 48 hours CoolBig Smile

Cheers, Ed

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Posted by Track fiddler on Monday, December 5, 2022 6:19 PM

Hi Ed.  I'm glad everything went smoothly for you when you went through that rather unfortunate ordeal.  Sounds like you hired some Good Ol' Joe's, leaving a happy trail of customers by taking pride in their work.  The only way to goYes 

I liked how the only thing you mentioned repowered after the temporary wiring, was the Trains downstairs.  Priorities my friendLaugh

I've only looked at one fire job in my life.  I got this voice in my head that screamed YUK!  Then ran from it, and never looked at another one.  Perhaps it takes a certain breed to do those.  I always liked the custom craft jobs, working with beautifully milled wood and leaving the charcoal under the cheese burgersLaugh...Wink

 

 

TF

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Posted by selector on Monday, December 5, 2022 11:27 PM

I save and use original packing. I just do.  I figure I might sell it, or gift it (to a grandson, for example), and the beneficiary should have a clue as to its type and provenance. Who knows, maybe somebody they know will be glad to part with some cash because it's something they've been looking for.

So, about 90% of my rolling stock and engines are stored as they came to me.  If I have to make up a box of 'odds 'n sods', or just want them off the layout and I'll get to 'em later, I use remnants of that cloth-like white wrapping that covers new TVs and some leather furniture.  Not the thin rubber almost see-through foam, but it's more like a fiber.  That stuff is great wrapped around your precious caboose.  Even bags of those strips of painter's cloths, often just cut up bedsheets, that are at the paints section...they're super and cheap.  Great for wiping the rails, too.

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Posted by Attuvian1 on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 1:05 AM

I generally keep my boxes.  They've proved handy as I've had to store virtually all of my locos and rolling stock for the last decade or so as I'm currently without a layout.  Just load what I need into an apple box for toting to the club when I want to run my own stuff.  I also think they will benefit any future owners (or sellers) of my gear.

I note some mention in other posts here about A-Line's boxes/tote system.  I don't have any of that as it appears to be for bulk.  But I did order a couple dozen individual kit boxes (with plain ends for my own labels) a couple years ago from Accurail.  These are helpful for storing the occasional boxcar or whatever that I may pick up at a swap meet or first-chance grabs out of collections that are turned over to our club for sale.  I also have them for individual storage of a dozen cars from two old Walthers Work Train sets that I'm in the process of upgrading.  The original boxes for those sets just didn't don't cut it for shelf storage because they are over-sized and therefore rather flimsy.  Accurail still carries these empties at the bottom of their on-line parts catalogue, including longer ones for lengthier rolling stock.  Still under $2 a box when ordering a half-dozen of the regular size (shipping excluded).  If you're going to store individual cars, it was much more functional to buy these pre-made rather than gather the materials and go into production of my own.  I tend to wrap in bubble wrap where custom innards (as for RTR) are not provided.

Attuvian John

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Posted by maxman on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 1:14 AM

selector

  Not the thin rubber almost see-through foam, but it's more like a fiber.  That stuff is great wrapped around your precious caboose.

 

 
Maybe so, but I think I’d rather wear a pair of pants.
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Posted by Attuvian1 on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 8:07 AM

maxman

 selector

  Not the thin rubber almost see-through foam, but it's more like a fiber.  That stuff is great wrapped around your precious caboose.

 
Maybe so, but I think I’d rather wear a pair of pants.
 

Laugh Bow 

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Posted by ricktrains4824 on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 8:43 AM

Like many have stated, yes I save all of mine. Storage, moving and transporting are safest in the original boxes.

Resale value or not makes zero difference.

Ricky W.

HO scale Proto-freelancer.

My Railroad rules:

1: It's my railroad, my rules.

2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.

3: Any objections, consult above rules.

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Posted by John-NYBW on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 11:39 AM

I stopped by my LHS this morning. They deal in second hand merchandise. I asked the proprietor how much added value an item in its original box has. He told me he couldn't give me a dollar value but having an item in a box makes it easier to display and to sell. He said boxed items can be stacked on shelves. That would indicate to me he thinks boxed items are a little more valuable. 

He did say that Lionel stuff is considered collectible and collectors very definitely want the original box so having the box for that stuff makes it very much more valuable. 

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Posted by NorthBrit on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 12:18 PM

I understand each answer and respect them.

I must take the unorthodox approach. Smile

I do not keep the boxes because I run the rolling stock.   I have no intention of selling any items, therefore no need to keep the boxes.  When I am gone  my grandchildren will have the  trains.

 

David

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 12:36 PM

Keep'm.  Store rolling stock in origina boxes and for any I need to sell, buyers prefer items in original boxes.

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

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Posted by John-NYBW on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 3:31 PM

NorthBrit

I understand each answer and respect them.

I must take the unorthodox approach. Smile

I do not keep the boxes because I run the rolling stock.   I have no intention of selling any items, therefore no need to keep the boxes.  When I am gone  my grandchildren will have the  trains.

 

David

 

Pretty much my thinking although I'm sure my heirs would rather have the money than the trains. My estate will sell what it can for what it can get. Given the resale value of most model railroading equipment is fairly low to begin with, having the stuff in original boxes is not going to add that much to it. Let's say it's 20% added value. An Athearn BB boxcar will probably be listed on the second hand shelf of my LHS for $8-10. That means they would probably offer no more than $3-4. An extra 20% is going to add less than $1 of value to it. 

I doubt my estate would get more than $300 for all my rolling stock combined. Having it all in boxes is probably only going to add about $50-60 to what my estate could get for it, if that much. Right now, I have 14 heirs that would split my estate equally. Saving all those boxes is going to net each of the heirs an additional $4. Big deal. So to give all my heirs an additional $4, I would have to go to all the trouble of storing all those empty boxes in some sort of logical order. Not going to happen. 

Locos are another matter. First of all, there aren't that many of them as compared to the rolling stock. They have a much higher value so being able to sell them in the original boxes is going to add a good amount of value to the estate. Enough that hanging on to those boxes is probably worthwhile. 

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Posted by selector on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 3:35 PM

 

maxman

 

 
selector

  Not the thin rubber almost see-through foam, but it's more like a fiber.  That stuff is great wrapped around your precious caboose.

 

 

 
Maybe so, but I think I’d rather wear a pair of pants.
 

Me, too.  To be honest. Laugh

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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 3:52 PM

John-NYBW

Given the resale value of most model railroading equipment is fairly low to begin with, having the stuff in original boxes is not going to add that much to it. Let's say it's 20% added value. An Athearn BB boxcar will probably be listed on the second hand shelf of my LHS for $8-10. That means they would probably offer no more than $3-4. An extra 20% is going to add less than $1 of value to it. 

I doubt my estate would get more than $300 for all my rolling stock combined. Having it all in boxes is probably only going to add about $50-60 to what my estate could get for it, if that much. Right now, I have 14 heirs that would split my estate equally. Saving all those boxes is going to net each of the heirs an additional $4. Big deal. So to give all my heirs an additional $4, I would have to go to all the trouble of storing all those empty boxes in some sort of logical order. Not going to happen. 

Speaking for myself, I don't keep the boxes to add value on resale. I keep the boxes so that in the event that I sell a piece of rolling stock, I have secure way to ship the item. And, I feel that a buyer is more confident that the item will arrive safely if it is shipped in its original box rather than wrapped in paper or tossed into a corrugated box with a bit of bubble wrap.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by John-NYBW on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 4:26 PM

I've bought lots of stuff on ebay and I don't pay much attention to whether an item still has its original box or not because I don't care. Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't. It doesn't matter to me as long as it arrives in one piece. I can't recall an incident when it didn't. 

I have a small fleet of Rivarossi steamers from the 1980s that I intend to sell on ebay if I ever get around to it. Some I bought in AHM boxes and some I bought in the Rivarossi red boxes. I don't have any of the original boxes although I have a few red boxes that came with Rivarossi passenger cars I bought. I could substitute those and as long as I pack them safely, it shouldn't be an issue. I will make it clear that the items don't come with the original boxes.  

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Posted by thomas81z on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 7:06 PM

yes i need somewhere to store it after i bring it home lol

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Posted by MidlandMike on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 7:32 PM

I save all the boxes, and even throw the sales slip in the box.  Not all models have the makers brand on them, so with the box I have the make and model, and with the sales slip I have a record of price and date bought.  Plus ready storage and moving container.  I think selling in a box not only adds value, but lets the buyer assume that the item was well cared for.

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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 11:05 PM

MidlandMike

I save all the boxes, and even throw the sales slip in the box.  Not all models have the makers brand on them, so with the box I have the make and model, and with the sales slip I have a record of price and date bought.  Plus ready storage and moving container.  I think selling in a box not only adds value, but lets the buyer assume that the item was well cared for. 

I agree. I believe that most potential buyers are more likely to buy used rolling stock if they know that the seller is the original owner, has the original box and includes any paper work or spare parts that may have been included in the original purchase. As you say, it tells the buyer that the item was well cared for.

Rich

Alton Junction

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