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 stick 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
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 stick
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
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
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
Rich
Alton Junction
ATLANTIC CENTRALWhen I go to a train show I never buy stuff from those people who just have soda cartons of loose rolling stock.
Living the dream.
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.
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.
Track fiddlerTom (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 stick
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.
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.
PM RailfanCant 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 fiddlerAbsolutely! 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.
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
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 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.
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!
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
"Do you save your loco and rolling stock boxes?"
Yes
Terry
Inspired by Addiction
See more on my YouTube Channel
PMR
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
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.
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 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
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.
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 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"
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
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......
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Modeling the PRR & NYC in HO
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/@trainman440
Instagram (where I share projects!): https://www.instagram.com/trainman440
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).
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.
No.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
Yes.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
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."
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"