What does everyone use for carrying their trains around?
I have all the boxes for mine, but it’s a bit cumbersome; especially with some of my Proto 2000 locomotives. (in the box they are spilt), also lots of the boxes are rather oversize. and pulling everything out of the boxes takes a while.
Are there any cheap alternatives for one rather than those $100+ purpose built cases. I have an old toolbox, but it’s rather heavy, and doesn’t have a handle.
I never have to carry my collection around, but I did keep them in one of those foam lined cardboard cases that I purchaced at one of the old GATS train shows in Las Vegas. I’ve since built a display case for my locos and rolling stock.
Is that a Tyco carrying case Dave? [:D]
The club here has a portable layout. As a result many of my locomotives are in a carry case to and from a show. The cases I have open like a book. There are shelves on each side and the locomotives are secured with elastic straps. The straps have an eyelet on one end and are secured to the shelf on the other with a staple. The eyelet hooks over a small nail in a recess in the shelf. There are flangeways cut in the shelves as well. This keeps things from shifting around. The cases cannot be lain flat. They must be kept upright at all times.
I use Dell Keyboard boxes. Sometimes I get a few that are left overs from the college.
I have yet to pay a dollar for a purpose built train carrying box.
Live steam? Or are the N scale trains coupled with drawbars?
I used to use the boxes computer punch cards came in - but I haven’t seen a new one for decades.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Home Depot sells an inexpensive ($20-30) tool case that looks like an attache case. It has moveable foam dividers & the case is foam lined. My [2c]
I use the A-Line/Proto Power West carrying cases, and they work quite well.
Kevin
I use the boxes from shop lights left over from my shop of course. I make up some dividers and add foam pieces between the cars and away I go!!
An old Air Force buddy of Mine sent me some trains once and they were in an old Backgammon game case.Pretty nice because the felt helps to protect them.
I used to run N scale trains in front of a hobbyshop on a portable layout this club had. To transport my trains, I used old wine boxes!
I use a rubbermade stacking storage unit, with a thin blue foam where the cars go and thicker black foam with more cushion for the locomotives, then with thin strips of the foam cut to go inbetween the cars or locomotives, then I use a luggage dolly to roll it around on and it works very good
outside
Inside for cars
Inside for the locomotives
Joe
Is there any boxes out there that won’t damage plastic handrails? I have broken numerous handrails, usually the ends get broken from the foam, but I have had the foam break side rails as well…
Not really. If the foam is breaking it, I think you need a more rigid case, and possibly a softer foam. ultimately, 'm sorry, but it comes to the carrier (you) with what alot fo the foam does. Try taking a little foam out?
It is more the cutout shape, and I have gotten a few, namely Bachmann Spectrum that came new, with the foam breaking the handrails because the cutout was not right.
I like the styrofoam ones though. never had that problem with styrofoam.
About seven years ago, I built a carrying case based on a standard attache case available at luggage stores, with 19.5" x 14.3" x 5" external dimensions. I think it cost about $50, and has held up well under twice-weekly use.
What I did was buy just the foam rubber inserts for an Axian Technology HO white box. I made a two-level interior with a heavy piece of cardboard as the center “floor” and used the foam inserts in both levels the same way Axian does. The cardboard level is not attached to the case, and must be removed to access the bottom compartment. To keep the storage tight enough so things won’t shift, a minimum of six cars must be packed, three on each level. These don’t seem bothersome restrictions.
The case can hold 24 40’ cars if one in each row is inverted, 16 50’ or 60’ cars, or eight 85’ cars. It can hold heavy locos, but I place them in the slots next to the hinges so they can’t migrate far if the case were dropped. It is much more rugged than an Axian box, and is also water resistant. It has been treated fairly roughly with no damage to the rolling stock.
Another possibility: Walgreen’s sells a bi-fold all-metal table with top sections about 19" x 22". When folded, it has just the right interior thickness dimension for a set of Axian foam. It has a secure locking mechanism and a handle. Simply remove the legs, install the foam, and you have a somewhat heavy case that could probably survive a bomb blast. I bought several on sale for $20 each.
Hal
I’ve had the broken handrail syndrome as well. Just used the rubber handrails as a pattern and replaced them with wire. The older locomotives with wire handrails never had the problem. I’ve mentioned the handrail problem before. A little extra cost for metal handrails would be worth it. Just need to get Athearn, Atlas, Bachmann et:all to abandon the rubber handrails and go for wire ones.
The carry cases I use aren’t the problem they work well it is just the handling of the locomotives. No matter how careful you might be there is going to be a mishap sometime.
I have made up trays that fit into a computer paper box. They are made out of foam core board glued together with white glue. Each tray is 11 x17 inches. I can fit three trays in each computer paper box.
Each tray will hold 16 normal 40’ freight cars or 8 85’ passenger cars. I also use the foam core as dividers between cars in the trays. I use insulation foam at the ends of the cars that is cut out so that the couplers are clear and any pressure on the ends goes to the end sill. I use slivers of the foam to wedge everything so that it can’t shift.
I am still refining the system but it is working quite well so far. I have discovered that loading all of the engines in one tray gives a weight that is beyond the reliable bond of the joint when lifting the tray out of the box. Just separating them into different trays is enough to solve the problem.
I have a picture of a couple trays at one of our shows but do not have a way of putting it on line. Anyone that is interested can PM me and I will send the pic to them.
Doug
This is true, The old flat Stewart and Atlas boxes with styrofoam have protected all my Fs and Geeps very well. A real crappy box but a great fit with the styrofoam. Before using the A- Line/Proto Power boxes, I used to cut closed cell foam to pad the loco. This is very similar to Spectrum packaging. The cut out is most important. As mentioned some are too tight and will damage or deform the end rails. I used to cut the foam or even add foam blocks that would wedge the hood of the loco and keep the rails free from touching any foam. This is also true if the box falls and lands on end. I still have troubles with my cab shades, even with using the divider, foam lined storage boxes. The cab shades catch once in a while and break off. I am thinking of replacing them w/ A-Line brass withthose 2 small brass mounting pins. Might work.