My dad, now 81, still has his American Flyer train he bought in 1952 and set up every Christmas when we were young. He doesn’t have the room to set it up any more, but he would love to display it. I need a display case that would hold a couple sections of track along with the engine, a couple of cars and the caboose, that would go on the wall like a shelf. It would have to be enclosed in glass or something to keep it clean. Is this something that I will have to make myself or does anyone have a better idea, Thank you for your time Jeff
There are many options and most advertise on the internet. You will need to know the gauge, but I’m assuming its an O gauge set. I personally like shelving without any enclosure. Many choices available and much less expensive. However, here are two websites that offer wall mounted display cases.
From 1952, it would have been S, not O.
They should be relatively easy to build. Take some 1"x3" boards, then cut them to whatever length works for the area you wish to put them will allow. I’d stay under 6 foot per shelf unit. Then, screw ends into a side board of the same dimensions, keeping square (90 degree angles). Space them about 4" apart and build them up, say 6 shelves high. You can use piano hinges with Plexiglas to make a cover to keep dust out. Stain wood to whatever matches your room.
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You get the idea.
Dennis
Welcome Jeff.
There are some relatively in-expensive shelving options at your local big-box home stores but they generally do not carry anything with a cover.
Depending on where you live, you might be able to find a dealer for used office/store fixtures with what you are looking for. You also might try looking in the local newspaper to see if there are any stores closing in your area.
Happy Hunting !
Consider units made for the display of 1/18 model cars. Carney Plastics makes excellent ones (I own 3 of them). Each shelf would be wide enough for 3 AF items. You can see the large selection at www.carneyplastics.com . Be sure to order a unit WITHOUT the dividers.
Check out the Classic Case Company website, http://www.ccase.com/.
I’ve bought a few of the O gauge cases from them for some largish O gauge locomotives and the quality of the wood base and the plastic shell surprised me (I thought the prices were low, so I was expecting cheap, but that wasn’t the case).
The O gauge cases might be a bit tall for S gauge, but the lengths should do very well for the trains.
In the FWIW department, Classic Case is the parent company of Large scale train maker Hartland Locomotive Works, which I believe makes their trains in LaPorte Indiana.
I built mine this way twenty years ago and they have been through four houses and multiple configurations. One thing I did do was to run the shelves down the ole table saw to add some grooves for the flanges. It gives me a little more piece of mind and saves me from needing to lay track on the shelves. If you stain them, consider adding a coat of clear over the top to make them easier to wipe down. I wish I had. They can be mounted anywhere just move the vertical furring strips left or right to line up with the wall studs. I used 1X4’s for the shelves and put 1X6’s on the ends in case I might want to enclose the unit with plexi one day If your wanting to do this for one train, it shouldn’t be too tough, just draw up a box and leave enough room on the front for some grooves for two plexi sliding doors and then pick some nice wood, oak or what ever you like, build stain and hang. your dad will love it.
Thanks for the web site. These are the best prices I have seen for O gauge cases.Thanks much!!
Dennis H…I don’t see the 2031s up there on the shelf. May I assume they are on the board doing what they do best? Please don’t tell me you thinned them out of your herd. Jack.