My 15x15 Tonopah and Tidewater RR is going to be moving to a new home 600 miles away. It is designed to be broken apart into 1.5X4 foot sections but has never been taken apart. My questions would be: Do you let the movers move the modules or get a Uhaul and do it yourself? I’m ordering some car and loco storage boxes to move the cars and engines but what would you move the delicate buildings and mine headframes in? Any other suggestions and thoughts? - Nevin
Nevin,
If I were you,I would rent a small U-Haul truck,that my layout and equipment would fit into and do it myself…If something goe’s wrong,you only have yourself to blame,not any moving company to deal with…
Cheers,
Frank
The answer to that question depends upon whether you want the layout to wind up intact and flawless or damaged. If it were me, I would get a U-Haul and do it myself. In my experience, the best of the movers still have a propensity to be somewhat careless and will commit less time and effort to being careful than you would be yourself.
A big part of the problem is the professional mover’s need to cram as much stuff in the moving van as possible. Wood furniture and glass items can be protected even when stored on top of each other, but not so for fragile layout modules.
Rich
It all depends on how your layout is built. I am in the Air Force and have now move my 6x10 layout twice. The layout breaks down into four 3’ x 5 modules to make it easier to move. Both times the layout made it though the move with the moving company. Here are my recommendations if you are having the moving company move the pieces. Make sure everything is secure, if anything has happen during a move it was because it was not secured properly. The way I have protected the layout is to wrap all sides of the module pieces in plywood, that way if they slide, or put a dolly under, stack boxes on top of, they will not damage it.
Here is some pictures: 
The modules move with the scenery facing each other to protect it, and there is a board mounted to the fold up legs to stabilize and protect the wiring.
Chris
Very nice solution, Chris, and very well done.
Rich
Having retired from the Air Force, I’ve moved more times than I care to recall. Hence the following:
- Don’t let professional packers and movers come within ten meters of anything that you even suspect of being fragile. Their mantra is FAST, not CAREFUL.
- If you pack and move yourself, you can be sure that THIS SIDE UP will be handled that way, not stuck in sideways or on end to fill a hole. I’ve found plastic file storage boxes (from my local big box office supply house) to be a good choice for moving models. Line them with foam and use lots of packing paper. You can use fan-fold insulation or equally thin (3/8 - 1/2 inch) sheet foam board to build partitions and decks. Don’t let models carry the weight of other models.
My last move was about three times the length of yours. Layout modules and construction materials moved in the Penske truck. Those file storage boxes moved in the bed of a pickup with a topper, along with some things my wife wanted to have handled with care. Everything survived without damage.
EDIT: The pickup made several trips - monthly, over a span of several months.
Good luck with your move, and in your new location…
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - in a Clark County garage)
Nevin.
Go to the next train show that has a modular setup. Talk to and watch carefully on how they do it. I retired my seven modules last year after ten years of moving it around up to 14 times a year. On my modules all the buildings, trees, and anything that is super delicate gets taken off and packed in plastic tubs with lids. The only thing left on the modules was basic scenery and track. The modules were stacked one on top of the other in the back of the truck.
Other members that only had one or two modules had everything glued to them and screwed thin plywood around them for protection. Things still get broken but not repairable.
Pete
Instead of a rental truck, you could probably get away with a U-Haul trailer, depending on your own vehicle type. It would be cheaper than a truck and you don’t need an extra driver for your own vehicle. I had a friend move his layout that way.
Having moved clear across the continental U.S. twice, I’ll add my [2c] and echo the others above who advise packing it yourself and hauling it yourself. Like others have posted, you know your layout best. You know what can be handled with a little less care and what needs to be treated like antique china. The movers (and this is no knock on movers) are there to move you as quickly as possible so that they can get onto the next paying job. Look at this way, rent equipment that will allow you to not only move your layout and equipment, but also move all of your fragile items and worldly mementos (family heirlooms, china…Royal Doltans if it were my wife [:-^]…etc). Leave the big heavy solid stuff for the movers. Good luck!
Don.
Trailers,will bounce too much and they may not be able to get a hitch for his vehicle,They have 1 ton and a half,trucks for just as much as a trailer,one way,price…
Cheers,
Frank
I have seen a lot of layouts moved from train show to train show or back to home base in trailers. In fact a lot of clubs have their club logo on their trailers. A stroll around the parking lot ,especially at set up or break down can be interesting.
As far as cost and vehicle type, well that depends on each individuals situation and location. I have always found a box on wheels cheaper to rent than a truck. The exception being a car transport trailer, or any other specialized trailer.
I have a Ford F-350 7.3 LTR Diesel P/U. So I am usually the guy in charge of getting the trailer and moving it from Point A to Point B.[sigh][(-D]
Negotiating a good price on a trailer rental is definitely easier than on a truck.
Batman,
I really don’t disagree with you,but what if the OP,only has a 4 cylinder vehicle and no hitch will fit??He got his layout and other item’s there,but now he need’s to have his transmission repaired…
Cheers,
Frank
A 4-cylinder vehicle?
Hey, model railroaders are real men!
Rich
Rich
Maybe we can cut him a little slack if he at least has the right kind of hitch for hauling a layout.[(-D]
Hi!
In the earlier parts of my work in the oil industry, I was transferred 5 times - with company paid for professional movers. With my first really nice layout (1973) they were more than happy to build special boxes if I sectioned the layout (so they could get it out the door).
I declined, much preferring to taking down the layout and building a new one at the next location.
Whatever you do, I urge you strongly to move it yourself - be it the layout or the packed up components. No one will care for it as much as you will.
Whether moving by trailer or truck, you could also pack all other fragile rolling stock, structures and use the remainder of the space for other expensive electrical components and fragile glasswares etc. If you need to have your personal vehicle w/ you at the new location check into renting a dolly to haul the car behind the box truck.
One thing to keep in mind, if you rent a truck, you will pay a per mile charge, plus a fee for not returning it where it was rented. The mileage may not be listed separately, but it’s in the bottom line. You may pay a one-way fee for the trailer but not the mileage.
I got my guitar and layout. 599 miles to go!
Good One,Brent,Just caught it…LOL…
Cheers,
Frank
Hi all
Its simple really if you want to keep the model railroad don’t let removelists within a min of 60,000 miles of the layout.
When we did the big move the removelists did not pack my trains properly they just put them in mums dresser draws no proper packing.result one very pi333 off 12 year old. (long time ago)
It took them a long time to sort it out and replace the broken ones.
My “I don’t care you broke it by carelessness you replace it and with the same one, and I don’t care if you have bring them in from the country of origin” attitude let them know the only way they win is if I am happy with there response to the problem.
That was the one and only time as a child I ever won against adults.
These days they would just do an insurance job and the chances are you could not replace or repair all the models that get broken…
regards John