I have some boxes that the frozen food service my wife orders from, that, I think will make very good storage. They are very rugged boxes. Some appear to be about the right depth others may need a bit of padding to cover the whole bottom to fill the space. Currently all rolling stock that came with boxes, go back in the box with a few packing peanuts or tissue paper.
I haven’t made one of the boxes into a storage box, but my idea is to cut some extruded foam insulation into strips to go between the equipment, long ones across the box and short vertical ones. (You would have to have all the same height cars in each row or make some fillers.) I should make some strips and try one out. Cost, $0.00 for the train budget.
A full-size file folder storage box might be gross overkill for your needs - or maybe not. I used them (with decks and spacers cut from thin extruded foam) to transfer all of my rolling stock when I made a 1700-mile cross-country move 13 years ago. The boxes were purchased at a big-box office supply house, the foam was left over from re-siding my house, cutting it to size took about as much time as cutting equivalent paper. After a couple of days under the topper of a pickup everything arrived intact and ready to roll on the layout that hadn’t been started yet.
I’m sure my total investment was about $0.25 per car, after adding the price of the foam I didn’t have to buy.
As bought, each box had to be lifted with two hands. A little inventiveness with cord and a piece of broom handle would provide a center suitcase lift point.
I certainly second the thought, above, that given the quality, expense and fragility of the nicest of today’s models, spending some serious money on storage and carrying capability may well be in order.
But you do not have to scrounge too much to come up with some worthy alternatives. I tend to save all the white bead board sheets that “stuff” comes packed in these days, and have constructed my own secure carrying cases for particular models - tailored to the model. I use the glue gun that is meant for foam that Woodland Scenics sells or sold. They are typically sized to fit (and stack) on the bottom of these fabric-like bags that it seems every outfit is giving away these days, from major league baseball teams to Ace hardware stores to various charities. You just need to take care not to exceed the weight capability of the bag. but quite a bit can be fit in and transported.
Where I worked the sales and promotional item department seemed to get vast quantities of stuff in boxes of just the right size for HO and similar if not identical in overall size to the boxes sold for model storage and transportation. I was always watchful in their department for stuff stacked near the elevator to be trashed. I also used to ask the local cigar shop for their cigar boxes and those too could be easily padded and made suitable for model storage and transportation. The appearance might be a bit motley but we are trying to save money here.
So one suggestion is to give friends of yours who work in stores, in businesses, and offices some notion of what you would find useful, and you will be surprised by what is out there, free.
Just about any nice box that you can find for sale, can also be found about to be placed in some outfit’s recycle bin.
There remains the issue of easy transportation. Again I like bags with handles but even men’s leather belts from a Goodwill store can be used to lash together boxes.
Our models don’t usually get damaged when on the layout. They don’t usually get damaged when in storage. The most vulnerable time our models have is when they are being transferred from place to place. The days of rolling the models in newspaper and tucking under our arms have pretty much passed us by; new models are very detailed now but also very fragile. So why cheap out on train totes for them?
A full box from A-Line may contain a dozen or more locos that, combined, cost thousands of dollars (and way, way more than that if they are brass). But instead of putting them in a box that will keep them free from damage and that might cost less than 1% of the contents, folks are going for the cheapest option? That doesn’t make any sense to me.
I understand if it’s about budget, but the cheapest method is just use the boxes the models came in.
IMHO, one should buy train totes corresponding to the value of the contents. If one is transporting “yard sale specials” that’s one thing. But a box full o’ Genesis, BLI, Atlas, or IM locos/cars? Put 'em in the best tote you can.
I used to work in a large hi-tech office. I frequently picked up computer keyboard boxes when people got new machines based on lease refreshe arragnements. These boxes still make great train storage.
I’m not sure if they are even generally available, given the move to laptops. You might as some of the big-box computer places if they still get them. They may still come with laptop docking stations.
It’s not about going for a “cheap option”, it’s about coming with a viable alternative that works just as well; but doesn’t cost $150.00 for 4 cardboard boxes, some foam, and a vinyl carrying case. Which in my opinion is outrageous.
Nerfball6,
Protecting 4 or 5 boxes of cars/locos that may be worth thousands of dollars with a $150 worth of carboard, foam, and fabric is outrageous? What would you consider to be an appropriate cost?
Spend your money anyway you want, but if you want to take a chance with greasy pizza boxes to carry your trains in, don’t complain when damage to equipment results.
I’ve thought about those plastic boxes as an alternative to anything cardboard. However, all the plastic items come with tapered sides so that they can all nest together on the store shelf. It would seem to me that the upper layers of cars would tend to flop around unless each layer had custom fit separators.
Have you found a way around this, or are you only using boxes deep enough for only one layer of cars?
You can buy new pizza boxes from some shops…I did that not so long ago to store some N Scale. I spoke to the manager and she agree to sell me some at 25 cents each. While there I also bought a 6" sub.
I must agree with today’s prices why bulk at another $140.00 to protect them while they are being transported? I know I would buy the boxes and carrying case if I decided to join another club and was going to transport mine to and from or I would just leave them on the layout at the club…
For Roundhouse and BB cars and locomotives those pizza boxes would work-just add some bubble wrap on the bottom of the box and on the cars before closing the lid.You will need the large pizza boxes.
I think you are missing my point. What is being charged for what you are buying is what is outrageous. No matter what the contents, it still comes down to 4 cardboard boxes, same foam, and a vinyl bag. And I doubt I would trust any of those cardboard box/vinyl bag systems if I was routinely transporting thousands of dollars worth of brass engines.
And why do you find it necessary to automatically jump to “greasy pizza boxes”. Why are you even upset over this? Sounds like you work for the company. As I said … I’m sure there are creative people who have found ways that are just as safe (if not more so) without paying $150.00 for $5.00 worth of materials; or using greasy pizza boxes.
The sloped sides are the issue I have found with those plastic home storage boxes. However I was just looking at a lockable, hanging file folder box and the sides are vertical. They are plastic with metal reinforced edged and corners, and a carrying handle on the top. And come with a combination lock. And they look pretty crush proof.
Nerfball6,
I’m not missing your point at all. I asked you what you think is an acceptable price for 4 cardboard boxes, dividers, foam, and a carrying case. Obviously, you think $150 is too much. I don’t. But what would be okay to you? $100? $50? $20? $5?
BTW, I have stuffed my A-Line carry bag with multiple boxes containing brass locos. I must have had over 50lbs. of cars and locos, and nothing broke. The bag and the boxes are tough and sturdy and held up just fine.
I’m not the one that brought up pizza boxes, but I did add “greasy” implying used boxes. The way some people are really cheap about this hobby, I wouldn’t put it past them. [C=:-)]
I am not upset over this; why are you? I am not “outraged”. There are a lot of things to be outraged over and the price of 4 boxes and a bag isn’t one of them to me. I am merely a satisfied customer of the A-Line tote system. I know it’s rare for someone to post good things about a hobby product, but I thought I’d give it a shot.
Look, if you think that the A-Line tote is $5 worth of materials, then I could say the same about the latest Division Point brass steamer or Rapido plastic diesel. Yes, it’s only about $5 worth of brass/plastic in raw material, but someone had to make it. Like everthing else in this hobby, you get what you pay for.
I never said YOU were outraged. I said the price was outrageous. And that you seemed angry over my opinion. I have been in advertising and marketing for 35 years. I’ve designed box dies and know the costs. I’d say those sytems should be around $50 - $60 bucks retail for the whole deal, including case. And no matter how great you think they are, they are still just cardboard boxes in a vinyl bag.
That said, I started this thread to find alternatives … not to find out whether YOU think they are worth the money or not. If you are happy with it, that’s great. But that is not what I asked about. I would prefer contrstructive responses.
I got around the sloping sides of my hanging file storage boxes by tapering some thicker foam to fit. Viola, straight interior sides. Then I fitted bulkheads between the various pieces of rolling stock, full-length longitudinally and individual separators (with coupler cutouts) between car ends.
As for durability, I’ve recycled them as general-purpose totes - and they have taken a beating without damage worse than a few scrapes and scratches.
&n
Did you look at some of the cases I posted links to on eBay? You wanted alternatives and this is one.
I don’t see how you could go wrong with outfitting something like this with some thin wooden shelves and thin foam on the inside. It’s much sturdier than corrugated cardboard, has a handle and looks easy to use.