was needing a storage box for the coal hoppers i"ve been buying so i could have a decent looking train behind one of my Alleghenys.
knew the one i wanted was $24 but was willing to bite the bullet… turns out i would need 3 of"em heh,heh, but as sometimes i have more luck than i have any right to came across 4 of’em at a swapmeet for $25 rather beat up but hey the foam is in great shape and their perfect for what i need.
A little clear packaging tape around the corners and you’re good as new!
I’m glad there are still deals to be found at train show/swap meets. You never know where the next bargain will pop up. I stumbled across a fellow selling a few pieces of brass. One was a W&R NYC 0-8-0 in new condition. I gladly paid the $125 he was asking.
Later, I checked a few auction sites and brass dealers and found other examples of the same model going anywhere from $600 to just over $900! An unpainted 0-8-0 mind you! W&R I knew was top shelf stuff. He also had a new Custom Brass NYC Empire State Express coach for $60. I had almost bought one for $250 just a few weeks before! Such a deal is right!
Thanks for sharing! Ed
Good catch GN! Here is a couple more for you deal hunters… New/Un-used pizza boxes work similar to what the OP displayed. Just add a little foam and your there! Next time your in the mood for a $5 Hot n Ready from Little Caesers, ask if you can have a new box too. (will make other railfans happy to see you when you show up with pizza boxes to a meet!)
Also, I was looking around for replacement boxes for locos. Boxes to replace the old worn out AHM longs with the plastic tray inserts. Astonishingly the answer was right infront of me for free!
Not that alot of you do this, but i teardown and build puters for people. Motherboard boxes make great boxes for locomotives! Generally thicker than your average storage box, and they also already have foam in them. Check your local geek store and ask for them.
Those look similar to the ones I used to use to carry my stuff tot he club and back. For simple hoppers that don;t have freestanding details like wire grabs and ladders, they are fine. Even with additional protection though, my locos were getting bent handrails from laying on their sides, and other cars I have with more detail, like Branchline and P2K, were being damaged. I have since switched to a different style of carrying case, where everything sits upright on its wheels. So far it has worked out very well in keeping everything safe and secure. Yes, it costs more, but for superior protection it’s worth it.
–Randy