Murdoch17

LEGO train storage systems - boxes, bins, and bags!

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This is for discussion of train storage systems (or lack thereof if you are unlucky). I'll start with my storage / transport solution:

If anyone has wondered how I get my trains to and fro all over the place, here is my secret: cardboard paper boxes. Fourteen (14) of them from all different places and companies. I tried asking for the empty ones at the Office Max / Office Depot stores (They are all owned by the Staples company now, believe it or not!) but they can't sell or give them away due to some corporate policy.

I had been getting them from my dad's work, and more recently, different offices I have been to / worked at. They are them cut-down by Xacto knife and hot glued back together with opening lid and section dividers, which allows for me to store trains a number of different combinations.

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Most of the passenger cars are 24 studs long, with 1 studs of overhang over each coupler. However, the Spirit of Legoredo is an older 28 stud long design, and most steam locos are longer than 30 studs. Nevertheless, I have maximized space whenever possible.

Below you will see several variations on these boxes, and maybe they will help you with your train storage problems.

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Forgotten GS-6 Daylight 4-8-4 and Meramec river Runner passenger train

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Alco FA / FB (not shown) and Spirit of Legoredo passenger train

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Generic six car freight train (not shown - on display on my layout)

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Mikado 2-8-2 steam freight loco and EMD E-unit cab + booster units

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American 4-4-0 and early passenger train

Now how do YOU store or transport your trains?!?

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For taking to shows, I use banker box. I like the "handles" on the sides.

box_zpsqwtqnj16.jpg

If too long, I toss them in a big plastic tote container.

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When I did train shows, I used huge dark blue Rubbermaid boxes to carry stuff around. These can store massive amounts of bricks.

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Even though I don't do shows nor am I in a club (there are none near me) I use long, but short clear plastic totes to transport trains, while wrapping them in some sort of plastic bag or such to make sure none of the pieces are broken or mixed up.

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When I did train shows, I used huge dark blue Rubbermaid boxes to carry stuff around. These can store massive amounts of bricks.

I do this as well and wrap the cars up in 1/8in foam packaging material from Uline. My CoNO fits into a 10gal container and the Maersk container train fits into the 14gal one, with all 52 containers and 26 well cars.

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My eventual goal, if I did another show, is to do something that I saw an HO modular club do. They had their modules on their wooden foundations and then attached wooden sides to create a box around the module. I already have 4 4x8 baseplate sized tables to do that with, but I never got to the box part. This would save a lot of set up and tear down time for me, as the only loose things would be detailing and rolling stock.

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I use a couple under-bed plastic tubs for my rolling stock, lined with bubble wrap of course. The ones I have are just wide enough so fit 5 rows of 8-wide cars fairly snugly, and just long enough for specific pairings of my passenger cars (coach + baggage in the same row, EP-3 + RPO/baggage in another). The length makes them awkward to carry though. I'm still trying to figure out the best way to transport buildings and such.

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My trains are transported in plastic folding crates:

allibert-klapkrat-34-l.jpgallibert-klapkrat-34-l.jpg

In those crates they're wrapped in clingfilm so that any parts that come loose stay with the train. It works, it's compact, but it's also a lot of work to pack and unpack. And because my trains are 6, 7 or 8 wide, usually with lots of detailing around the outside, they're not easy to pack into the create. It's a bit like a 3D jigsaw.

I'm thinking about a new system. It must be easy/quick to pack and unpack, it must be easily adaptable to new models, it must be closed so parts don't go missing and it must still be light and compact...

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When I did train shows, I used huge dark blue Rubbermaid boxes to carry stuff around. These can store massive amounts of bricks.

I use something similar for my space ships and buildings.

Even though I don't do shows nor am I in a club (there are none near me) I use long, but short clear plastic totes to transport trains, while wrapping them in some sort of plastic bag or such to make sure none of the pieces are broken or mixed up.

I really hope someday you get to know the joy of being in a LUG / going to a convention or train show. It is an awesome, nearly-unrivaled feeling to display to the public and be among other AFOLs.

I do this as well and wrap the cars up in 1/8in foam packaging material from Uline. My CoNO fits into a 10gal container and the Maersk container train fits into the 14gal one, with all 52 containers and 26 well cars.

Wow. You really can transport a lot like that!

For taking to shows, I use banker box. I like the "handles" on the sides.

SNIP

If too long, I toss them in a big plastic tote container.

SNIP

Awesome!

Nifty, good use of space.

Thanks!

I use a couple under-bed plastic tubs for my rolling stock, lined with bubble wrap of course. The ones I have are just wide enough so fit 5 rows of 8-wide cars fairly snugly, and just long enough for specific pairings of my passenger cars (coach + baggage in the same row, EP-3 + RPO/baggage in another). The length makes them awkward to carry though. I'm still trying to figure out the best way to transport buildings and such.

I use non-cut down carboard paper boxes or Amazon boxes with their top flaps removed. The former works great for stations, but the latter doesn't work as well because if you drop / spill it, it goers everywhere. I've been thinking about more Rubbermaid plastic tubs from Walmart, but every-time I go they have switched out the styling so not many of them ever match!

My trains are transported in plastic folding crates:

SNIP

In those crates they're wrapped in clingfilm so that any parts that come loose stay with the train. It works, it's compact, but it's also a lot of work to pack and unpack. And because my trains are 6, 7 or 8 wide, usually with lots of detailing around the outside, they're not easy to pack into the create. It's a bit like a 3D jigsaw.

I'm thinking about a new system. It must be easy/quick to pack and unpack, it must be easily adaptable to new models, it must be closed so parts don't go missing and it must still be light and compact...

That's a really cool bin!

Also, as a side note, I'm sorry for the late reply to everyone's posts.

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