How do you store models which are in use?

[Butler Henderson]

13 minutes ago, Ron Ron Ron said:

For day to day storage of stock, off the layout, I would have invested in Train-Safe “Travel” and “Travelight” storage modules, if it hasn’t been for the very expensive price.
 

https://shop.train-safe.de/en/TRAIN-SAFE-Travel-Travelight/

Always surprised no one has come up with a lower priced version as they look as if they have a significant mark up for the retail price. I have a couple of these 13 drawer cabinets  https://www.pagazzi.com/drift-wood-13-drawer-unit.html

Prices vary on differing web sites - I bought them from Wayfair who now are out of stock but are showing them now at twice the price!

With appropriate padding have accommodated virtually all rolling stock so should be spare space once stock is on the layout (still slow progress) while locos are in their boxes or the box inners (the ice cube wrap packaging is usually ideal) in 18 or 36 litre really useful boxes. A bit of a pain when the loco wanted is at the bottom of one which in turn is under another one so those Weston drawer boxes look worth a try. In terms of that 13 drawer cabinet each will take 10 10ft opens or 8 10ft vans or 3 bogie coaches using push out camera case foam packaging

[TheQ]

1 hour ago, Ron Ron Ron said:

For day to day storage of stock, off the layout, I would have invested in Train-Safe “Travel” and “Travelight” storage modules, if it hasn’t been for the very expensive price.
 

https://shop.train-safe.de/en/TRAIN-SAFE-Travel-Travelight/

 

.

 

I've seen home built  variations of the above on exhibition layouts,

 

In 2mm it's easy just get lengths of cable trunking stick a track in and afd foam to the lid.

In 4mm it's normally been two lengths of aluminium angle providing the track and sides screwed to a board and a clip on top with foam on.

 

For my home layout, 4mm, there's  a big fiddle yard, and there will be drawers beneath for stock storage.

For the Exhibition layout, in use there is a traverser, for transport, a small siding to run complete trains off to store in cable trunking,

I was lucky to get an armoured case, normally £500, for nothing, as it was being disposed of by the company I work for, this will have foam positions for the stock in trunking, removeable buildings and ephemera . PSU's etc.

[Wacol]

For home use I made some drawers that are located under the storage sidings. I cover the

locos with soft rubber sheeting to keep dust off.

 

 

[Sir TophamHatt]

JB Model World foam inserts and really useful boxes:

 

[wasabi]

Japanese train sets commonly come in polyurethane boxes, A4 sized and with foam inserts to take up to 12 vehicles.  I have a number of these sets, plus spare boxes are sold allowing other stock to be stored in the same way.  They are very convenient for bookshelf storage and I keep a spreadsheet showing what is in which box.  There are also four-car boxes for shorter sets.  I don't know anywhere in the UK that sells these boxes individually, but if there is a market then someone with Japanese connexions (Gaugemaster?) could perhaps import them.  I get mine from Hobby Search in Japan but no doubt other dealers are available.  These are for N - no idea what their HO models come in. 

[GeoffAlan]

49 minutes ago, Sir TophamHatt said:

JB Model World foam inserts and really useful boxes:

 

I use this sort of thing with several trays stored in a cardboard box, which comes with them. But only for none powered rolling stock. Locos, DMUs etc are stored in their original box/package. I do 'ease' some of these as bitter experience has shown that some are too tight for the good of detailing. These boxes are stored in drawers. As Sunnisyde, my layout, has room for about 20 locos on the board at a time, the other 200+ locos and rolling stock are under the layout, stored in such a way that I can, in under an hour, completely change all the stock on the layout and put away the stock removed. I'm a N gauge modeller and have been since the mid 1970s.

[ejstubbs]

For those who might be interested, below are a couple of photos of how my Really Useful boxes are set up:

 

Locos stored in Peco Loco Lifts within a 10 litre Really Useful box.

 

Wagons stored in an 11 litre Really Useful box, using foamboard separators faced with 1mm foam sheet.

 

 

[pharrc20]

I have been wondering about these Really Useful storage tray towers they do them in coloured and plain versions in different sizes all at different prices https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/really-useful-11-drawer-rainbow-storage-tower/572895-1000.

Was thinking of something like this to store exhibition stock in locos heaviest on the bottom and lighter wagons at top and maybe mount them on a trolley to make moving them around although they do come with plastic plug in wheels of course. Then line the drawers with foamboard as others have done above.

Cheers Paul 

[hap]

 

As for a different storage approach - over Christmas I repurposed an old metal tool/storage cabinet with a number (13) of wooden drawers.  The drawers can slide in and out freely on kitchen style drawer runners (roller bearings).  From my perspective, it has the advantage of protecting my engines and rolling stock from accidental damage, yet allows me easy access to them as required.  

 

[adamvb]

On 17/06/2020 at 20:19, Neils WRX said:

I use Ikea units which are excellent.

 

Stay safe everyone 

 

Neil

 

 

You don't happen to recall what these were called do you Neil?

 

Cheers 

 

Adam

 

[Ron Ron Ron]

I think the IKEA drawers are called Alex, 

There are several sizes and combinations.

[adamvb]

18 hours ago, Ron Ron Ron said:

I think the IKEA drawers are called Alex, 

There are several sizes and combinations.

 Thanks Ron - I've ironically got some of the smaller ones under my desk and thought they looked familiar, but I've never spotted the larger ones - they look perfect. Time for another trip to IKEA!

 

[Deviousweegee]

A couple of pictures of my stock not currently in use

 

Simple storage solution, consists of £11 picture frame shelves from Homebase 

 

Great if you have the wall space

 

 

[Ron Ron Ron]

1 hour ago, adamvb said:

 Thanks Ron - I've ironically got some of the smaller ones under my desk and thought they looked familiar, but I've never spotted the larger ones - they look perfect. Time for another trip to IKEA!

 

 

I've just remembered my daughter has those Alex drawers under her desk in her den /study.

I must try and convince her that a revamp, lick of paint and some new furniture would be a good idea.  

 

 

.

[Torn-on-the-platform]

I'm a big fan of really useful boxes as many have mentioned. I have not transported my models anywhere recently but with foam inserts (made by a friend of a club colleague, looking similar to the JB's model world inserts above), I feel that the stock is well looked after. My club has done similar for it's stock for many years.

 

When at home, all of my stock however is in a bespoke made pine cabinet, commissioned from a friend's brother who was at a loose end following completion of his engineering degree. Each shelf is just taller than the height of an item of rolling stock. This makes it particularly heavy to move, and I'm worried about getting it out the house for our forthcoming house move... but we got it in in the first place so it must be possible!

 

It is not 100% dust free but it is certainly better than leaving the models out. I also feel it is safer for my models in case of a break-in rather than having them in their boxes ready to move.

[The Johnster]

My current set up for a BLT is 5 fiddle yard roads, of which 3 have trains permanently stored on them, loaded and empty rakes of minerals permanently coupled with James' Trains 3D printed instanter and 3-ling NEM couplings and a Hornby close-coupled Collett 57' suburban set.  That leaves 2 roads on which trains can be made up and broken down.  Behind the fiddle yard is the plastic frame of a cheap (BJM) 5 shelf unit for storing shoes with plastic canvas stretchers between the side members, which supports a variety of stiff cardboard boxes, the fallout of several years of buying model railway stuff online.  The deeper ones can accommodate coaches and bogie vans end on, and the rest can manage 4-wheeled goods vehicles.  I have divided these into: general merchandise opens subdivided into fitted and unfitted, and vans subdivided into fitted and unfitted, each further subdivided into cupboard or sliding doors. There is a box for brake vans, and a shelf with a larger long box opened sideways holds my 'specialist' freight vehicles; insulated, shocvans, conflats, and the like. 

 

Coaches are divided into 3 twin auto sets, an E147 Comet B set, a workman's train of worked up Triang clerestories, and loose strengtheners.  NPCCS is divided into bogie and 4-wheel (which will include 6 wheel if I ever get any), and then further divided into B and BG, Gangwayed (Siphon Gs and Southern GLV), and GUVs (Siphon H and LMS).  4 wheel NPCCS is  subdivided into BY/Pigeon, PMVs, CCT (LNER long and Python), and GW Fruit D and C.

 

I can thus put my hands immediately on any sort of stock I want to make up trains on the spare fy roads with, and have places to put them away afterwards.  Not sure if you'd call this storage, it's more of a filing system, but it works well for me.  It has to be said the look is distinctly functional, though; this doesn't bother me!

[Ray M]

All of mine are either on the track, in the fiddle yard

or on a makeshift shelf.

[locomad2]

I use supermarket "fruit boxes" cut down to size with inner walls, Free, easy to make, stored in a system cabinet. Mainly for stock in use but waiting repair, taken off for a while etc

 

 

 

 

 

[ejstubbs]

On 10/05/2021 at 18:19, Deviousweegee said:

Simple storage solution, consists of £11 picture frame shelves from Homebase 

 

IKEA do a picture shelf called "Mosslanda" which looks very similar to those.  £9 for the 115cm version.  Also handy for mounting LED strip lighting for the layout on the underside (whichever version of the shelf you choose).

Edited May 14, 2021 by ejstubbs

[duncan]

A word of warning regarding foam for storage.  Some of the foam can crumble to dust & stick to the stock, guess how I know.  I don't know exactly what type of foam it was, fairly soft thin sheets.  It was also quite old, having been recycled from scientific glassware boxes.  The boxes were kept in a dark cupboard, do UV / sunlight was not an issue.

 

I would suggest the best foam might be harder ones & check regularly.  Does anyone knows the properties of different foams ?

Edited May 14, 2021 by duncan
additional info

[nhdesigns]

On 11/05/2021 at 05:56, Ray M said:

All of mine are either on the track, in the fiddle yard

or on a makeshift shelf.

I’ve done exactly the same with my locomotives and rolling stock. Organised in a similar fashion with models sorted by era, steam and BR blue on the left side of one shelf moving up to privatisation at the other end. 
 

Done the same with my rolling stock. Having passenger coaches sorted by type, MKI on the left side going up to postal coaches. Just need to try and do the same with my freight stock. 
 

Not easy to do with 31 locomotives and a total of 72 items of rolling stock! Might just look at adding some extra dividers and shelves so nothing is piled on top of each other.

[40034_Nick]

On 18/06/2020 at 14:10, Sir TophamHatt said:

JB Model World foam inserts and really useful boxes:

 

 

I have all of my coaches, wagens and locos in these.. Brilliant

[DCB]

On 18/06/2020 at 11:34, Wacol said:

For home use I made some drawers that are located under the storage sidings. I cover the

locos with soft rubber sheeting to keep dust off.

 

 

 

By co incidence I came to the same solution for surplus tock storage after a buying spree over Christmas.   Roller bearing drawer runners for free movement are absolutely key, any sticking and stock gets damaged, and stock stored in line with drawer movement  Bit of foam at the ends would be good for tension lock coupling users.  Mine are paired so both attach to 2X1 side battens but one drawer is above and the other hangs below.  Only done the pair so far but they are about 40" long and 15" deep so hold 20 ish coaches  each.  spare good looking locos live in the display cabinet, usable ugly ones on fixed shelves and really useless ones on eBay when I have tarted them up enough to be sellable,  or used as a source of spares. 

Can't stress enough the Drawers need to glide, one finger.  

[GeoffAlan]

I bought two Cardboard boxes, complete with handle and foam inserts which have adjustable length partitions, Two of those have all my longer goods wagons in them. For coaches, 7 smaller clear plastic boxes with similar foam layers and my locos are stored in their original plastic boxes which are kept in in cheap stackable plastic drawers.

 

At any one time around 25 locos are on my layout with suitable coaching and goods stock and every couple of months I change company, era or country of the layout.

[AyJay]

I also make use of a 'Really Useful Box' for my locomotives.  Has four trays, five slots per tray.

 

For carriages and wagons, when not in use, I have several of these aluminum toolcases that I bought from B&Q.  With the addition of foam sheets, I get three layers which are held reasonably firmly in place.  That's 24 carriages or about 120 wagons per case.