How to Store Locos When Not in Use

[kevinlms]

 

 

You do need to keep stock in a dark place or the paint fades, I once saw a red Hornby full brake which had  faded to the Khaki colour of the Hornby Kings.    This applies to layouts as well I feel, though it may be exposure to sunlight which is the problem rather than electric light.  

 

Try that here & fading would be the least of your problems! A heat buckled plastic body shell is the inevitable result.

[Bernard Lamb]

If one were daft enough to do this Baz what's the best solution to remove the multiple round marks that result?  Will they just polish out?

Nothing daft about it.

It works for me.

I do not pack the locos tightly in the wrap but keep them upright so that they are not pressed against the wrap as I stated in my post.

Far better and more inert than using card or other material containing goodness knows what chemicals.

If it does upset any one then you can get sheets of plain soft material.

Bernard

[Butler Henderson]

35 litre really useful box(es) with the locos in part of their original packaging -  the moulded hard foam tray ( often hacked so that, for example a T9 can stay loco and tender coupled and to made space for the add on bits the trays moulding as supplied does not allow for) or the plastic wrap as used by most makers today.

[Nearholmer]

A tip passed on to me by a serious collector of seriously old, and I suspect seriously valuable, model trains, is to wrap things in at least one layer of old, many-times-washed, cotton bedsheets or shirt material, before enclosing it in anything else. The material is as near inert as you can get, and acts as a barrier.

 

Kevin

[brianusa]

Personally I like to keep locos and rolling stock on shelves on the walls around the layout so they can be seen and not forgotten.  A dusting every so often keeps them clean and shiny and a North facing window means they don't fade;  I am one of those who just like to go in the train room now and again just and look at trains both on the layout and on the walls!  Anything remaining in boxes is under the layout.

 

Brian.

[locomad]

Hi try diy home made boxes like this

 

 

Then put them in a box like this

 

 

I know you want to use them for locos just make the boxes longer

 

Did write a whole thread on these but might be pre 2008, so might do a whole thread again is how to design, cut out and make boxes very quick just using recycling cereal cardboard, them add them to a system box.

 

Each box takes about 2 mins to make, I've been doing it for 30 years can't find a better cheaper system which will protect, catalogue, store efficiently my models.

 

Second box shown can be stored on a shelf, then in seconds lid on be stored in an attic, or moved into a car for a show etc

[locomad]

Hi try diy home made boxes like this

 

 

Then put them in a box like this

 

 

I know you want to use them for locos just make the boxes longer

 

Did write a whole thread on these but might be pre 2008, so might do a whole thread again is how to design, cut out and make boxes very quick just using recycling cereal cardboard, them add them to a system box.

 

Each box takes about 2 mins to make, I've been doing it for 30 years can't find a better cheaper system which will protect, catalogue, store efficiently my models.

 

Second box shown can be stored on a shelf, then in seconds lid on be stored in an attic, or moved into a car for a show

 

[locomad]

Hi some reason first photo do not show should be this

[SD45T-2]

All well and good for those modelling British-outline and for US Diesels but H0 articulateds (Cab-forwards, 2-8-8-4s and such like) are almost 18" long when their tenders are connected, which makes it more challenging.

 

I spoke to one supplier of foam inserts and he does nothing longer than about 15" so I've got to leave my Intermountain AC-12 in its box and assemble it when at the club.The other articulateds aren't so bad as they don't have sound decoders thus the tender can be left unattached when the unit's not in use.

 

I use kitchen paper or freezer bags to wrap brass locos in; some have become tarnished as the red pigment leached out of the foam that they sit in but using time-expired cotton sounds like a good idea. I shall discuss it further with the Controller of Thought, Word, Deed and Finance.

[locomad]

All well and good for those modelling British-outline and for US Diesels but H0 articulateds (Cab-forwards, 2-8-8-4s and such like) are almost 18" long when their tenders are connected, which makes it more challenging.

 

I spoke to one supplier of foam inserts and he does nothing longer than about 15" so I've got to leave my Intermountain AC-12 in its box and assemble it when at the club.The other articulateds aren't so bad as they don't have sound decoders thus the tender can be left unattached when the unit's not .

I've some Bayer-garrets some 18" long, couple of close couple DMUs about 24" some American locos which pick ups wired by tender about 18" long

 

No problem using cereal cardboard just make the "tubes" 24" long, then find a cardboard box to take the lengths

 

Think joueff mk3 coaches about longest @ 14" again whole set stored in ex cereal boxes I will post photos once I get attachments to work

[locomad]

 

I use kitchen paper or freezer bags to wrap brass locos in; some have become tarnished as the red pigment leached out of the foam that they sit in but using time-expired cotton sounds like a good idea. I shall discuss it further with the Controller of Thought, Word, Deed and Finance.

 

Time has shown bubble warp, plastic bag, paper, foam, tissue,has all damaged stock in the past, plastic reacts with tin plate, foam rots with time, paper contains acid, even the so called acid free attacks plastic windows of coaches.

 

Hence cardboard boxes, early triang & Hornby dublo, now 65 years packed in original cardboard boxes have not been attacked by packing

[JZ]

A tip passed on to me by a serious collector of seriously old, and I suspect seriously valuable, model trains, is to wrap things in at least one layer of old, many-times-washed, cotton bedsheets or shirt material, before enclosing it in anything else. The material is as near inert as you can get, and acts as a barrier.

 

Kevin

At last, something to do with my old uniform shirts.

[The Johnster]

Hi some reason first photo do not show should be thisIMG_20161226_203005.jpg

 

Well, coal is a form of energy...

[The Johnster]

Personally I like to keep locos and rolling stock on shelves on the walls around the layout so they can be seen and not forgotten.  A dusting every so often keeps them clean and shiny and a North facing window means they don't fade;  I am one of those who just like to go in the train room now and again just and look at trains both on the layout and on the walls!  Anything remaining in boxes is under the layout.

 

Brian.

And this satisfies my requirement to have it easily available for occasional running!

[The Johnster]

All well and good for those modelling British-outline and for US Diesels but H0 articulateds (Cab-forwards, 2-8-8-4s and such like) are almost 18" long when their tenders are connected, which makes it more challenging.

 

I spoke to one supplier of foam inserts and he does nothing longer than about 15" so I've got to leave my Intermountain AC-12 in its box and assemble it when at the club.The other articulateds aren't so bad as they don't have sound decoders thus the tender can be left unattached when the unit's not in use.

 

I use kitchen paper or freezer bags to wrap brass locos in; some have become tarnished as the red pigment leached out of the foam that they sit in but using time-expired cotton sounds like a good idea. I shall discuss it further with the Controller of Thought, Word, Deed and Finance.

My 3-car class 116 dmu, a lovingly converted cut and shut bodge from a Lima 117 and 31" over buffers, which only gets occasional use nowadays as an excursion train, lives in a box that once contained a Perseverance GW inspection saloon brass kit that happens to be about the right size for 3 64' coaches with cardboard separators.  It is permanently coupled bogie to bogie, and in storage configuration the centre TS is taken off it's bogies which remain attached to the DMBS and DMS.  My 2 coach auto is permanently coupled in the same way complete with 64xx, but lives on the layout.

 

I suspect a CoTWD&F would be a perfect source of time-expired cotton, but I don't have one.  I do have some time-expired cotton which has been given the opportunity of a new and exiting carerer in the torn up rag industry, and some will be earmarked for model storage...

[brianusa]

Articulated locos and multiple units are left connected on the layout most of the time.

 

Brian.

[The Johnster]

Articulated locos and multiple units are left connected on the layout most of the time.

 

Brian.

 

Yes, but I don't have the fiddle yard space to keep my dmu out on the layout.  Plans are in hand for an extended fiddle yard...

[Butler Henderson]

Not sure the wrapping a model in tissue etc is a good idea today regardless of any issues of the tissue etc sticking as its likely to result in much broken details given the amount of delicate plastic parts used particularly by Hornby.

[locomad]

Another idea using supermarket display boxes cut down a bit, stock stored in trays made a couple this aftenoon

 

 

Quick & cheap, easy to locate stock when not in use

[Dick Turpin]

I suppose the ideal scenario is a railway room that is normally dark, like the loft, but with a lot of storage shelves above of below the actual layout itself, so that seldom used stuff can still be admired, without the risk of light damage.

[Sir TophamHatt]

Thank you so much for responding

It's given me lots of thought - the cotton idea I like but I'm not sure if it'll be practical for me to make it work.

 

Here's my method so far:

 

 

I might be able to source some cotton, if not, the underlay will be okay for the time being. Each train will have a run at least once a month.

 

Thanks again

[The Johnster]

I am engaged in a fiddle yard extension so that all of my stock will be positioned on track ready to run at all times.  I realise that as soon as you go beyond a very basic blt this becomes unmanageable, but hopefully in a short while I will have no need for storage at all.

 

Feels very smug and superior with no real justification, goes to bed thinking he's sorted out all the world's problems. and awaits his justly deserved knighthood...