moving !!!!####**** arg
#1
I know I am not here much any more. But I have a problem and don't know where to get advice. We are contemplating moving which means disassembling a 500 +- square foot layout with about 300 cars and around 75 locomotives. I no longer have most of the boxes the rolling stock or locomotives came in. What is a good, safe, economical way  to move this much rail road. I am not saving any sections of the layout, as this is not feasible. I will be salvaging track & buildings for new layout. here are a few pics of what my problem is. I am sick about this, I started this layout in 1996 the thought of this large undertaking is overwhelming.

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here is the address for my photo bucket if you wish to see many more pics. https://s21.photobucket.com/user/lesterp...ary?page=1

HELP!!!
Les
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#2
I use old Avon boxes with cars wrapped in bubble wrap, try to keep the same type of cars in same box.
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#3
Les, the economical way is often the labour-intensive one.

For your locos and passenger cars, you can make boxes fairly cheaply.  I use fruit boxes, which usually come with separate tops - this helps to make them sturdier than ones with fold-over flaps as tops....

[Image: PRODUCE%20BOXES%20FOR%20ROLLING%20STOCK%...AGE....jpg]

I then use sheet cardboard (appliance stores that do delivery and set-up often have large sheets of flattened corrugated cardboard boxes available for the asking) to make compartmented trays into which the models can be placed.
To make the trays, all that's needed is a utility knife, a straightedge, and a hot glue gun....oh, yeah, and some time.


I usually put the locos into the trays upright...

[Image: STORAGEBOXESFORLOCOMOTIVES009.jpg]

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...using foam sheeting to allow for easy placement or removal.

MoW equipment usually goes into similar trays upright, but minus the foam sheets....

[Image: STORAGEBOXESFORLOCOMOTIVES012.jpg]

...and each model (or models normally coupled together, such as cranes and boom tenders) have a tray with one side open-able. for easy placement or removal...

[Image: STORAGEBOXESFORLOCOMOTIVES014.jpg]

Passenger cars go into similar trays within similar boxes, but I usually place them on their sides on a paper towel...

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Accurail offers boxes for individual freight cars, but at three for $2.99, it will be an expensive expensive move.

For cars, especially those with fragile details, for which you do have boxes, adding a piece of foam to create a tight fit of the model within its box will keep the car from moving around, thereby protecting the details...

[Image: S0065823.jpg]

For less-detailed cars, you might get away with using cardboard strips to divide a large box into "aisles" into which the cars could be placed, on their wheels and coupled together.  Add a block of foam or crumpled paper towel to fill-in any excess space in each aisle, as you don't want them to roll back and forth every time you carry the box.
Once the bottom layer of aisles is filled, place a sheet of corrugated cardboard, cut-to-fit the box, over it, then create another layer of aisles, repeating until the box is full.  This operation will go quicker than making trays, and should protect things just fine, unless the box gets dropped.


Structures present their own problems, especially larger ones, as it may be difficult finding boxes large enough.

If your track has been put in place using track nails, and ballasted using white glue, a good soaking with "wet" water will make it easier to take up after removing the nails.  If you've soldered the rail joiners, you can either unsolder them or use a cut-off disc in your Dremel to cut the track into manageable lengths.

I'm sure that others will chime in with some useful suggestions.  If I were a little closer and not quite so busy, I'd drive down with all my ready-made boxes, empty, and give you a hand.  When's moving day?  I may be available by then, and would be pleased to be able to offer some assistance.

Wayne
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#4
Les:

When I moved in 1992, I wrapped all the cars in bubble wrap. The tiny bubbles which i bought from Staples.
I also have a bunch of "G" gauge boxes and some other small boxes you can have to put the wrapped cars in.
I'll be happy to deliver them to you! Smile Smile Smile
~~ Mikey KB3VBR (Admin)
~~ NARA Member # 75    
~~ Baldwin Eddystone Unofficial Website

~~ I wonder what that would look like in 1:20.3???
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#5
I will add what ever method you chose keep the boxes you put it in the same size , makes storage and handling easier. the reason I use old Avon boxes is we hade about 25 of them that we saved when wife sold it.
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#6
Jim , I don't have the old Avon boxes kinda wish I did.
Wayne, I kind of like your idea of the appliance box cardboard.
Mikey, I appreciate the offer but not needed.

Guys this is still in the discussion stage. I believe it will happen not sure when. I have some time to start disassembling and packing. Guys this is really hard, we bought this place in 89. if we make this move it will be to down size. We love this place. but it is getting hard to maintain. Mikey has been here and knows what I mean. I am going to be doing a lot of praying about this. O yea most of my rolling stock is blue box and equivalent. That makes it easier.Thanks I will keep you updated.
Les
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#7
les where the box is from is irrelevant was just saying the size and shape should be the same.
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#8
Probably way late to answer this, but for most freight and passenger cars, I highly recommend the boxes sold by Spring Mills Depot. As far as purpose built train boxes go, these are the least expensive but also have the greatest capacity. There are $10 per box, +$0.40 per foam strips. You can get about 30 40' cars, 25 50' cars, 18 single level passenger cars, or about 12 autoracks into a box. They aren't 100% ideal for locomotives, but if you have fleets of freight cars, all but the most delicate cars can be safely packed in these.

I use them for storage as well as transportation to shows. The boxes are a little large but in the long run, they are more efficient due to the density of the trains you can store in them. They definitely take up less space than equivalent systems or individually boxing things. I have several, as well as the carrying case for them.

These boxes cost half (or even less) of the price of competing purpose built boxes, and have a greater capacity. They would totally be worth it. I've been thinking of getting more.

http://www.springmillsdepot.com/boxes.htm
Modeling New Jersey Under the Wire 1978-1979.  
[Image: logosmall.png]
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#9
OK guys, as of now this has been put on hold. After speaking with real estate friend. She recommended that we wait a while as we have to many personal ties to this house,I agree with her. This was my wife's idea to which I could / can see some merit. But could also see problems &  heart ache. So for now we are staying put. Thanks so much for your input but not right now. Icon_e_biggrin
Les
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#10
(07-19-2019, 08:59 PM)Lester Perry Wrote: OK guys, as of now this has been put on hold. After speaking with real estate friend. She recommended that we wait a while as we have to many personal ties to this house,I agree with her. This was my wife's idea to which I could / can see some merit. But could also see problems &  heart ache. So for now we are staying put. Thanks so much for your input but not right now. Icon_e_biggrin

Les, Don't blame you one bit. We decided to move about five years ago, the agent's decorator recommended that we revert my train room back into either a sitting room or a  bedroom. My precious layout and backdrop wound up in the landfill. We didn't actually move for well over a year after that. Three moves later, I find my train room is now about half the size of the old one, I sold, gave away or lost way too many of my woodworking tools and now I really regret the first move no matter how necessary it was, (they said we needed to downsize, but why?). I finally unpacked all my train stuff a few months ago and found a lot of structures that I saved were damaged and things that I know that I had and could use now, I can't find. The old place, I had room for everything and I knew where it was. The new place, I'm at a loss for where to put everything, or find where I put it in the first place.

You are wise to stay put if you can.
Don (ezdays) Day
Board administrator and
founder of the CANYON STATE RAILROAD
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#11
Hi Les, I'm late to this party but thought I'd mention how I moved two years ago. I did have boxes for most of my locos, and those which I did not have boxes for I boxed together much as above. But I had hundreds of blue box freight cars with no boxes. I simply wrapped each one with paper towels and laid them in copy paper boxes, which I got at work. The cars are light so stacking them up was no issue. I had no damage but will state that I moved them myself, I did not use a mover. I had bought the house we were moving to (did not downsize, just moved the heck out of high tax NJ) several years before we actually moved. I had 4 weeks vacation every year, so 4 times a year I rented a u-haul trailer and moved bit by bit. No one ever touched those boxes but me! I am grateful to have read the above descriptions for making nice secure boxes. I have joined a modular club and was recently thinking of how to get equipment to shows safely, will be using above info.

Am now retired, and would be willing as is Doc Wayne to help with a future move.
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#12
(07-24-2019, 07:02 AM)jglfan Wrote: Hi Les, I'm late to this party but thought I'd mention how I moved two years ago.  I did have boxes for most of my locos, and those which I did not have boxes for I boxed together much as above.  But I had hundreds of blue box freight cars with no boxes.  I simply wrapped each one with paper towels and laid them in copy paper boxes, which I got at work.  The cars are light so stacking them up was no issue.  I had no damage but will state that I moved them myself, I did not use a mover.  I had bought the house we were moving to (did not downsize, just moved the heck out of high tax NJ) several years before we actually moved.  I had 4 weeks vacation every year, so 4 times a year I rented a u-haul trailer and moved bit by bit.  No one ever touched those boxes but me!  I am grateful to have read the above descriptions for making nice secure boxes.  I have joined a modular club and was recently thinking of how to get equipment to shows safely, will be using above info.

Am now retired, and would be willing as is Doc Wayne to help with a future move.

Thank you for the offer and input.  I hope it never happens. Just thinking and trying to grasp all of the difficulties was a nightmare. Fore what it is worth we will probably get a realtor to sell everything with a few exceptions, personal items such as library, jewelry, railroad and some furniture.

Les
Les
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#13
OK guys I am at it again. I just started again. I have posted many photos here. I model a railroad which is known for moving coal. I started with coal cars. would you care to take a guess how many I have packed so far? I still have possibly 50 to go.  Icon_e_smile
Les
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#14
(01-06-2021, 09:14 PM)Lester Perry Wrote: ...I started with coal cars. would you care to take a guess how many I have packed so far? I still have possibly 50 to go.  Icon_e_smile

Gee Les, I don't model a coal hauling road that actually serves the mines, but I do have hoppers that bring coal to the various coal dealers and industries on my layout, along with serving the needs of coaling facilities for my locomotives.
I have 36 home-road hoppers, and another 41 representing hoppers of real railroads and/or ones representing roads of other modellers.
I'd guess that you've already packed somewhere between 100 and 150 hoppers.

I'm still willing to give you a hand if needed, but it'll have to wait until our respective borders re-open, which may not happen for some time.

Wayne
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#15
i am at 100 with what appears to be around 50 more to go. now I start on freight cars. oh the fun. oh yea we are Florida bound.
Les
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