So here’s a quick question. As your model railway goes, you acquire lots of rolling stock – locos, wagons etc – where do you keep them when they’re not running?
Do you leave them on the track, maybe in sidings or engine sheds, or do you carefully box them up?
Your trains are likely the most expensive part of your railway; they’re also delicate and prone to damage if not looked after so deserve love and care.
Leaving them on the tracks is possibly the worst option in my opinion. If the railway is in an unheated room, like a shed, the rolling stock could be suffer from environmental problems like damp. And even if the railway is in an indoor room leaving engines, wagons and carriages on the tracks leaves prone to accidental damage.
But keeping them in their boxes seems a lot of effort. Having to unbox and rebox my trains each time I take them for a spin would take ages and detract from the enjoyment.
For a while I stored some in plastic storage boxes but this resulted in the paint work getting scratched and worn. It didn’t take me long to learn the error of my ways and stop doing that!
Then of course, there’s also the question of security. If the railway is in a garage or shed it could be vulnerable to break-ins which would be bad enough but the thought of someone not only breaking in but also taking my precious trains is painful just to think about.
So now I’m thinking of getting a case where not can I store them but they can be displayed in my house where they’re secure too, like this one:
I really like not just the display cabinet but that Mike has put railway railway signs around unit to add to the overall look.
Or perhaps one in which the trains even run, like this:
What about you? Where do you store your trains? One of the above or something else?
> A final, personal, note: I spend a huge amount of time testing, photographing, writing and researching techniques for these articles and pay for all the running costs of MRE out of my own pocket. If you found this article useful you can support me by making a donation on my fund-raising page. Thanks and happy modelling, Andy.
Andy is a lifelong modeler, writer, and founder of modelrailwayengineer.com. He has been building model railways, dioramas, and miniatures for over 20 years. His passion for model making and railways began when he was a child, building his first layout at the age of seven.
Andy’s particular passion is making scenery and structures in 4mm scale, which he sells commercially. He is particularly interested in modelling the railways of South West England during the late Victorian/early Edwardian era, although he also enjoys making sci-fi and fantasy figures and dioramas. His website has won several awards, and he is a member of MERG (Model Railway Electronics Group) and the 009 Society.
When not making models, Andy lives in Surrey with his wife and teenage son. Other interests include history, science fiction, photography, and programming. Read more about Andy.
I keep all my train “stuff” in several padded cases and large toolbox and one aluminium drill case, some are 2nd hand rapped in bubble rap or in their box, I know that one day they’ll come out and I can put a layout in one of the kids rooms (once they move out). Until then I’ll just set out a small track now and then just to give my engines a run.
RT @modelrailwayeng: Where do you store your trains? http://t.co/rjyQoNpjsh Would love to hear where and how you keep yours
Where do you store your trains? http://t.co/rjyQoNpjsh Would love to hear where and how you keep yours