# Where do you store and How do you get your trains to your layout?



## Jerrys RR (Jun 28, 2010)

I am going to have to make some changes in where I store some trains and I am considering various options.

I know some people who carry their trains inside and outside every time they run them and others who leave some or all of them outside. Others still have outdoor storage for their trains - some on their layouts and some in storage sheds outside.


My questions are for those who store their trains in places that do not have heat, air conditioning, dehumidifiers etc. 


Where do you keep your trains and how do you get them from where you store them to where you run them?

How long have you been doing this and what kind of results have you experienced over time?

What sort of climate do you have where your trains are?

Can you be sort of specific about the type of trains involved to the extent that the brand might help others with the same brand know what to expect?

Also can you give an idea of what is acceptable/unacceptable to you? If a bit of rust is OK to you it might be a real concern to someone else.

I am not asking anyone to give any information they are uncomfortable with giving and if you like you can email your information to me and I can post it without identifying who sent it.

*What I am really looking for are "Safe Outdoor Storage Practices" for large scale trains.* Everyone's information can help and there is no need to mention whether you are talking about a single loco, a single passenger or freight car or whatever unless you are comfortable in doing so.


Also, please include construction materials if applicable. I suspect wood is much better for storage sheds etc. than metal or plastic because (I believe) it tends to absorb moisture while non porous materials seem (to me) to collect moisture.


If you like you might add information about how, if you had to do it over, you would build your storage space now.

Getting your trains to your layout can be every bit as important as where you keep them. Do you carry them or drive them or what? 


Thanks,

Jerry


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## jfrank (Jan 2, 2008)

Mine are stored in a custom built building that is connected to the railroad so I don't have to lift or carry them anywhere. I am in Houston, Texas where it is hot and humid in the summer and sometimes freezes in the winter. Last winter it did get into the 20's and I had to carry my live steamers in doors as the heater out there would not keep up. Other than that, I have had no problems with this arrangement.

Here is a pic:


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## Dave F (Jan 2, 2008)

I keep my rolling stock in my workshop stored in large plastic bins that can be easily transported either 20 feet to my layout or to my car for use at trainshows or friends layouts.


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## Del Tapparo (Jan 4, 2008)

I keep several trains, both locos and rolling stock, in my train shed, which can be connected to the layout via a drawbridge. I leave them in the train shed year round here in Colorado. My battery powered locos, tenders, or trailing cars are hand carried to the garage for charging at the end of each run, and returned to the train shed at the beginning of the next session.









Drawbridge in the up position. Shed by the back fence and somewhat hidden by the trees on right.









It opens up in three sections. The first section contains the yard throat. (Yes, that's me)










Outer decrative doors swing open. Inner security door slides left.

The base is built to look "trestle" like. The second track in the door was for future expansion, which will likely never happen now. There is also another door on the other end of the shed, which was also for future expansion.


Trains get pretty dusty over time, and the wasps like to nest in there. But overall, this is the best single operational improvement I ever made to my railroad. Setup time went from nearly an hour to minutes.


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

As you can see here in the picture, I run my rolling stock up into the garage when not in use. Saves hauling back and forth through the house from my train room on the other side of the house!!! I bring my engines in for security reasons, and have made an engine carrier and also passenger car carrier for carrying easily what I do want to carry in and out!!! Regal


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## todd55whit (Jan 2, 2008)

Del 
Like your shed. Especially the "run time from hours to minutes". This sort of thing could help my run time. Do you have any problems with moisture? Todd


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## Del Tapparo (Jan 4, 2008)

Posted By todd55whit on 24 Jul 2010 10:26 AM 
Del 
Like your shed. Especially the "run time from hours to minutes". This sort of thing could help my run time. Do you have any problems with moisture? Todd No. It is nice and dry here in Colorado. There are slots in the roof where the three sections meet that let a few drips in from rain and snow. The roof is vented under the eaves and covered with screen.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I built rolling storage cabinets. (I'm going to make permanent storage inside later).

I designed them to use 3/4" plywood, and use sheets economically. The 3/4" allowed me to screw it together without internal cleats, and to dado grooves for the wheels.

The picture below shows one before staining:










The cart is from Home Depot, by Rubbermaid. Large diameter wheels allow me to roll it right up to where I am making up or breaking down trains.

I found a high quality oil-based stain that also keeps spiders out and seals great against the elements. You can see the stain applied as the structure is built up:









The cabinet stores 21 cars, and if you have 40' cars, you can put an additional 7 cars sideways in front for a total of 28 cars per cabinet:










These cabinets will hold 50' cars. I made a deeper one that will hold full length passenger cars, E8's and mallets.

Regards, Greg


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

I keep most of them in a garage in Southern California.

I have a three-shelf rolling cart that I keep most stuff on that I just push out and unload/reload. Each shelf holds 10 railcars. I would like to get one of those nice stainless steel, 6-shelf carts used for food service, but they are quite $$$.


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Here is one of several outdoor storage structures I keep rolling stock in all year around. I always keep the locos inside because of the electronics. 

http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/ForumArchives/tabid/100/Default.aspx?TOPIC_ID=32061


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

I have an extensive thread here in MLS about a yard/storage shed, swing switch, and connecting "Y" I built this summer. The most recent posts can be found at HARG RR 2010 Expansion .

JimC.


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

I park my trains, all of them, locos and rolling stock, in my "railroad yard" inside my RV garage. I have an area that is about 10' x 50' that makes up my yard. This garage is not heated or air conditioned. I'm in central Florida where in the summer the temperature can approach 100 degrees, and in the winter it gets down once in a while into the mid to upper 20's. After 4 years or so, I have no problems with this arrangement. Since my mainline passes through the garage, setup time when I want to run is essentially "0".

Ed


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## Jerrys RR (Jun 28, 2010)

Great ideas! Thanks to everyone for providing them (keep them coming).

Jerry


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## Tom Lapointe (Jan 2, 2008)

Currently, in the house on my old indoor layout; outdoor operating sessions require *hand-carrying *







*all rolling stock outside - *a practice which is getting very *"old". *







I've got so much rolling stock stored on the indoor layout that it is basically a *"railroad parking lot". *







(I've actually got *"assigned parking spots" *







for most of my cars & locos on it!). Built originally with an eye towards being an indoor logging layout for *small *rolling stock, it is mostly *R1 curves *







& has a *Cass-inspired 10% grade *







between two levels. Work on it was largely abandoned when I managed to secure *"right-of-way" *for the outdoor railroad with the rest of the family.







Most of my newer 1:20.3 or 1:29th scale rolling stock can't handle it because of either curve or clearance issues, so it is *very rarely run; *I'm seriously thinking of dismantling a sizable portion of it & just putting up storage shelves, as most of my operation these days is outdoors. I am giving thought to building some sort of *"run-in" storage shed *outdoors, where I can keep at least *some *equipment ready-to-roll just by throwing a few turnouts & powering up the DCC system. Even at that, I'd be inclined only to store *less expensive cars & locos only *outdoors, even if in a *locked & secured shed; *any of my more expensive or more-difficult-to-replace pieces (such as the live steamers or USA Trains NH streamliner) would be still stored *securely indoors. *







*Tom*


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Yep I did an extensive build that I also posted over here about my 5 track covered staging yard using the Train-LI 5 way switch. Later RJD


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## Henson (Jan 2, 2008)

I store mine in a 10X20 storage building with a dogie doors at each end. Car storage on one wall and the car repair on the other. Since this picture was taken I now have 4 wooden rails on the deck and move the track in the doors back an forth to each rail. 
Trains are ready to move out with at a moments notice.


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## Ron Hill (Sep 25, 2008)

My trains are stored in the house and in the new part of my shop. My scratchbuilt building are stored in the house. The trains get to the layout the old fashioned way.... manually! 
Ron


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