# Where do you put all those empty Train Boxes?



## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

While I show these in my "My Garage Railroad in the Making" thread, in case there are those of you that don't read that thread, I thought these ceiling brackets are worth showing to those that can use them.

  
You can find them on the internet by googling Lehigh-Crawford-Overhead Storage

Google: LeHigh-Crawford-Overhead-Storage

I have no connection to Lehigh-Crawford-Overhead Storage or any of the companies selling this device.

I only hope it can help some of you with a storage solution.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Very neat solution!


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Yes, very neat solution.

At first I thought that was some kind of a pull up bar.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I have the same kind, but they are adjustable in height (or drop). I put 2 x 10's on them. 

That said, I was renting a small storage room just for empty boxes... threw them all away except for a few for locos. 

Greg


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

I'm with Greg. Simply dont have room for all those boxes, crazy amount of space needed for them. So I keep the larger loco boxes in case of need to ship for repair, and burn the rest in the wood stove, get a little heat at least

Jerry

PS- Already used up the space above the car for storing cedar wood for lumber for modeling.....


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

And for the do it yourself types (all of us, right?) there is an overhead storage rack plan here: 

http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/36596/free-plan-overhead-lumber-rack


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## jebouck (Jan 2, 2008)

I do all my own engine repair, so I toss everything. If I kept the boxes, I'd have to build an addition on the house just to store them.


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

My rule...if I run it...I pitch the box. An $80 car becomes worth $30 to $40 used in most cases...and folks buying used cars do NOT require a box if you sell a car. That's not true if you are selling UNUSED stuff...they want the box. 

So...I buy this stuff for me to play with...and I don't clutter my world with empty boxes once I start to play.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I have the same rule, plus one: I don't buy anything I don't run. 

Greg


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## Dan Pantages (Jan 2, 2008)

Everything into recycle. Buy a case of Accucraft cars and the packing fills the recycle.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Some folks collect boxes, others play with choo-choos. 

Put me in the pitch the box camp. I think I have one box here, and that's because the Lehmann bubble car is always sticky.


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## dieseldude (Apr 21, 2009)

I save all the boxes..... for absolutely no apparent reason!!!! I only buy what I like. I run everything I buy. I have no plans to sell anything. Got to be some kind of birth defect or something! Eventually, I'll run out of storage space for all of this extra cardboard and I'll have to stop! 


-Kevin.


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## jfrank (Jan 2, 2008)

LOL, my garage shelves are full and most of my atic. But I just can't bring myself to throw away those boxes nor the shipping boxes.


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## Tom Parkins (Jan 2, 2008)

Almost the same problem. No need for the boxes, but I tend not to throw them out (recycle) right away in case of having to send something back. So eventually I get around to tossing them in the bin, but usually it takes too long.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

After 5 years of paying $60 a month for a storage unit to hold them, I figured the money was better spent on new stuff, not a bunch of empty boxes. 

Greg


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

i don't throw them away - i use them up. 
for indoors modeling they can be used as backbones for mountains and structures.


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 15 Nov 2012 11:42 AM 
After 5 years of paying $60 a month for a storage unit to hold them, I figured the money was better spent on new stuff, not a bunch of empty boxes. 

Greg 
I did same as Greg. Had them stored else where besides fulling up all of the storage space in the Ho building. 
After building the train carts set of Dbl's. I didn't need to save any box's. If I go, trains go as is. lol.

Korm has a good idea on his use of empty box's, but I only need one box to use on my building truck Ho round nose trailer. And that will probably last me a few yr's.


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By San Juan on 14 Nov 2012 12:27 PM 
Yes, very neat solution.

At first I thought that was some kind of a pull up bar.

Not possible at Randy's...he'd pull the ceiling down before he left the ground.


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Now that hurt.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Somebody has to think of the ceiling... 

(man it's one rough crowd!!) 

Greg


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By Mike Reilley on 15 Nov 2012 04:09 PM 

Not possible at Randy's...he'd pull the ceiling down before he left the ground.


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## work4fil (Jan 4, 2008)

I feel your pain Randy. 

Life ain't fair. Fair is where you take the kids and pay for rides.... 

Fil


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Some silly folks on fleabay will actually pay you for empty LGB boxes.... I noticed this AFTER sending 5 or 6 to the dump.


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

Spare room is full.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I've hardly ever bought anything new, so seldom had the box problem.


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

I'm like many of you in that I file most of my boxes in a special file container which is round, and a guy in a truck comes by each week and empties it for me. I do keep a couple of locomotive boxes so that I have something to carry my engine in when I take it on the road with me. Also I have one or two freight car boxes for the same reason. That is all I keep though. Like others have said, I buy train rolling stock and locomotives to run. I immediately convert them to battery power, and if they aren't Aristo which just involves flipping a switch, I generally remove all track power capability, significantly reducing the value or market for my locos.

Ed


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## Koploper (Apr 3, 2011)

I save all my boxes to store and protect my stock. In fact, I'd be willing to pay the shipping costs if some of you would like to send me your old boxes that you are planning to discard. I'm particularly interested in getting three boxes for my Aristocraft 2-bay covered hoppers. I often buy used cars with "no box" on ebay or at a show, and I'd love to have the boxes to keep them in in my storage area. Post if you are interested in sending me yours if you have them.


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

I tossed all my boxes and always have my stock on display. I never understood why everyone keeps the Box if they do not use them, but to each their own. Then again I do not have a large collection and do not purchase stuff I do not use.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Hey Navy, good to see you online again. 

Speaking of navy... I grew up a navy brat and a move was always around the corner ... I saved the boxes. 
Funny I own this home and will probably die here, but I've got the boxes! 
None are kept for collectors hoopla, all my stuff is ordinary... 

Happy Rails 

John


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## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

I was reminded of this thread when I made up a bit of a playground for a visiting kitten out of boxes yesterday, including an AMS caboose box.You may notice the little guy is missing a leg, so jumping over boxes is helping with his balance.


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## jfrank (Jan 2, 2008)

The boxes actually add value for some buyers if you ever plan to sell anything.


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## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Naptowneng on 14 Nov 2012 01:29 PM 
And for the do it yourself types (all of us, right?) there is an overhead storage rack plan here: 

http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/36596/free-plan-overhead-lumber-rack 


A beautiful Fine Woodworking project. But FW projects often have a bit of a flaw; their projects are way too elegant (aka, complex and work) for the its practicality. 

Galvanize pipe (sold in threaded short lengths) and fittings are cheap and simple; it just screws together. Want elegant use copper plumbing. Would have to solder but buff and lacquer you can show it off to everyone who comes over.


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## Bob Pero (Jan 13, 2008)

I put mine in the attic. Good thing I did, because I needed them when we sold the house and moved.


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## Joe Mascitti (Oct 30, 2008)

In the garbage....


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

I only ever kept the boxes of a handful of items, a few LGB cars, Casey Jr, and a couple of others, all that I had the idea that I would keep these stock without bashing. Now when I sell them off, I get an extra $ or two with the box, but all the rest got chopped and recycled. What would be the point, once I modify them they're never going to worth anything to the NIB Collector types.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By steam5 on 04 Dec 2012 04:38 AM 
I was reminded of this thread when I made up a bit of a playground for a visiting kitten out of boxes yesterday, including an AMS caboose box.You may notice the little guy is missing a leg, so jumping over boxes is helping with his balance.











Awwww, thats cute, whats his name.... Tripod?


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## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

Ha ha, not Tripod. The person who found him named him Mitch, because he was found on Mitchell Street, not a huge amount of imagination there. 

When she found him he was a bit messed up, so they had he's leg chopped and people at my partners work are sharing looking after him before he'll fly down to his new owners interstate early next year when he's a bit bigger. A few train boxes I had lying around have kept him amused for hours! 

Alan


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## Monkeycircus (Aug 9, 2012)

I kept my boxes originally. Stuck them up in the rafters of the garage. Glad I did as I started with Aristo craft and bachmann but soon switched to 1/20.3 accucraft. It made it easy to ship and sale on e-bay. Not really a value concern just an easy way to protect the items.


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

I bring my boxes to the local hobby shop,they re use them shipping items! 

Manfred


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

I throw all mine away except for a couple just in case something needs to be sent back. I do keep all the loco boxes tho again in case something would need to be shipped. Later RJD


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## stevedenver (Jan 6, 2008)

i keep all the boxes, and thats where i keep my LGB when its not being run. I do run them all. 

They dont get busted or nicked sliding against others on the shelves. 

And i heartily agree that it makes a difference in re-sale. I, rightly or wrongly, presume, that if an item has a box, the seller was more meticulous with use and care than those without. 
It also, rightly or wrongly, seems to represent completeness of an item. . 

Obviously, this isnt always the case at all. 

It influences me not only in this way, but also because i dont want stray, out of box items being damaged. I have so much stuff, that inevitably, some of it is going to sit unsued, for some period of time. 
I feel it is safer and not deteriorating, if protected. 

I have purchased several no-box LGB items, in good to pristine shape, but always at about half or even less, what the same used item with box will sell for. Only this lower price will make me consdier an no-box item. 

And i find using boxes takes up little extra room than no boxes at all, and they can be safely stacked in this manner 

I know i sure wouldnt want my bachman shay exposed to bumps, given all the easily broken detail parts. Nor my LGB Mike.


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## seadawg (Jan 2, 2008)

I have a huge stack of these boxes in my attic. They are starting to look more like kindling to me than any type of future resource. I bet my roof would go up quicker than a six month old Christmas tree! I think the box thing is more than likely a hangover from Lionel collectors. It seems with some Lionel products the box is more valuable than the item that should be found within it!


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## Ted Doskaris (Oct 7, 2008)

For what I don't have out on the layout, I put (or leave) in the original box on the shelves. 

-Ted D.


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