# Model Train Boxes



## Newtown Joe (Jan 30, 2013)

When I buy something I really give little attention to whether it comes with the original box or not. Well, I'm not a collector I just like to run them. However, I know it has a lot to do with the value. I'm just wondering how important boxes are to other train people.


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## Kwikster (Feb 22, 2012)

To me, minimally important. I actually prefer no box, chipped paint, not perfect trains. I do have a couple items that came with exceptional boxes, but oddly they weren't shown with the items, so i got a very good deal. I find it rather retarded that some boxes sell for more than what came inside of it :dunno:

I'm not a collector, I like to run my stuff. I find rehabbing them to be fun, after all in reality they were and are meant to be enjoyed.

Carl


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

All that is true, but I still like to have the original boxes. If I need to store them, or move them, they are protected in their boxes. Plus if I need to sell/trade them, they will be worth more with the original boxes.

But maybe that's just me......


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## morland (Sep 25, 2012)

I'm with Old Hobo. I like to keep the boxes. Not a show stopper but it seems to help resell if you ever want to get rid of it.


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## Newtown Joe (Jan 30, 2013)

Problem is the original boxes are usually in bad shape. I've seen repro boxes but that seems a little tacky to me.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

I'm like Joe. I want to run trains. But I find that boxes are the most convenient storage method when I am tearing up parts of my layout and want to protect the cars from dust. I went so far as to buy some generic boxes for the cars that did not come with boxes -- and wrote the car info on the box end. It makes it easy to find what I want quickly.


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

Old_Hobo said:


> All that is true, but I still like to have the original boxes. If I need to store them, or move them, they are protected in their boxes. Plus if I need to sell/trade them, they will be worth more with the original boxes.
> 
> But maybe that's just me......


:thumbsup:


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

If they came with hard boxes...plastic or good quality cardboard...with foam or formed liners, then yes, I do keep them. I sell the highly collectable ones---got $40 for 4 Marklin boxes in pretty tough shape once. Other than that, I toss them.

I have this to hold everything else...


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## Patrick1544 (Apr 27, 2013)

Not a collector, I like to run them, but I do like the boxes for them.


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## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

I'm an operator, but I keep my equipment in the original boxes (if it came with one at least) when possible as a safe way to store them. I don't have the room to build dedicated containers for individual pieces, so the original boxes are the easiest way to go for me.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I keep the box for my locos, but only because it's a good place to store the parts list, warranty car, and the manual for the decoder that's in the loco. Boxes for cars generally get recycled.

Most of my rolling stock is stored in staging. Anything off the layout (usually in need of maintenance) is stored on a shelf I made for that purpose.


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## Kwikster (Feb 22, 2012)

I've found old chest of drawers can be a great storage unit in my case 48h x 36w x 12d. I've added dividers and padding to hold things in place. In some cases, adding drawers below benchwork is a great alternative. You can build them to be modular permitting easy removal. With anything, to each his own, it's you stuff to use as you choose.

Carl


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

I know Newtown has lionel as do I, the boxes do nothing for me. The fifty year , or older , boxes are a pita. They fall apart are musty and usual dont do a great job of protecting the cars, etc. I do have boxes filled with the boxes that came with my stuff( I should toss em) just in case. For storage I use pladtic shoe boxed and I wrap the cars in micro fiber towles. Advantages are they take up less space and if anything spills, or splashes there protected.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I keep boxes if they're in good shape. I don't necessarily store the stuff in the original box, but I have a bunch of them in the attic.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I keep boxes if they're in good shape. I don't necessarily store the stuff in the original box, but I have a bunch of them in the attic.


Any paper product stored in my attic is likely to become mouse bedding.

If the little buggers dare to come into the main part of the house, they're toast. I have 3 cats, and they know how to catch mice. One of them brought us a "present" in the middle of the night once. I needed a squeegee to get my wife off of the ceiling, it always amazes me how my cute, sweet, cuddly pets are such deadly predators.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I try to keep the rodent population to a minimum here.


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## Newtown Joe (Jan 30, 2013)

*Mice*

I put them in my Gondolas and give them a ride.


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## 400E Blue Comet (Jul 11, 2014)

I agree, I'm not one for boxes. Gimme the real deal ! I run my trains too, but there are some trains you actually SHOULD run. Marklin Z Trains for example, use Marklin oil. However Marklin oil tends to congeal so that can really clog up a Z Gauge train and may be responsible for burning out my Z's motor when I first got it. I replaced it with a 5-Pole now though so it runs well. This weekend I also bought a Lima HO train (It's a Marklin HO in disguise) and a non-matching tender because it was missing one, but to get it to run on it's own I had to kind of push it along the track so it could rub the dirt off the contacts. I'm running my Lionel 33 now too because I think that will make it go faster. It's going pretty slow on my KW but I saw a promising test today.


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## Newtown Joe (Jan 30, 2013)

*Marklin?*

When it comes to trains the only name I know is LIONEL. What are Marklin? Sounds like newer high tech.:dunno:


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Google it.......


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## Newtown Joe (Jan 30, 2013)

*Marklin?*

OK,I Googled it. Looks like nice stuff, but any company originating from "Göppingen in Baden-Wurttemberg" is probably going to overwhelm me. I'll stick to LIONEL from New Jersey.


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

Newtown Joe said:


> When it comes to trains the only name I know is LIONEL. What are Marklin? Sounds like newer high tech.:dunno:


1951 Marklin HR800, HO scale...










...been around since before 1900.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Here is a very complete history of Marklin, a European
train maker.

https://www.marklin.com/about/

Don


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Another good excuse for having/keeping the boxes is if you transport/move your trains a lot, from taking them back and forth to the club to taking them to train shows in the area. Also, if you change residences, they protect your trains during the move.

And, of course, when the time comes to get out of the train hobby (permanently), whoever has the task of organizing the destination of your trains will realize the highest return if the boxes are present.......sorry for that last morbid thought, but in the last little while, my local hobby shops have been a gold mine for me because of many train enthusiasts that have passed before me......rest their souls.....


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## Newtown Joe (Jan 30, 2013)

Old_Hobo said:


> It's good to live in the present.....you should try it sometime......


I see all kinds of people in this hobby, but I think nostalgia for the "good old days" of Lionel provides a major source of interest. I see no need to argue over which trains are best. It's just a matter of what you like and there's room for all tastes.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

We are now back on the original topic (model train boxes), so if the subject of best trains is still a matter of discussion, it could be started in another thread.......

Besides, as I stated earlier, I was only yanking your chain about Lionel vs Marklin.....all trains are good!


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## Newtown Joe (Jan 30, 2013)

The chances of a 65 year old box being in good condition are pretty slim, most are a wreck, so to me they aren't an important factor when I buy..


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

When I last moved, everything I built to travel did its job....




























Cardboard boxes would only take up space better served by light bubble wrap. As the last photo shows, the only damage I had was that one tree and one citizen on a park bench were jarred loose but otherwise undamaged in the 275 mile move.


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## 400E Blue Comet (Jul 11, 2014)

Generally Marklins are pretty high quality trains, though they're expensive.


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## jesteck (Apr 15, 2014)

If you have the space, the inclination, and desire to save original boxes in the hope of an increased resale value down the line, by all means do so. Just remember cardboard is a prime target for mold and mildew when stored in a damp basement, so not every box is worth saving. Special items- like imported brass engines- might warrant saving original packaging, but even there the protective foam packing will deteriorate over time. It's a judgement call. The condition of the box can reflect poorly of the condition of what's inside.


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## Newtown Joe (Jan 30, 2013)

*Boxes*

I'm with you on this one big ed, these are toy trains not fine art.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Newtown Joe said:


> I'm with you this one Big Ed, these are toy trains not fine art.[/SIZE]


Plus some collectors have a big pocketbook to throw away the money.
Then they just put the train in the box and pack it away in some deep dark corner.

No running, that will destroy the value. 

What is the sense of buying trains if you don't play with them, right Joe. :thumbsup:


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## Newtown Joe (Jan 30, 2013)

Yes, if you're not having fun with them, to me they're just more junk around the house.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

I think that the "box or no box" issue is similar to every thing in this hobby.....you either like/ save them, or you don't. It's kinda like asking what the best train is....everybody's going to have their opinions, so in the end, there is no best or no worst.....no right and no wrong....

But you know what they say about opinions........


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## Newtown Joe (Jan 30, 2013)

All I know is the boxes don't go around the track, so I really don't need them.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Well then, good for you Joe! At least you finally answered the original post topic.....

 Smiley face!


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## tr1 (Mar 9, 2013)

*boxes used for storage.*

Most of my collection was used. They did not come in there original boxes. Instead, I used
really nice boxes for storage I found at work. with permission of course. They are not the old Lionel type though.
Regards,tr1


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