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This weekend I picked up a bunch of BCW 660 trading card boxes to store my loose trains.  Nice boxes and darn cheap (less than a buck each), but of course the fit isn't perfect.

 

I have a ton of pluck foam scraps from years of making cases to store wargaming models.  I was thinking of gluing them into the boxes to make custom fitted storage.  I just want to know if there's any danger to my trains' finish from this kind of foam.

 

Just to be clear, it's the kind of squishable open-cell foam that you find in gun cases, mattresses, etc.

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I would not put the foam directly against any of your freight or passenger cars. Use a thin piece of cardboard or heavy non-printed on paper(not glossy paper) between the foam and your train car.

 

I have used newspaper for years for storing my freight cars, just the black and white printed newspaper not the color stuff like the cartoon pages on Sundays.

 

Lee Fritz

Originally Posted by Erik C Lindgren:
We call the antique brass models we get with the dreaded foam damage "Chia-Pets". Somewhere I have a perfect photo of what foam can do to your models if it breaks down. Not all foam does, but yes ReBoxx acid free wrap is a must.

http://www.reboxx.com/accessories.htm

 

Did not know that ReBoxx was even still in business; have not seen them at any show for many years.....

Originally Posted by Eilif:

So a layer of acid free paper between the foam and the car would be a good solution?

Yes!

You need a barrier between the foam and the paint and even a raw brass surface.  I've seen way too many engines that basically have to be stripped down to raw brass due to interaction and contact with the foam.

Not arguing; trying to learn....

 

What about for short term use, like just for transport to/from a club layout, then removed from the box?

 

Is there *cumulative* damage from foam touching the paint, or is this only if the trains are *stored* in the foam and heat/humidity breaks down the foam?

 

As in, I just spent $40 on 1/2" foam to custom-make dividers for the storage box I use to transport them....

Carl - 

Short-term storage (a few years) material can be almost anything, including newspaper

(non-coated newsprint is pretty harmless in general - but it eventually breaks down and loses any padding effect, and bugs like it, too). But some foams are fine, some will attack your stuff - over a long term. Using foam to transport things is OK; we're talking years to have an effect, if any.

 

White (no dyes) cotton towels some people swear by. Seems pretty stable if stored in a "non-basement/non-attic" environment. Watch snagging the details if you use terrycloth.

 

I am sure that there are "archival foam" formulas out there; I don't know anything about them, though. 

Last edited by D500

Thanks folks,

      Looks like I can get a nice big roll of acid free "drawing" paper for about $10.  I'll buy that and glue a bit of foam in each dimension of each box and put a piece of acid free paper over each car before putting it in.  The cars are all sturdy current RTR and MPC-era stuff, so I'm too worried about the paper scratching the car.

 

While I wait for the paper to arrive, I've put almost all my engines and cars into the 660 card boxes I purchased (the Amtrak coaches need 800 card length) and they all fit nicely into a big suitcase, which was the whole point of this exercise.  One suitcase of trains, one suitcase of track, transformers, etc and of to grandpa's house we go!

I use the rolls of white foam material.  I don't know what the material is called.  I have looked on several websites to try and find it or a name and I haven't found it yet.  The kind I use is about 1/8 inch thick, but it comes in different thickness.  I have some that is like kleenex.  The material usually has perforations periodically so that you can tear it off in sheets like a roll of paper towels.  It is has a moderate cushion to it but not spongy like foam rubber.  My trains have been stored in this stuff for the past 20 years.  For the really good, fragile stuff I put partitions in some cardboard boxes so each car/engine had its own compartment.  I lined the walls with this foam using hot melt glue to adhere it to the cardboard.  Then I wrapped each car in the foam and set it in a compartment.  In hindsight the most risky thing was I did insert pink spongy foam squares at each end of the car to prevent any cars from being able to roll back and forth.  I didn't want it bumping the lined foam at the ends of each section.  I recently looked in the boxes and everything is perfect.  I plan on replacing the squares of pink foam with an rolled up section of the white foam.  The foam I am trying to reference has a grain to it like newspaper does.  You can tear it in a pretty straight line in one direction, in the other direction you need to use a knife.  Where I work all products are large, heavy and have a cosmetic appearance requirement.  We have to wear white cotton or nitrile gloves at all times.  This white foam material is what is used on our products.  Sometimes in sheets and most times in thicker pre-cut sections that perfectly mate the product to the shipping box.  I know it comes on large rolls with a cardboard tube in the middle just like papertowels.  One edge of the roll is usually dyed red near the end of the roll like cash register tape.  If someone can tell me how to insert a picture in a post I will post again with some pictures of the different stuff

Originally Posted by Eilif:

Thanks folks,

      Looks like I can get a nice big roll of acid free "drawing" paper for about $10.  I'll buy that and glue a bit of foam in each dimension of each box and put a piece of acid free paper over each car before putting it in.

Eilif,

Congratulations on your buying the materials to do it correctly.

 

Originally Posted by aussteve:

I use the rolls of white foam material.  I don't know what the material is called.  I have looked on several websites to try and find it or a name and I haven't found it yet.  The kind I use is about 1/8 inch thick, but it comes in different thickness.  I have some that is like kleenex.  The material usually has perforations periodically so that you can tear it off in sheets like a roll of paper towels.  

Steve,

I've used the same material from time to time. I still prefer the acid free paper for prolonged storage. It is whatever works for you.

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