Boxes for Modern Tinplate

I'm with you there, Tim:  some of my boxes do double-duty, storing those items I don't have displayed or in operation.  Many, however, sit empty either in a closet or tucked away on a garage storage shelf.  I like keeping them, "just in case," but I often wonder if it's worth it to keep those boxes for the smaller items like street lamps, telegraph posts, signals, etc.  The original, vintage boxes can at least be folded flat for easy storage, which you just can't do with the new ones.

I just throw them in the attic.  I'd rather not burn them because I'm going to move.  The original packaging will be the best way to move the trains.

Please don't burn them. MTH uses styrofoam inside those boxes, and it is toxic when burned. Just throw them out. Check inside for traction tires. You probably don't need the instructions, since MTH has them online. 

The only thing is that if you ever sell the trains, they are more valuable with boxes and they ship better.

George

I put my trains in storage while I traveled extensively.  I pitched the boxes to save storage space.  I had many mth passenger cars and those boxes are really big.  I store in plastic totes and it has worked well.   I've kept some small boxes where the box was little bigger than the item, like Hornby.  Not concerned about potential loss of value.  Not sorry that I pitched boxes 8 years ago except for engine boxes.  With modern command control and sound boards, there is sometimes a need to ship an engine to a tech.  So, going forward I keep all engine boxes. 

Bill

George,

I would never burn them, so don't worry about that.  The value I see in trains is seeing them and running them from time to time.  I don't want to sound selfish, but I'm not too worried about what my kids may get from selling my trains, hopefully a long time from now.

Often, I just turn on my layout in the gameroom as the glow of the streetlamps and buildings is relaxing.   To paraphrase Ralphie at the end of A Christmas Story, all is right with the world.

Tim

I do all i can to save my boxes, to the point of storing them inside each other like russian dolls.  

When buyong used trains the price has to be near a parts level for me to buy engines, access, pass cars, without boxes, manual, etc.  Rolling stock not so much.

ONE WORD: RECYCLE! ☺

Popi posted:

Popi’s got the right idea. I do save the boxes for a short time until I’m sure it’s not going to be returned, then out they go, but not burned. 

Steve

George S posted:

Please don't burn them.

George, sorry.  No, I did not mean literally burn them.  I was only responding to the burn-barrel picture from Popi.  In any case, I keep my boxes.

I burned hundreds of mpc era boxes in the fire pit 

 No tossed foam (or plastic), that would be free scenery foam  

"Could be better; could be worse"; my green bucket goes out twice as often as my black bucket and they don't pick up a couple thousand gallons at a time, so with yet more unlisted excuses, I plead immunity for my backyard mpc pyre 

  I spent over a year trying to find homes for those and a ton of postwar from various manufacturers.  The Pre-PW Lionel, Auburn, AMT, Kris, KMT, Kusan all had takers. 

I save all original toy train packaging, regardless of brand. If you need to move / ship them, nothing protects your toy trains better than their original packaging. Call me nuts, but I even saved the original boxes for my DCS controls, new transformers, and even my Ross Custom and O-Line/RMT switches. To make the most use of space, I pack smaller boxes into larger boxes, and so far it has worked well. If I get to the point where there is no room left under my benchwork, I will re-evaluate, but so far that hasn't been a problem (although I'd like it to be). 

John

If you have boxes for 300 series cars, I might be interested or rolling stock?

Joe Gozzo