Storing Freight Cars

[KenS]

In another thread, I'd mentioned that I was using Kato's 4-car and 8-car train cases for storing my freight trains.  I thought I'd start a new thread to share some photos, and let others post how they store trains (I know there's already a thread about where we store them, and that sort of crosses over into how, but this seemed different enough to warrant its own topic).

 

Photo 1: two of the boxes, with my (nearly illegible) handwritten labels on the tags Kato includes.  I think I'll eventually make labels on a computer, so I can actually read them.

 

Photo 2: Two 8-car boxes full of containers. These fit very neatly into the pre-made cut-outs (the box comes with those filled with foam, but it's pre-cut and pops out with finger pressure from behind).

 

Spare containers I just stack on a bookshelf, ready to be swapped in or used on the next flat car I buy.

 

Photo 3: A 4-car and 8-car box with my 12-car Tank Car trains (I cut off the ends of the part of the foam that pops out, to make a filler so the tank car couldn't slide around and break off the railing on top.

[sedril]

Awesome!

 

I was thinking about picking up something like that to keep my few cars in, but I wasn't sure if it would be worth it.

Thanks for the pictures!

[KenS]

You're welcome.  And welcome to the forum.

[CaptOblivious]

I use the Casco line of storage boxes for my KOKI. They make a line of cases and inserts to fit into Kato cases specially fitted for specific models: They have an extensive line of inserts for a wide range of freight cars, as well as inserts that allow you to combine sets that span multiple boxes into one (e.g., to consolidate your Kato 11-car Yamanote line train into one box).

 

I did a review of the case, with pictures, here:

http://akihabara.artificial-science.org/2009/01/26/review-casco-yp-517-case-for-koki/

 

Casco website:

http://www.yonpachi.co.jp/pc/free03.html

 

Here it is on my bookshelf, nestler in between Borges and Stephenson, right where it belongs:

 

This insert was designed to fit modern KOKI container cars (KOKI50000 and later); the fit is nice and snug.

[cteno4]

I went a tad crazy with the half off shipping sale at hs earlier this year and got a number of the casco, tomix, and kato cases to get all the freight and the few loose train i have into cases. got the kokis into the cases, but now have to work on the smaller freights into them.

 

its the shipping that kills you on these at around $10 a pop sal, so the half price shipping was.

 

we shall see how good i was estimating the car sizes from the pictures to get things to fit well! i had to go to all three manufacturers to get the variety of things i needed.

 

the kokis are really great in the cases, so much easier to deal with! the do rattle around a tad. i wish i could find the clear, soft polyproplyene that tomix and ma sometimes use. would be perfect to put a small strip in the slot and shove the car in to have the film help hold the car still, softly.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[KenS]

You can get the Kato cases from MB Klein.

 

Capt. O., that's a very nice case.  Much better fit than my Kato one.  I may think about trading up (I'm sure I'll have a use for the Kato case for something else).

[nik_n_dad]

We've been using the Axian boxes for rolling stock, and the Kato bookcases for engines.  I've ordered a cask case to check it out.  Here's the link for Axian- you can order direct or from several online shops.

 

http://www.axiantech.com/ModelRR.html

[cteno4]

I thought of the Axian boxes, they are fast to pull lots of trains in and out. like the book cases though as they are easier to store and can flip any direction. Axian is certainly a lot better bang for the buck!

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Guest Closed Account 1]

Saw the Axian cases at the show this weekend.  Very nice. If you are traveling with your trains then the 5 box nylon bag is a wise choice.  It's like a wing tote for trains.

 

The N scale version of the boxes have foam on the lid and bottom so there is no room for the cars to bounce around. I guess you could put a slice of pipe insulation in between them if you suspect they move.

[cteno4]

one of the jrm members now has a single axian case for his container cars, and was commenting at the last show how fast it was to packup!

 

jeff

[Guest JRF-1935]

Guys,

  I bought some of the Casco cases and they are nice.  I do beleive the Axian cases are a better bang for the buck and they hold 36 cars.  I'm planning on buying some myself.

Rich C

[cteno4]

Rich,

 

yes with the heavy shipping on the cases from japan the axian cases do get economical fast and are much faster and easier to dump cars into.

 

do need to keep the cases a bit flat as they dont hold quite as solid as the japanese ones with full inserts.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Guest JRF-1935]

Thanks Jeff,

  I haven't heard any complaints from the folks I know who have them.  Guess I'll have to "buy" and "try" to see if they compare with the molded cases.  I do like the fact that they hold 3x the amount of cars.

Rich C

[clem24]

You can get the Kato cases from MB Klein.

 

 

BAH $18 for a case, another $18 to ship it to Canada... :(

[David]

You can get the Kato cases from MB Klein.

 

 

BAH $18 for a case, another $18 to ship it to Canada... :(

 

But it's probably something like $25-$30 to ship 8 cases together, unlike airmail where the cost is linear with weight. When buying from them I group together many items I want at once - Unitrack, decoders, etc. It's much easier to economize on shipping from the US then Japan.