Model Railroading > Model Train Carrying Cases

Hi all,

This past weekend I made an outing to the Timonium Model Train show in suburban Baltimore, MD. While the show itself was rather iffy (too few vendors....too many layouts), one of the things I spotted were Model Train carrying cases by Spring Mills Depot.

http://www.springmillsdepot.com/boxes.htm

At $10, they seemed like a good deal, but I wound up chatting with a dealer friend of mine and this lasted right till closing at 5 pm.

Not getting one of the cases, and seeing beforehand how they were constructed, I started thinking about making my own. Seems simple enough......a cardboard box and some foam.

Does anyone here have anything like that they made with least possible capital outlays? I.e. - I do NOT have an old briefcase, and buying a new one just for this seems a little too much.

I know that modeling magazines (MR, MRC, Railway/Continental Modeler, wtc) have articles so often on making these, but last one seemed to have been a while ago (running from memory).

Anyone have some advice? Techniques? Were do I source the foam? Is it the same expanded one that I would use for scenery?

Thanks in advance!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/14/14 15:10 by chs7-321.

You will spend more than $10.00 chasing down the parts - Buy the boxes - it's a good price
Original Fred

Those cases are priced very well. Are you really sure you want to go through that effort to save $10 or even $40 if you need enough to house more cars/locos. Even if you scrounge for a briefcase here and an old suitcase there, I doubt it will be standard nor will it be straight forward to convert for holding models.

Open the wallet and let the moth's out.

Rick

That type is great for cars, but what about engines with sunshades?
I use ProtoPower West for cars and engines. I also have some
boxes from grandcentralgems.com that hold either four or six
engines.

Larry

chs7-321 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi all,
>
> ... Timonium
> Model Train show in suburban Baltimore, MD. While
> the show itself was rather iffy (too few
> vendors....too many layouts), ...

That is the first time I've heard that one. Usually, it is the other way around as most people complain about an entry fee to go in and shop for trains.

Rick

Guys,

The case pricing is NOT the problem (I was going to go back to the table for two cases).

The problem is that I won't see them till the June show, and the shipping they charge on the site is kinda high, so I was just looking at some options.

The boxes are easy to get (I might have suitable ones already). But then there're foam inserts....

Posted from Android

Rick,

The show has been on the decline for a bit. Between the recent recession, travel costs (read gas prices), and vendors retiring, it is a rather downing sight. This recent show was particularly empty.

I've found that computer keyboard boxes work great for carrying around n scale cars and engines in their original boxes. For HO, these Spring Mills Cases look great and appear to be a good value as well. I would wait until the next show and spend your scarce modeling time on other projects...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/14/14 17:10 by shortlineer.

I went to the first show this year and was very busy. I think that it fell on the first solid weekend of amazing weather since last October, and no one was going to waste it, including me. I spent the weekend at barbecues, put 300 miles on my motorcycle and got sunburned. It's just bad luck that the show was on that weekend.

J

Joel Brazy
Coatesville, PA

I'm with one of the layouts. As Joel said, the weather was amazing after a hard (for here) winter, it was Cherry Blossom peak bloom weekend in DC, the Orioles were playing and it was Palm Sunday weekend too. Too many other worthy distractions for people to go to. I did notice some of the usual vendors weren't there (Greenway, Scenic Express, and the tool people), but I have noted that the April show gets less of a vendor turnout than October or February. Don't know about June - I'm not there for that one.
Clarence

The best train carrying case is the Hobby Hauler 3000 from Cooee Classics. The company is from Australia but I had no trouble having one sent to Canada.

KG

Ok, guys, I would like to get back to my original post.

My premise: I am exploring the option of making my own model carrying cases. What is the best way of outfitting the inside?

To repeat, I have several appropriate boxes. How would I best outfit the insides? What kind of foam and where would I get it?


If anyone wants to comment how cheap I am for even considering such a thing, or that I would be wasting time, please feel free to send me a PM, but let's keep the discussion focused. I would much appreciate it!!

Thank you in advance!

chs7-321 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ok, guys, I would like to get back to my original
> post.
>
> My premise: I am exploring the option of making
> my own model carrying cases. What is the best
> way of outfitting the inside?
>
> To repeat, I have several appropriate boxes. How
> would I best outfit the insides? What kind of
> foam and where would I get it?
>
>
> If anyone wants to comment how cheap I am for even
> considering such a thing, or that I would be
> wasting time, please feel free to send me a PM,
> but let's keep the discussion focused. I would
> much appreciate it!!
>
> Thank you in advance!

If there is a business that reupholsters furniture in your area, they may be able to help with foam for inserts. Foam of various thicknesses and densities are used in furniture like overstuffed chairs and so forth. They might be willing to cut to size for you as well.

Just a thought.

Cheers!
Bob

You might check with a Hobby Lobby store for foam and who knows, might even have some boxes. upkpfan

upkpfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You might check with a Hobby Lobby store for foam
> and who knows, might even have some boxes. upkpfan


No Hobby Lobby up here in Philly, but I think I get the general idea! :)