I am looking for ideas on how to store trains/cars/locomotives. I have very limited space and need a unique way to both store trains and have a functioning yard. Sean suggested a new thread to see what others are doing.
So Show me your sheds
There’s a good pickchure layout in the most recent GR rag.
Train shed (also doubles as a tractor shed)
Entrance:
The ideal situation would be to keep the trains on the track. it is such a pain to carry them 2 at a time out to the RR.
I like the long warehouse with the lift up roof sections for storage idea.
If you can’t have a drive in storage area some have used bread racks or made rolling boxes out of plywood that can be wheeled out to the trackside.
I have a dozen cars that stay out year round. My other cars and engines are stored on book cases and shelves in the house and basement.
Ken.
See thats exactly what I want to do to the side of the house. I love that. . .its great, neat idea. Not sure I can do anything with that idea other than be jealous.
Todd,
The lifting roof idea is taking the lead as the winner. I think for what I am up against it may be the best solution. I do plan to have in house storage as well but it would sure be nice to leave it all outdoors. I I am very much considering a cabinet under the yard that has car racks to leave the majority of my cars in year round. Now the few special hand built cars will come in at least for winter. Locos will definitely come in for winter.
I would strongly recommend that whatever you decide that you make certain that they are relatively well protected from theft and vandalism. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cry.gif)
It’s not that I expect the worst from people, but while I’m often amazed I am rarely surprised. But hey, I live in California! (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-money-mouth.gif)
Mark,
This is a legitimate concern. Especially in my neighborhood. I have been ripped off on two occasions of different stuff. On the shed I was going to have a locking door. Cabinets or the lift off roof will have locks.
If outside storage is a concern (theft, vandalism, winter storage, etc.), you could do something like this…
http://largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/24633/storage-cases-for-rolling-stock
I know… it’s not a train shed, just another idea.
-Kevin.
The cars I leave out are nothing special mostly bachmann with metal wheels. Luckily I live in a quiet area as far as crime goes. If someone does find the RR and makes off with the cars I’d be upset but I would survive unless they also took the real “gold” the track!
The special cars and anything electronic do not stay out and special structures like the turntable and engine house come in for the Winter.
Be sure to protect your rolling stock from critters, the elements and thieves.
I like to leave cars out on sidings inbetween operating because it is fun to look out the window and see them sitting there and letting my imagination wonder if a train will be coming around the curve to pick them up.
I built this on my porch, right next to the railroad.
Then there is my garage.
My train sets are in carry cabinets that I built.
Individual pieces I carry from the garage in a carry tray I built. It can carry 4 boxcars at a time.
dieseldude . said:
If outside storage is a concern (theft, vandalism, winter storage, etc.), you could do something like this…
http://largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/24633/storage-cases-for-rolling-stock
I know… it’s not a train shed, just another idea.
-Kevin.
Regardless of whether or not I have a shed of any type I want to build something similar to what you built there to take trains to and from club events. I could build the under bench storage to hold boxes like that. Then I could remove them and take them with me.
David,
That cabinet is similar to what I was thinking for under bench storage. But I think a hybrid of a cabinet like that with slide out take along drawers might be nice.
mine are on wheels, and roll to an elevated part of the network for ease of loading and unloading…
A rolling cabinet or bread rack won’t work. It’s a great idea but the layout will be in an area that is only accessible by traversing the lawn which is very lumpy from tree roots and just generally uneven ground. A wagon sort of cart maybe lower with bigger tires. Steve uses one of these garden wagons and a set of those stackable boxes maybe.
Devon, this s one of the houses we visited on our train, railroad layout tour a month ago, very nicely constructed, insulated and as you can see lockable. which will only keep out honest people since some crowbar or sledgehammer work could still open it. If I remember right the vents are real to combat the Arizona heat. I think the far end opened up also and had a “porch” to place cars or locomotives on . I want to do something similar on mine but as of now not sure where to place it
I like that shed
The problem with large train sheds is you need a large layout so it wont look out of place. Thats one reason why I never did a train shed. I think it would tower my layout. I just use rubber maid type bins. Log cars in one, freight in another etc… I can get away with this since I only run 4-5 cars at a time. They all fit in one bin. Bins protect the cars when stored and when you carry out to the layout. Get the same style bins and they stack on top of each other.
Shawn,
I hear you and it is a concern of mine. Even a medium shed won’t fit the theme. Heck, anything more than a three stall engine house won’t fit the theme or the space really. But I do want a working yard even if it only holds 10 or 12 cars. This is for operations. Greg, offered the idea of basically a covered yard where the top can be removed. I am warming up to this idea. The bulk of any storage will be in a cabinet that is built below the yard. The yard will be bench work some sort of something will be below it to store cars. Even the rubber made idea would be great and those could be slid onto shelves below the yard. Then I can take those with me to club functions.
As I sit here and think on it a bit and am absorbing the ideas and suggestion people are making I might have an idea. Sean is right in that for my personal day to day operation on my layout, my trains likely will only be pulling a few cars at a time. A few cars in the yard and a few cars out and about on the layout for switching and operations. Only once in awhile will there be a need for a full yard of cars. So emptying the yard after a session will be a matter of minutes. The other suggestions I like are keeping my locos on the track and having on track charging. So with that in mind instead of a large out of place shed covering the whole yard I am thinking a removable engine house that will hold say two locos that also serves as a charging station would look more appropriate. Then leave the rest of the yard open and store the cars underneath. Nothing says that can’t stay out uncovered either.
Devon
I also am space restricted, so I took the approach of buying plastic storage sheds, I have two, one for NG and one for SG. Both are positioned about 3 feet from an elevated portion of the layout, allowing me to pull up a train, get rolling stock out, rotate and place it on the track. This shows one cabinet:
And the shelves I built for it. NOTE: I found out the hard way not to use the cast-in shelf holders, as they caused the walls to warp. So I built a free standing shelf unit inside the shed and that has worked fine.
I don’t have photos of the other shed, but it is wider and lower to accommodate the window behind it, with the same approach for rolling stock.
In addition, I have a 10 ft long x 2 track train barn, which allows me to store a complete train ready to go if desired
I should mention all locomotives are kept indoors and out of the weather and those I hand carry or use a tool box like carry case for.
Hope this helps
Jerry
I built a train shed for my ground layout but never used it. Every time i opened it, things flew out at me, or slithered away. Too many critters. So it sits empty ready to be modified as a pavilion for installation on the elevated layout, simply to provide sun protection for the equipment when it is temporarily stored outside. Otherwise I move everything into a storage building nearby when there are expected to be breaks in use. I think the mobile carriers are a good idea, but wouldn’t work well for me, as my mountain slope terrain precludes easy rolling around.