Having moved several times

Having moved several times with structures involved, I have a couple of minor thoughts.  The paper that movers tend to wad up and use for packing works for tougher things, but not model structures.  Too many little things won't stand the pressure of the folded paper.  I wouldn't use bubble wrap either for the same reason.

My preference is to use the foam "peanuts".  I'd figure out something to put them in to keep the small bits of foam out of the model or you might be years getting them free of it.  I'm not sure what to use there.

Years ago I had a company paid move and it included having the moving company do the packing.  I can tell you that's not a good way to go for sure.  I had just finished a large wooden coaling tower with hand rails, etc., etc..  In my niavite I let them pack it.  They simply wrapped a piece of moving paper around it and stuck it in a box.  I got to build it twice.

There are probably some structures that are pretty forgiving.  Some of the Walther's Cornerstone styrene without sensitive details would hold up a little better.

Deane

I've moved several times. I

I've moved several times. I always pack structures in boxes 3-4" larger than the structure in each dimension, then start with a layer of packing peanuts on the bottom of the box. I set the structure on the peanuts, then fill in around and over the model until the box is full. Once to box is full, I'll shake it around just a little to help the peanuts settle, then add a few more peanuts if needed to fill the box to the very top. I DON'T tamp anything down. The box is then taped and labeled. and I put "NOTHING ON TOP" on the sides and top of the box.

I've never had any damage when I've packed that way. If I have room in my car, I'll carry the most fragile of the structure with me and not put them in a moving van.

Three Moves in Two Years

Ken,

I'm unpacking from my most recent move. I use several methods and ideas depending on the structure.  The basic goal is not to give the structure too much room to move around while protecting any fragile pieces. I try to think of packing snug but not tight.

- Zip-Loc Bags- Place the structure in a plastic Zip-Loc bag that is not too much bigger than the structure.  Then blow air into the bag with a straw and zip it up this puts the structure inside its own bubble.  While it may move around a bit inside the bag, but I’ve never had a major issue with breakage and if any small pieces come off, they are in the bag and not lost.

-   Cardboard Boxes- Place the structure in a cardboard box, again, not much bigger than the structure.  I then will add newspaper or packing paper around the sides and top, but only if there are not too many fragile pieces on the roof.  I don’t hesitate to pack several small structures in a single box.

- Larger boxes- Place the Zip-Loc bags and/or cardboard boxes in to larger boxes I like the “medium” boxes (14” x 14” x14”.)  I then fill the gaps packing paper, newspaper, airbags (think Amazon packing) or Styrofoam peanuts (see below) before sealing the box.

-   I’m not a fan of Styrofoam packing peanuts around the structures themselves. They tend to move around and, in my experience are better at damaging things than protecting them. They are ok for packing around the Zip-Loc bags/smaller boxes but make a mess when unpacking. 

- For specialty, odd shaped or large structures, I build my own custom “box” out of cardboard and tape and may add some pieces to fit against the sides to hold it in.  Just be careful about placement.

- Mark all the boxes with the contents.  Also add “fragile” labels and mark which way is up.

- If you are using professional movers, add labels- PBO (packed by owner) to alert the movers.   For any special structures, I prefer to move them myself- I can always get by with one less suitcase versus a 300 hour scratch built HO scale building.

I hope this helps and I look forward to reading what other folks do.

Lou in California

Don't Use....

Don't use Styrofoam or corn based peanuts. Both of them shed with friction caused by the vibration of the truck moving down the highway or your car. I have had good luck using the squishy foam rubber peanuts. Harder to get if they are still available.

I added some foam rubber squares to my freight car boxes. Since the we did not have a full moving van trailer worth of stuff they held the trailer for about a month while they slowly added a couple more house holds to the trailer. The foam got hot enough to stick to some of the freight cars It din't take much to get it off, but I was glad my cars didn't have extra details added. Trailer sat in the sun in June - July

Moving the layout sections. I wrapped mine like it was a mummy with bubble wrap. Multiple layers. No trouble with them at all, but I also took all the details off.

Good Luck, and happy unpacking

Jack

I used to Pack for shipping

I used to Pack for shipping purposes professionally still do from time to time, heres all I have to offer,  be it a wood craftsman kit or a prized plastic kit bashed project. first layer of protection, zip lock bag, sandwich bag or saran wrap loosely around the structure, rolling stock or loco, and seal it (keeps any moisture out should it happen) Second line the box, crate, Rubbermaid, large plastic container with a decent plastic trash bag, third drop a layer of any of the following along the bottom- loosely crumpled newspaper, pack peanuts, or even a cheap Walmart 5 dollar pillow, then stager your structures or kits along the bottom layer standing upright leaving couple inches between, pour in the peanuts, or even loose blown in type insulation and cover the upper most top of any structure by at least an inch or two, lay in a layer of cardboard and repeat the staggering of structures, leave enough room to cover with an inch or two of pack material, then cover...THEN place that pack inside of another pack with at least 2 inches of pack material around all sides tape her up ship her out or pack it into the truck... sounds like over kill, but when I was a teenager I used to unload UPS trucks, I know how they can get TOSSED around..good luck..move it all yourself if you can, or buy insurance within shipping costs.. 

A simple move, from Belgium to Quebec......

Some knows I now live in Quebec and I have keep my layout with me from Belgium to Quebec

It's just a little move…. specially for train stuff !!!!!!

The layout itself was build from a dad idea,  45 years ago,  in like big modules.

To protect the modules I have enclosed them in a form of box; in fact the box is is  constructed around the module frame and fixed on the open grid structures.

I made a ceiling with plywood panel and side with massonite, all screwed on the exterior open grid structures,  this way the modules were completely enclosed in a self box, in fact  the modules were transformed in a big wood  box; they were stored in the container one above the other ( just two together) and I have put box of train stuff above them; yes thanks to Didier, Luc, Robert and Yawo to help me to put them in the container because they were very heavy; four modules with different size were stored this way in the container.

Two are open until now and I have not seen any damage on scenery and structures; I must also mention all my modules are bolted on a iron frame which give an extremely hard rigidity to the modules; the top ceiling above them made of 1/2" plywood is framed but also sustained by one or two feet in the middle  I have put in place on the modules; I just need to rebuild a few inch of scenery where they were placed, but this way I was able to put heavy stuff on the top of the box modules.

Like all of us I have on hand some build structure which were not placed on the layout; I model in N scale and I always build my structures on a base, gator foam for the most; there was many laser kit with numerous details and some ship also for the layout., this was an around 30 models to protect, some little some big ones.

Saying they are fragile is just an euphemism specially when time of a move comes !

I have try many methods to protect them and put them in big hard plastic boxe.

I have rapidly avoided any plastic packaging including styrofoam chips because these packaging are too "strong" beside the fragility of the models.

I ended by rolling the structures first very lightly and loosely  without any stress  with toilet paper, just rolling the structure in the paper very carefully and putting a lot of paper toilet around them, they were like momies in paper toilet to the end, this was a three ply of good quality paper toilet

The "momies" were put carefully in the plastic  box first protected with a bubble plastic hot glued on the side to make a safe box; they were simply put in the box,  blocked in the box with balls of kitchen paper, but with no stress; they were just deposited in the plastic boxe and the open area filled with balls a of kitchen paper put with any  stress, just put in place to fill the open area between the momies.

The plastic box were closed and put over the modules top box in the container; all the trains stuff ended in a around 80 box and four modules ! ( and a jeep and furniture and all the things  my lovely half has asked to bring with us -  much than needed  and this not include our four dogs, two siberian  huskies and two York !!!)

I have until now not open all the box, but in the way to do it  because temperature is going higher and I didn't like to let my structures enclosed in boxes, they need to breathe I believe.

Anyway, the ones I have open and the few structures I have "unmomified" are in good shape; no damage for the most, just here and there a very small details unglued or unfortunately broken, but for the most they have cross the Atlantic without any trouble.

And the travel has ask a lot of handling; first from my Belgian house to my conveyor and put in storage locker; second from the storage locker to the container; container manipulation to ship and travel across the ocean; container manipulation at Montreal, Montreal transfert to my present home, out of the container in my future layout room and several displacement here because nothing is ready for train construction and storage until now.

The mummification with paper toilet has working great in any case for such a travel and manipulation

The "box module" from which two are 2.5 X 1.35 m or 98" X 53" have not suffered of the travel.

Probably the first American type layout build in Europe which will be finished in Canada

Reactions to suggestions and new developments

Thanks to all who have commented to this point! I really appreciate the help.

I like the idea to use zip lock bags. It will corral any parts that come loose. I'm going to need some very large bags. Grain elevators and related structures are not small. Some of my structures are Walthers kits but I think they are all kit-bashed to some degree. There are also several scratchbuilt structures. 

I have moved one layout that was in "Plywood Pacific" state, twice. I had constructed it in sections knowing I would want to move it. (That first move was 40 years ago.) I moved a much disassembled (still a Plywood Pacific)  layout once after that. Now, after 10 years, I have scenery and structures to be concerned with. 

The idea of wrapping the layout sections in bubble wrap is something I like for it's directness and likely speed. I have always assumed, if I needed to move, I would build a frame around each module. Something new to consider.

Marc, I love your story of moving from Belgium to Quebec. Much to consider there.

As for new developments, Christine broke her leg in a fall while we were on a walk yesterday (Friday May, 22 2020) so all plans are under review. Any real change will certainly be delayed. 

Thanks again to all who have commented so far. If any of you have additional comments, please make them. And I hope more people will chime in.

Large Bags

Ken- 

Wow- thank you for starting this thread- lots of great ideas.

Regarding the large structures, you can find larger bags-  ZipLoc makes bags up to 24" x 32" and some that have expandable (i.e. "accordion") bottoms.  Check Amazon, e-Bay etc. and you should find something that will safely hold your large structures.  Also, just to clarify, as Daniel mentioned, I do use packing peanuts in the big boxes to surround the smaller boxes and bags.  I just don't use them where they will be in direct contact with the models. 

Sorry to hear about Christine's leg; wishing her a speedy recovery.

Lou in California

My Experience...

In 2016 we self-moved from NYC to St Louis with a U-haul truck, so it was as unprofessional a move as you can get. Whether it was grandma's Sunday china, or my model trains, I treated it all the same. Most everything went into the same size moving box (small) to make stacking easier. Boxes got a band of colored duct tape: black for extremely heavy, blue for clothing, red for breakable, and white for easily crushed.

I used pink foam to build an inner box around the most fragile items. They were then bagged in 13gal trash bags, and surrounded with cross-cut shredded printed paper - environmentally unfriendly, but an excellent packing material. More boxy shaped items were wrapped in tissue paper instead of the plastic bag - the bag was intended to retain anything that might break off.

I'm proud to say that the only things that broke in the move were items not in my boxes.

Dear CEO Ken, sorry to hear

Dear CEO Ken, sorry to hear about Christine's broken leg, as goofey as it sounds maybe its a signal on the main  to slow down delay like you said, or just a pain in the @$$ derailment...hard to tell sometimes, either way I hope for a speedy recovery and you can get to where you need to be.  good luck with the move. When you get there  and settle in send some pics..

Ken sorry to hear about your

Ken sorry to hear about your wife's fall and broken leg. 

My wife also named Christine had to have knee surgery a year ago so I understand the care giving you must be providing.

Take care and we'll keep you both in our prayers.

Barry

packing for a move

I have a large layout, 30x50, which has been moved several times. It was designed and built to be moved. 6' sections all uniform in size, one section flips over the other to make a crate utilizing the backdrops. Structures and rolling stock are removed. Structures are wrapped with saran wrap or similar clear plastic sheeting. Zip-lock bags will work also. This ensures that any parts that do break off are not lost. And the trapped air creates a cushion. There will be breakage, just hope it is minor. I use the packing peanuts, put a layer in the bottom of a large packing box, carefully place structures, surrounded by peanuts. The plastic wrap keeps peanuts from getting into structures or breaking small details. It is amazing how quickly one can fill a 4.5cube box. Shake the box to get in more peanuts. The packing box is labeled and marked fragile. RTR rolling stock goes back into original packaging. Other rolling stock goes into boxes designed for shipping wall calendars, with layers of 1/16" closed cell foam below, above and between the cars. These calendar boxes are perfect for HO equipment. And they stack nicely into a 4.5cube moving box, with material packed around them to keep them from shifting. I order the calendar boxes and a large roll of 1/16" foam from ULine.

While my employer pays for the moving company, I am responsible for all packing. I make sure I supervise all loading and unloading of the truck. This ensures no moving employee stands on a box of railroad structures, or sets a box of cast iron skillets on top of freight cars while loading the truck. It also makes sure that boxes that need to be upright remain upright. Make sure you stay on the good side of the movers. They can be your best friend.

Peanuts

Sorry to hear about your wife's accident. Hope she heals up okay.

As for structures and moving. I went with packing peanuts and highly recommend them. I did not put the structures in plastic bags but if I do it again, I probably would. While the peanuts worked great and no damage was recorded, it was a bit of a pain to unpack them as they settled in around some parts that just plain scared me to move them during unpacking. With plastic bags around them, I would guess that would have been less of an issue.

Good luck Ken and wishing your wife a speedy recovery.

Update Please!

I know you've posted on other threads, but I found this and am now wishing to see how you packed. Do you have some pictures of that? If not, can you tell us what you did and how that worked. Damage report. Whatever. Thanks!