Putting the Trains Away

[Cody J]

I currently have a 4x8 HO layout set up on a table in my family's Rec Room but I have to take it down for Christmas as my family uses the table for wrapping Christmas presents so my trains will not be run from Thanksgiving weekend until sometime after Christmas like late December/early January. I have a Bachmann Spectrum DCC C40-8W, a Bachmann Spectrum DC C40-8W and a Bachmann DC B23-7.. is it safe to not run these engines for a long period of time like that and is there any break-in procedures that I have to follow when starting the engines again?
Note: It is possible to plug in the layout when it is put away but only for short periods of time and I can only do it if needed.

Thanks,
Cody

[jdmike]

Just try to store the engines somewhere dry and that doesnt have extreme temps like a garage or an attic.  if you have the original boxes, put them in there as that will protect the handrails and paint.  A bedroom or spare room closet shelf will be perfect.   Its the extreame high and low temps, as well as humidity such as in a basement or leaky attic that that does the damage to them.   Mike

[jbsmith]

You should not have any problems if stored for a short time.
jdmike offers some good ideas for short term storage, in your case about two months.
I have enough locos that i can't run all off them all of the time and sometimes they sit for several months before the mood strikes me to run certain locos and they run just fine despite having not been used for a spell.


I have two HO locos that were in storage for over 20 YEARS,,,just a drop of oil here and there, cleaned the wheels and they ran like new after running for a few minutes.
I even have a Lionel 2-4-2 O scale that was in storage for close to at least 25 years that runs good as new,,,again after a drop of oil here and there.

[Cody J]

Thank you for all of your information.

Cody

[ebtbob]

Cody,

       When storing your engines,  be sure that,  even if in a box,  they are "standing" on  their wheels.   That way,  if there is any lubricant run off,  the engine/s will not be laying in the "goo".