Kato storage boxes are also available empty

I very much like these storage boxes; they provide perfect protection with a foam mold that specifically matches the cars and engines’ shape; they close easily and hermetically with a snap on the side, and the whole box is in addition protected by a cardboard box where the plastic box is inserted. So unboxing and boxing back when going to your club or exhibition is really fast.

I discovered some time ago that these bookcase boxes can be acquired empty. They are quite easy to find on-line; most of the vendors are from Japan, so you’ll have to pay a little extra for shipping (this is usually included in the displayed price). So, count on spending around $20 per box.

There are two sizes: the large one (21.5 cm x 31 cm – 8.5” x 12.2”) and the small one (19 cm x 23.7 cm – 7.5” x 9.3”). The large one is available in 6 variations, that differ from the foam mold inside, and the small one comes in only in 1 variation. You can also get the box (without foam) to accommodate up to 7 Kato jewel boxes.

Please note that the small bookshelf storage box is now used by Kato Lemke for the newest releases of the French TGV. These 10-car sets were previously shipped in a large box with a polystyrene storage case. They now ship in two of these small boxes slid together into a cardboard cover box.

I have just acquired one of these boxes, Kato 10-214, (with 8 pre-cut slots) to house a set of Kato BN ‘Hockey stick‘ passenger cars that I recently received from a discontinued, used Kato set 106-017 - I could get some of the cars but without any packaging. That was a good opportunity to use the Kato storage box. Alas, the pre-cut foam is for shorter cars, except for the baggage that is a bit loose in its slot.

While not a total surprise or a real issue, I used utility knives to cut the foam down to the appropriate dimensions, and … voilà!

Okay, okay, the result is not so neat (the blades of my utility knives are quite blunt). Anyway, my new acquisition is now properly stored and secured. That is what counts, after all.

So, all in all, a very good solution for storing your collection in a safe and handy way. Obviously, this is not limited to Kato cars, but only by your imagination…

Credits

The copyright of this article is held by Alain LM, who is grants TroveStar the right to display it.

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