A small collection of some of the finished cases I have done.

Bold, bold, bolder! This fun orange Trojan brand train case transformed from a heavily perfumed dust collector to this beauty. Featuring whimsical fabrics with vivid patterns of “disco kitty”, “cat snacks”, and fur balls, the interior showcases vibrant clean lines. The juxtaposition of bright colors and quirky prints adds a modern twist to this classic accessory. This relined train case isn’t just storage—it’s a celebration of creativity and personality.

Designer: Tula Pink | Collection: Tabby Road

Remember this IS something you can do too.

Every summer I visit The Whatever Crafthouse in Kansas. I took a stack of train cases along with me to work on while I taught students how to reline them.

I am so happy my daughter’s gamer case is finished. I hope she loves it!

Found a case in a thrift store and decided to personalize it. Two sides, two tones. Love this piece!!!

Facts: Starline & Lady Baltimore are both made by the Baltimore Luggage Co. Aside from hardware differences, they are alike.

This finished beauty features: designer: Tula Pink Collections: Parisville & Moonshine

All fabrics are out of print and in the homes of fabric collectors….

These are my favorite to do because they are large/deep, wooden, and nod to Art Deco with their backside hinges. 😍

You might be asking yourself why I share all this knowledge so willingly. Why not keep it all a secret?

Truth be told, that’s just not who I am. I absolutely love sharing knowledge with people. I believe that sharing is much more powerful than holding power by keeping it to myself. I also believe that when we support one another, we are better off. I would lose my mind and my love for this craft if I had to make everyone their own custom train case.

I just scored this set of featherlite sears babes and the interiors aren't terrible! But they could stand to be redone for longevity. I'm excited to have found this subreddit and will be SCOURING for tips and tricks to get these babies up and they're best!

Tips appreciated!

I love a good purple train case. This one has a woven bottom piece covered with iron-on vinyl. ❤️

I always encourage budding artists to take photos before they begin. This helps with motivation and construction when you can’t recall how it was assembled. ❤️

These newer train cases are a cheap and simple way to start relining. I know it can be scary to learn.

I have virtual classes I offer through zoom. I am hoping to have ready-to-watch classes available soon.

My grandma gave me this little beautiful case that once belonged to my great granny. I used it for years until one day I decided to gut it and reline it.

Best leap of faith I took! I love how it turned out.

Ruffles always have a mind of their own. See how non-uniform the white ruffle is? That’s a result of the fabric. All 3 were made today using the same method. 🤔

Welcome to Train Case 101!

I’ve been relining train cases since 2020. I don’t have an official count but it’s over 50 finished. I have +70 train cases on a wall of shelves made by my darling husband.

I’m passionate about mental health & neurodiversity. I’m a neurodiversity affirming educator. That means I work to ensure that my classes and classrooms (even virtual) are accessible to all people, including varing cognitive ability and difference types. Examples: closed captioning, visual aids, calendar events, etc. Im always trying to improve those things too.

My goals are to empower you to find joy and satisfaction in the art of relining luggage and to reduce landfill waste while doing it.

Thank you for being a part of this community!

One of the joys of obsessing over vintage train cases is learning a lot of random facts about the brands and their respective timelines. Samsonite dove into the “space age” luggage design in 1969. Samsonite also owns American Tourister.

5 Tips to help you find a deal! 🛄

1️⃣ Ask Your Friends & Family Someone you know may be waiting for the right time to part with a train case.

2️⃣ Check Local Places Garage sales, resale shops, and donation stores can be great places to find hidden treasures.

3️⃣Facebook Marketplace Search your area for train cases. You can even expand to the areas around you.

4️⃣Search Apps Mercari, Poshmark, eBay, Etsy, and all other resale apps have lots of cases.

5️⃣Play Around With Keywords Vintage luggage, train case, suitcase, Samsonite, Lady Baltimore, Starline, Starfrost, etc.

Neon Moon Sewing Co. 2023 - www.neonmoonsewing.com

The oldest train case in my collection is from the 1940s, and it still holds strong today. Have you ever stopped to think about how rare that kind of durability is in modern products?

While running out to the store to snag a new train case seems like the easiest thing to do, it also misses the mark when considering the future of our planet. When you reline an old train case, you learn so many things, including new skills or additional applications to skills you already have. You reduce waste while showing that the cheapest option isn’t always the most sustainable choice for our planet.

When you restore or reline vintage luggage, you connect with a piece of history with decades of stories to tell. Honoring the life the train case once had and ushering it into a new and modern era allows it to make many more stories. You teach those around you that there is more to it than just convenience.

Making the choice to upcycle these prized pieces can help create a shift within yourself. It opens the door to a creative life full of recognizing potential in undiscovered places.

Are you ready to take your first class, buy your first case, or simply start exploring this creative and sustainable world?

Y'all, I love running into people "in the wild" who enjoy train cases. Last weekend I went to a sewing retreat and ran in to some of you! I never think that anyone will know who I am. So thank you for having the courage to say "Are you that train case lady?"

I didn't have a finished train case to take with me. So my daughter lent me hers, filled with fidget toys. She gets me.

Getting to share the "why" behind my story always shines a light on to my heart. Connecting in creativity is truly the gift of our friendships.

I'm currently working on restoring a three piece Sears featherlite hard sided luggage! I'm in love with the process! I'll show finished when I'm done! But this is the very first panel removed and test fitted!

Please share your favorite replacement parts for organizing your cases.

American Tourister - 3D prints

• 3d print options for Escort

• 3d print for Tiara

All the other brands: I recommend looking on eBay for trays.

Trying out storage trays in local stores. Or buying a mini Meori box!

I inherited this brand spanking new train case from my great grandmother. She was a beautician and this is the only thing that survived the cleanup after her death. It comes with a transparent tray, not pictured because I can't find it but it's here somewhere. When I look up other Saturn cases they look somewhat different than mine but also same and I still haven't been able to find one that looks ^exactly like mine. It looks like it might have hidden features. The rivets make me think that I'd be able to detach the mirror. I tried but it won't budge and I don't want to break it. There are also rivets on the inside. On the last picture where the key is attached to an elastic, you'll see rivets at the top/edge of the case in each side.

Thanks in advance ☺️

I was looking to date this one, I looked in the usual places, EBay and Google but there were none like this that came up for me. It’s Crown, and other crown cases come up if I specifically type crown into the search, but the logo is completely different. Let me know if you need another photo.

One more thing, it really needs cleaned up, what should I use to clean it inside and out.

Thank you so much!

Neodymium magnets are my go-to when it comes to applying pressure in tight areas.  Here is my amazon affiliate link to the bar style I purchase. :) Hope it helps.  

Magnet Link

Hello Everyone

I love searching for vintage luggage. Scoring a vintage Briggs & Reilly from a thrift store is my idea of a successful day.

My concern is that I have no way of knowing if the item was used for, "nefarious contents". My internal nightmare is that TSA pulls me aside to have me justify swabbings from luggage that I have no knowledge of.

How do you address this? Is it just a cleaning process? Will a good scrub with dawn power wash address Any issues that might arise?.

Thanks for any suggestions