Shipping Trains . . . Yikes !

Priority Mail simply isn't an option for anything more than a single freight car or so. Buyers who want the absolute cheapest rate get uninsured Parcel Select service. Everyone else gets either UPS or Fedex Ground, which is usually reasonable for trains.

Use the shipping calculators and print your labels online. This also allows you to "fudge" the info every now and then when it becomes apparent that just a couple ounces or inches in the wrong direction cause huge price jumps.

I believe UPS and Fedex tend to be cheaper than the post office as things get heavier, especially beyond the priority weight limits.

I've learned, via several recent purchases, that shipping costs on all the major services are escalating at a rather significant (and disturbing) rate.

Glad I use Amazon Prime for most of my non-train online purchases (it's rumored that they, too are going to raise the membership fee) and that most of my major train acquisitions are made via a LHS.

And yet I keep reading in the "news" that things are getting rosier for the economy.  

60 pounds PRIORITY...that is a lotta weight to ship that way...PRIORITY should be used for lesser weights ONLY when 2 day service is required.  I also use priority to minimize the amount of time a very collectible train is in the mail...the less time in the truck, the more unlikely damage or loss!!!  Ron B.

I had to ship an MTH "B" unit, USPS wanted way too much money for the weight and size in my opinion.

Shipping costs are getting way out of hand, regardless of carrier, for the "average Joe"

I said the same thing Scrapiron said.......I could have driven there myself! (Missouri to PA.)

OTOH....what's one to do?

For single or up to 12 lbs I use USPS. Anything else UPS.

Doug 

But Eliot, look at how impressed your friends will be that you can afford to pay such high rates. 

Art

Open a account on USPS.com and when you purchase your shipping on line you get a discount.  You then can print your own label and schedule for a free pick-up too.  The prices have jumped considerably in the last 6 months.  It kills me shipping anything to the east coast or to Oregon.  Engines are the worst due to weight plus shipping materials.  Nick 

Art, LOL , You're the man !

Unfortunately, for me, the local UPS store is 20%-30% higher than the UPS drop off in Yorktown which is a 60 minute roundtrip drive. That adds, $8 - $12 gas plus the time. Not worth it.

There is no FedEx drop off with cheap rates here, either.

What's a train man to do?

Pay !!!!!!!

Is there a Staples near you? Most will take a UPS Drop off.

Eliot, with a UPS account as Nick mentioned, I estimate your shipping charges would have been about $54. Possibly less if both packages were going to the same address. I only ship items once or twice a month, but having a UPS and a USPS account is a great convenience and saves me money. 

About 1.5 year ago I bought a model car item. It wasn't what I really wanted so I offered it for sale. A internet buddy bought it. Shipped it about the same distance in the same box and weight when I bought it. Original shipping $1.51 todays cost same box weight?? $2.68.....I don't care who you are...that's a bunch.

Not to get too far off....but my two son's employers have both cut hours drastically. A BIG national sit down restaurant chain has cut all wait staff to 28 or less hours. Same for my other son working for a national drug store chain. He's management so exempt. But others and 100% new hires 25 or less hours a week. This si the hidden downside in the economy. But in a few months it will rear it's ugly head big time.

That commercial with the gorilla throwing around the Sampsonite suit cases, ought to be brought back as a training aid for some of these parcel delivery people, as I find some of the outer boxes, of a freight car, a little crushed, but fortunately all is well with the freight car.

And forget about the escalating shipping costs!

Ralph

I never use UPS, I think they are way too expensive.  I use FedEx for all heavy packages and USPS for anything lightweight.  Size doesn't seem to matter as much.  FedEx insures up to $100.00 and USPS insures up to $50.00 (I think that might be Priority only. Not sure.).  I only insure if value is over $100.00.

Both, FedEx and USPS, websites will give you a price quote.  The more info you put in, like size and weight, the better estimate you get.

Rick

I will also never trust the USPS with a high dollar engine again. Bought a brand new 3rd Rail Super J3a Hudson and it arrives ripped open and completely molested with broken parts and hot glue all over the broken tender trucks. Sticker on the box:

I am sorry but I really find it incredible to think that the Post office would try to hot glue the contents back together, that's sounds more like something from the shipping party especially since they identified it as possibly damaged. If a package gets damaged it gets damaged, no big deal, the PO has procedures that deal with it, they aren't going to try to repair it. But thanks for the laugh.

The seller was someone I know personally and would never pull anything like this with me. He sent several very clear photos of a brand new engine immediately prior to shipping. Somewhere along the line the Post Office clearly decided for whatever reason the contents warranted inspection. Whoever handled the locomotive obviously didn't know how to do so breaking several small detail parts and knocking the boiler front and several wheelsets in the tender off. The hot glue was evidence of their vein attempt to cover up the damage. I thought about filing an insurance claim but was able to mostly fix everything myself in the end. Lesson learned, stay away from USPS on pricey engines.

Weaver brass Milwaukee Road Little Joe.

Totalled.

Just got this back from USPS.

Now I am in the claims phase.

That is so infuriating.  Please let us know how your claim plays out.

Though there may not be a close drop-off for FedEx, you can arrange to have FedEx do a pickup at your residence. (Same with UPS) Price point wise, FedEx controls the ground, whereas UPS controls the air.  What I mean by that is that FedEx Ground/ Freight prices are usually several dollars lower than UPS.  Conversely UPS Air prices are usually several dollars lower than FedEx.

When I ship via Ground, I ship through FedEx.  I have comparison priced FedEx & UPS against each other to ship multiple items (w/ all variables being the same), FedEx usually saves me $10-$15 per item versus UPS.  I rarely ship Air, as I don't have a need to ship anything that fast.  Plus when you go Air, the cost/ expense goes up significantly.

I NEVER NEVER EVER ship via USPS.  Too many bad experiences.

Well, this may jinx me for my next shipment, but I've had pretty good luck with the old U.S. Postal Service.  Just today I received a car that had absolutely no packing material between the manufacturer's box and the outer box.  Yet it arrived completely unscathed.  Fed Ex is the one I've had problems with.  I guess maybe it depends on luck and/or personal experience.  I will say though, that UPS has been the only one where I've ever had the contents damaged to the extent of necessitating a claim.  I watched as the UPS man threw the box onto the porch.  But the damage was the shipper's fault: No packing material, like the above.   

Scrappy - today I went to the post office - 3 boxes of cork (75 pcs. total) shipped from NJ to NH was $26.55.  I then went to UPS shipping - price was $30.00.

Paul

Must just be me. I ship thousands of dollars of stuff (often insuring items for up to $22k to $24k....max is $25k w/ USPS) via the post office in flat rate boxes. I can ship up to 70 plus lbs, and insure for a high value. I nearly always find the post office is much more reasonable than UPS or Fed Ex. Nearly 100% of my items ship that way.

Last year I did use UPS since the customer had to "have it overnight" after a package had not arrived after 6 days, 4 states north, via Priority Mail. (USPS delivered the first shipped item to the wrong address...a marina!  It was returned to me about 10 days later.)

Nothing lost or damaged either. (Ok USPS did lose an ounce of gold, but paid me for it!) So, two bad deals in the last 15 years.

If your item can fit into the larger flat rate, that is the way to go. If it can't, then I guess you are going to have to deal w/ another shipper.

I have said for the last 5 years....the only ones making any real money these days are Fed Ex, UPS, USPS, Ebay and Amazon.....cause I am not getting rich selling what I sell.

Best of luck to all. Greg

Probably is, because unfortunately the vast majority of O-gauge trains do not safely fit in the USPS flat rate boxes...

When I ship a caboose to a client I prepare it for the Samsonite gorilla. I wrap it in tissue followed by bubble wrap. It then goes into a plastic shoe box from the dollar store, then inside a cardboard box surrounded by peanuts or airbags. The 2 Mopac cabooses I recently shipped even had specially built styrofoam cradles within the shoe box to further prevent damage. You have to prepare ahead for the rough treatment because it will be treated roughly. I think printing fragile on the box invites rougher treatment (my opinion).

I should not say this but so far with my fingers crossed, no damage. I ship USPS priority.

Malcolm

As a buyer, I've spent a lot of money this year in shipping costs.  Part of it.  Still don't make me happy though.

On big ticket items, it is cheaper to pay shipping than sales tax many times.  That'll change when the Feds start taxing internet purchases.  I can't believe it hasn't happened already, to be honest...

That being said, I'm careful with small ticket items.  A 'deal' on a nice set of used cars can cost you more than new after you factor in shipping.  Got to be careful. Had to pass on several good buys because shipping killed it.

So far, been lucky with shippers, nothing has arrived damaged.  I've bought from at least 3 of you in this thread and I am always thankful when you've respected my request of shipper choice.  And, trying to find me the best deal!  Good folks on this forum!

Aaron

No Kinko's near you? We have gone to 100 percent fedex. Cannoli set up an account and we get a discount. 

I ship USPS exclusively whether by Priority or the new Parcel select option. Ive used them for the last 15 years shipping approx. 3000 items w next to no problems. The most important aspect of shipping our model train products whether it be heavy valuable engines or large and sometimes delicate bridges is the way they are packaged. For me I hate packaging, however I know that it the most important part of the entire transaction in that I have to make sure my bridges make it to their destination in one piece. 

jim r

Honestly, I didn't think Eliot was looking for ANYONE's sympathy... nor was he indulging in self-pity.  He was simply making a stark observation.  And my comments were primarily directed at potential buyers who've questioned shipping quotes and sometimes pushing back with maximum (and unrealistic) shipping amounts they're willing to pay.  I wasn't looking for sympathy either.  We're just calling it like we see it.

So I thought this was quite a timely thread.    Thanks again, Eliot.  Your thread is spot on.

David

I have no problem with the prices as I too have seen all my raw materials rise in price too. My complaint is the way my packages (and yours) are handled. Some of the rough treatment is unnecessary and in some cases appear to be intentional. If you think trains are damaged a lot, try shipping a gun and see what they do to them.

thats a easy fix for me.....You shouldve seen my 3rd rail PRR S1 duplex I won on anbrouser auction..They was auctioning off a damaged S1...looked it was damaged from shipping too..bent the cowl catcher bent the left cab lower corner and tender..payed 500...was number 37 out of 75...if you guys want I can post pics before the repairs and after...Lucky I can do brass and lead work and Im a autobody and painter for 33+ years...any time I ship a package threw USPS I have the packaged maked Fragile all over my packages...none of them come to my customers with no damages...Third rail MTH and Lionel and so on should have FRAGILE marked all over the package....that way those dumb load handlers will be carefull with these packages..

As previously mentioned, small to medium weight goes USPS, heavy boxes go UPS, no comparison.

Maybe just me but I wouldn't trust USPS to ship anything. The last item I received was very well packed and marked fragile on all sides of the box. I received it with side of the box literally kicked in. Monkeys could do a better job. When I get items now I request that shipper send UPS or FedEx and I offer to pay the extra expense. Better that than a broken item. Shipping is expensive. Period. But u should at least receive an undamaged item.

hate to burst your bubble your wrong..My S1 came by USPS...even my JVC Kaboom box came by USPS .....2 stuff I won on the bay was supposed to come by UPS and was delivered by USPS.... at times when there smaller packages and there swamped on there trucks,,they drop off the package and have USPS delivered them for UPS..I' thats what a UPS driver told me..go fig...

Howdy Josey,

I'm non denominational

I'm a humble peasant who appreciates real value.

Gonna be scary when I pack all this stuff up and try and ship it 2000 miles.

Steve

I guess I am lucky. I have not received goods that were damaged in shipping from any carrier, despite some very poor packaging.

I worked at a shipping hub for UPS while I was in college. At that time, packages travelled around a large warehouse on overhead conveyor belts, and were routed to the proper trucks. A person had to take the boxes off the belt and stack it in a truck.

My job was to load a trailer that was heading to another hub.
Rest assured, boxes were not handled gently by anyone, there wasn't time. We were encouraged to move faster and faster.