Shipping yourself articles

I can't steer you towards an article.  I can suggest that there is all kind of packing materials, including bubble wrap, at a variety of places including Walmart.  With no box, I would roll an engine inside of bubble wrap and then place the engine in a sturdy box...  I've shipped several with no issues.

I like time first wrap the train in acid free, archival quality tissue paper. Make sure there is ample cushioning at the ends as this is where the brunt of the damage occurs. if you are shipping the item, then roll it in bubble wrap a couple pfeiffer rounds and again pay close attention to the ends and tape well. Then put it in a box and fill with packing peanuts or pieces of bubble wrap until snug. This box should then go into a bigger box and there should be packing popcorn around all sides of the box to a depth of at least three or four inches. Then seal the box, check for any movement and if there is none, tape it up. A lot of work but well worth it.

Miketg

Transman posted:

Let's say for an example you have a train freight car with or without a box,or an engine with a box.

You're not alone - it would appear that few have a clue how to pack anything for shipment nor bother to think about it until they are in line at the PO.  I wonder how some of these folks found their way out of the birth canal.

Freight cars - with a box; some clean paper and into the original box such that it fits snug and will not shift.  That box wrapped in bubble wraps and into a larger box for shipping nice and snug again.  The Priority Shoebox boxes are perfect for a lot of rolling stock and are also free(!).  W/o a box, wrap in a good healthy layer of good clear paper - I use an industrial paper towel; that gets wrapped progressively in layers of bubble wrap until snug in the shipping box.  Preferably, I'd find a box of any kind to double box a loose car.  I buy 4x4x12 boxes from ULine.

Pretty must the same for engines; wrap and immobilize and double box and wrap in between.  Never let plastic stay in contact with any model - always an unknown as to interaction capacity.

One simple rule of packing.  If it can move inside the box when you shake it, it can beat itself to death during shipping.  I send and receive hundreds of items in the course of a year, virtually all of the damage I see is due to poor packing.  If I shake a box and I feel something moving, I'm worried.  

A note about newspaper.  The USPS does not recognize crumpled newspaper as legitimate padding, and damage claims that arise from shipments with newspaper may well be denied.  They do recognize Styrofoam packing peanuts as legitimate packing, FYI.  UPS has similar requirements.

Here's a good page on the UPS site: UPS: How To Prepare for Shipping

Or use bubble wrap and a good sturdy box.  I've done it many times.  No issues!  Is there an echo in here?  :-)

I've never heard about the newspaper requirement Gunner John.  Fortunately, I've never had an issue.  I've only used rolled up newspaper a zillion times--well maybe a bit of an exaggeration. 

Just a suggestion; you might want to change you subject title. In fact you are NOT "shipping yourself" anything. You are requesting information on proper packaging of train equipment.

I think puppy padding the car then Bubblewrap is the best way to go also getting Rolls of Foam can help. When I bought my Class a from Nicholas Smith Trains, they put extra foam material in the box to protect it while shipping 

Transman posted:

Hi

Can anybody steer me to articles(Im sure there are many) on how to pack and ship stuff yourself

Let's say for an example you have a train freight car with or without a box,or an engine with a box.

I don't know the first thing about how to ship something

Thanks

Thankyou everybody

Penn-Pacific posted:

Transman posted:

Hi

Can anybody steer me to articles(Im sure there are many) on how to pack and ship stuff yourself

Let's say for an example you have a train freight car with or without a box,or an engine with a box.

I don't know the first thing about how to ship something

Thanks

excellent video.  if everyone would follow this video there would be a lot less damaged trains!

Is this what you mean by shipping yourself articles, This package was meant to arrive at Green Bay, WI. Looks like the sender will be getting it back!