Don't ya just love it.............

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Last week I shipped a lead alloy tender and a heavy brass tender, both O Scale, for $13 and change. I agree - a heavy locomotive can cost $80 with proper packing and insurance, but I am seeing $50 shipping tacked on to far less valuable items than my tender pair. A box car can go priority mail, and unless it is a $300 brass masterpiece, probably doesn't need insurance.

Opinion.

How large was the box in which the tenders were packaged? I don't understand the relationship between weight and package size. Maybe someone can enlighten..

If Bob got those into a flat rate box, weight is pretty irrelevant.

Try putting some box sizes and weights going to a zip code cross country on the USPS site to see what costs are quoted

[2railjon]

My average shipping cost on a double boxed engine with full insurance coverage averages $45-60 easy. Insuring a $1400.00 engine isn’t cheap!

[Rufus T. Firefly]

[E7]

How large was the box in which the tenders were packaged? I don't understand the relationship between weight and package size. Maybe someone can enlighten..[/quote]

As a rule of thumb if I'm shipping anything brass, or otherwise fragile. I try and keep the OUTER carton 2 inches larger in ALL 6 dimensions. That adds up on the size factor very quickly. If you don't have that cushion, you are screwed the first time the package gets abused. I once watched a UPS guy toss a huge box containing a computer monitor 8 to 10 feet into his brown van! Engines are heavy. Get on the USPS site and play with the rate calculator using East coast ZIPS, and about 12 to 14 pounds on a 14 x 6 x 6 package. Insurance is about $1.50 per $100. I try and pack well and put a token amount on for tracking. Priority Mail the give you $50 insurance and tracking. One last caveat: Make sure whatever is inside is immobilized!

[J. S. Bach]

Shipping damage.
The seller of the PCC blocked me from bidding on any more of his auctions after I left negative feedback.
PCC did have a modicum of packing but was not secured from motion:

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The seller of the reefer and flat did refund some of my money after I left negative feedback reefer:

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Czech out the great packing:Quality Craft well-hole flat:

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[Rufus T. Firefly]

Seller of the reefer & flat should have refunded everything; he basically tried to ruin both cars through ineptitude and carelessness.

[2railjon]

I just acquired a new in box #3007 for $890 including shipping. It even comes with forward facing tender!