"Robert Bonomi" wrote in message
...
| In article ,
| Phil Nelson wrote:
| I just got email from a guy who checked a 90+ pound military
boatanchor as a
| piece of LUGGAGE on a flight from the UK to the US. This was
some time ago,
| so apparently he wasn't charged for the extra weight.
|
| You should see what I've taken as "carry on" luggage on an
AMTRAK train!
| Shop the bargain fares and a round-trip ticket can be less than
shipping
| for a medium serious boat-anchor.
|
| I've "shipped" two R-390s that way.
|

Yup.
I was waiting at the LA station for the train to San Diego. I
watched baggage staff (men and women) loading baggage into the
Southwest Limited's baggage car (the direct train between LA and
Chicago). The people were careful. As far as I recall, the rates
are high, and they don't run everywhere, but it may be worth it.
Trans-shipment (where most damage probably occurs) is minimized
because you deliver and pick up at the station.

On the other hand, if certain federal politicians keep trying to
zero out Amtrak's paltry budget, there may be no more passenger
trains to ship on.

I once went out with a driver making pickups in Manhattan (he
drove a big truck for a small courier company). The end of the
run was at the Pennsylvania Station Post Office, where I watched
the driver hurl packages through the air, aiming at chutes in the
floor, while verbally mocking the "fragile" labels. Postal staff
were yelling at him.

My thoughts are that it's easy for people to be callous about
these things when the work is monotonous and routinized, and
especially when they don't like the folks they're working for.
UPS is known to treat their employees with the same compassion
that they use with their customers. Imagine your experience of
"employee loyalty" if Wal-Mart was in the express business. On
the other hand, Amtrak is mostly (not completely) square with its
employees; maybe that has something to do with the considerate
baggage handling that I observed in Los Angeles.

Richard

K3HVG wrote:
That wouldn't work now. A 90lb package would be overweight and
guaranteed to require a sizable fee (unless you know the gate
agent...hi!!). But... at least you'd know where it was!!!!!

I frequently fly with Czech Airlines between New York and Prague -
three to four times a year. The maximum weight of each of two allowed
checked-in luggages is 32 kg (70 lbs) and as a Frequent Flyer I am
entitled to 10 kg excess, i.e. one luggage of up to 42 kg (93 lbs). I
have checked 90+ lbs boxes several times and they even got "Priority
Handling" status due to my Frequent Flyer status. On one totally full
flight my large box filled with junque arrived while some other
people's bags did not.

Jiri Placek
Boyertown, PA

AMTRAK uses BUSES in this part of Oregon, if they do at all anymore...

"Richard Steinfeld" wrote in message
...

"Robert Bonomi" wrote in message
...
| In article ,
| Phil Nelson wrote:
| I just got email from a guy who checked a 90+ pound military
boatanchor as a
| piece of LUGGAGE on a flight from the UK to the US. This was
some time ago,
| so apparently he wasn't charged for the extra weight.
|
| You should see what I've taken as "carry on" luggage on an
AMTRAK train!
| Shop the bargain fares and a round-trip ticket can be less than
shipping
| for a medium serious boat-anchor.
|
| I've "shipped" two R-390s that way.
|

Yup.
I was waiting at the LA station for the train to San Diego. I
watched baggage staff (men and women) loading baggage into the
Southwest Limited's baggage car (the direct train between LA and
Chicago). The people were careful. As far as I recall, the rates
are high, and they don't run everywhere, but it may be worth it.
Trans-shipment (where most damage probably occurs) is minimized
because you deliver and pick up at the station.

On the other hand, if certain federal politicians keep trying to
zero out Amtrak's paltry budget, there may be no more passenger
trains to ship on.

I once went out with a driver making pickups in Manhattan (he
drove a big truck for a small courier company). The end of the
run was at the Pennsylvania Station Post Office, where I watched
the driver hurl packages through the air, aiming at chutes in the
floor, while verbally mocking the "fragile" labels. Postal staff
were yelling at him.

My thoughts are that it's easy for people to be callous about
these things when the work is monotonous and routinized, and
especially when they don't like the folks they're working for.
UPS is known to treat their employees with the same compassion
that they use with their customers. Imagine your experience of
"employee loyalty" if Wal-Mart was in the express business. On
the other hand, Amtrak is mostly (not completely) square with its
employees; maybe that has something to do with the considerate
baggage handling that I observed in Los Angeles.

Richard

K3HVG wrote:
That wouldn't work now. A 90lb package would be overweight and
guaranteed to require a sizable fee (unless you know the gate
agent...hi!!). But... at least you'd know where it was!!!!!


The classic method of dealing with this problem is to use the curbside
check-in and tip the skycap generously. I have never done this with a
boatanchor, but I have shipped several bikes this way and have always
avoided the $55.00 flat rate fee for bikes.....

One time, I bought a trans-oceanic at a tag sale in Connecticut just
before a flight (literally on the way to the airport, so no time to box
it up). My carry-on allowance was already used up, so I checked it as
luggage as is, and it went from New York to Portland,OR unscathed.

I don't recommend this, however.



-Scott




--
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In article ,
"Larry Fowkes" wrote:

"Phil Nelson" wrote in message
k.net...
I just got email from a guy who checked a 90+ pound military boatanchor as
a
piece of LUGGAGE on a flight from the UK to the US. This was some time
ago,
so apparently he wasn't charged for the extra weight.

I'm amazed that it survived, even if packed in a box. Can you imagine the
bang when that thing came rocketing down the conveyors?!

:-)

Phil Nelson


It seems that most military gear should be designed to take some extra hard
abuse.

Not really. There's loads of stuff on "careful packing" for shipment,
and the kit is normally mounted on shock absorbers for mobile use.

I just would not want my luggage at the bottom of the chute when it
came sliding down!!

Or underneath when it is thrown out of the aircraft?

Chris.

--
The steady state of disks is full.
-- Ken Thompson

In article vnKVd.35813$755.7246@lakeread05,
Ken wrote:

UPS destroyed a boat anchor for me, packed in it's own military shipping
crate. Unbelieveable. Ken

All too believable, I'm afraid.

I had a *well packed* - lots of bubblewrap, foam rubber, etc - WS19
shipped by UPS last year. It was mint (unissued) when it started out,
and arrived with every single case surface dented, and one of the
"brush guards" (strong metal grill to protect the front panel from
operator boots, etc) severely bent).

I said at the time, I wouldn't trust them to ship an anvil safely,
unless it was surrounded by a metre-thickness of bubblewrap.

More recently, I had this to say to another poster (Hi Mike!):

I only bought the 141 because it was local and I could collect - I'm
beginning to see the wisdom of the military packaging instructions in
one of my signals manuals: "It should be remembered that goods in transit
receive very rough handling, a free drop onto concrete from a height of
4' 6" is not improbable, and packaging should as far as possible be made
to meet these conditions".

They've used UPS, I can tell....

UPS and CityLink are now on my "under NO circumstances whatsoever" list,
while Parcelforce (the package destruction arm of the Royal Mail) are
rapidly heading in that direction for failing to deliver a parcel (or any
notification thereof) on Christmas Eve, and then returning it to sender
(again without any attempt to contact the office - which is manned 24x7).
I'm now waiting for it to arrive back in Canada so I can have it reshipped
by some reliable service...

Chris.



--
The steady state of disks is full.
-- Ken Thompson

In article ,
Richard Steinfeld wrote:

"Robert Bonomi" wrote in message
...
| In article ,
| Phil Nelson wrote:
| I just got email from a guy who checked a 90+ pound military
boatanchor as a
| piece of LUGGAGE on a flight from the UK to the US. This was
some time ago,
| so apparently he wasn't charged for the extra weight.
|
| You should see what I've taken as "carry on" luggage on an
AMTRAK train!
| Shop the bargain fares and a round-trip ticket can be less than
shipping
| for a medium serious boat-anchor.
|
| I've "shipped" two R-390s that way.
|

Yup.
I was waiting at the LA station for the train to San Diego. I
watched baggage staff (men and women) loading baggage into the
Southwest Limited's baggage car (the direct train between LA and
Chicago).

Nit: The train to Chicago is the "Southwest Chief". There is also
the "Sunset Limited", L.A. to Florida
The people were careful. As far as I recall, the rates
are high, and they don't run everywhere, but it may be worth it.

For "package express", the rate card is in 50 lb increments. but circa
$30 will get station-to-station service for 50 lbs anywhere Amtrak handles
baggage. Coast-to-coast is, worst case, about 4 days.

However, what I did was _ride_ the train, with the *un-packaged* 390
as a 'carry-on'. Parked it on the lower-level luggage storage shelf, as
I was getting on, and picked it up as I was getting off.

This was one of those things where "timing was right" -- Amtrak had a
"rail sale" bargain $28 *round-trip* fare between 'where I was', and
"where the radio was".

I've taken considerably _bigger_, _heavier_ stuff as carry-on on the train,
too.

Rumor mill has it that they _have_ put a weight-limit on baggage nowadays.

Trans-shipment (where most damage probably occurs) is minimized
because you deliver and pick up at the station.

On the other hand, if certain federal politicians keep trying to
zero out Amtrak's paltry budget, there may be no more passenger
trains to ship on.

*DON'T* let me get on the soap-box on that issue! wry grin

Suffice it to say that every time service has been reduced, losses have
increased. And that on those rare instances where they have managed to
increase service, losses have *decreased*. The corollary to _that_
seems obvious to everyone *except* politicians. *snarl*

"Robert Bonomi" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Richard Steinfeld wrote:

"Robert Bonomi" wrote in message
...
| In article ,
| Phil Nelson wrote:
| I just got email from a guy who checked a 90+ pound military
boatanchor as a
| piece of LUGGAGE on a flight from the UK to the US. This was
some time ago,
| so apparently he wasn't charged for the extra weight.
|
Not quite: It was a nine tube 1942 British R107. 24 by 17 by 13 inches,
originally weighing 92 pounds, which had included a sheet metal cover. It
had a reputation for ruggedness.
This was before 9/11!
Mine was missing the cover so it weighed in at about 88-90 lbs.
On a trip to visit relatives in the UK I took one check-in suitcase and a
carry on.
A good friend had purchased the R107 for me and brought it to me during my
visit.
Preparing for the return trip; on my sister's dining room table and using
bathroom scales I stripped the R107 of it's power supply chassis, thinking
that would get the weight down to the airline limit.
It did not. Ended up removing other pieces including the non original audio
output transformer (to any UK readers I'm still looking for a Transformer
Telephone , No 13, ZA3135, btw!), the 1940 'heavy magnet style' speaker, the
BPO style 'muting' relay etc. and some steel brackets.
The thing is built like a Sherman tank and there was a, perhaps mythical,
story about one being pulled off the back of a truck by its power cable and
'It kept working'.
The Mullard style glass tubes were packed into my underwear, the power
supply was hand carried in a canvas bag.
I had taken care to have exchanged emails about a month before with the one
and only airline I would be flying, about the unit, carried full
documentation, pictures of the unit and the purchase receipt. It weighed in
at a little over the limit of 66 lbs and they didn't even check that as I
handed it over as my second item of check-in baggage for the return trip!
It's own steel case was strong and the front panel was protected with a
layer of foam insulation and a piece of thin plywood along with the units
two strong handles and two projecting and protecting metal posts. All taped
into a big cardboard box.
No problems; the only question was when the hand carried bag with the power
supply went through the X.ray scanner. I happened to have picked an
inspection team that was 'training'. The man viewing the scanner wearing a
great big turban had his assistant ask what the unit was and when I
described that I was bringing back a vintage 1942 WWII radio became
personally quite interested!
Oh yes; my hernia was worse after lifting it onto the bench to reassemble
it.
Why all the trouble? Well, nostalgia! I had a war surplus R107 over 50 years
ago as a teenager in the late 1940s!
Ah memories; of listening to Radio Luxembourg on 208 metres, the lovely
voice of Pat Gates on VOA, and much else; in those less QRN'd days of fewer
appliances, TV buzzes, computer emanations and generally less non-radio
interference. 'Jamming' from the USSR was common; SSB was just making an
appearance etc. etc.
have fun. I did.
Terry.
PS. The R107 resides a few miles from where on Dec 12th 1901 Marconi
received the first Transatlantic wireless telegraph signal at St. John's
Newfoundland, now part of Canada, from Poldhu, Cornwall England. Marconi
immediately chased away by lawyers representing the Anglo-American
Transatlantic cable company who felt they had the exclusive right to all
telegraph communications! So the first 'commercial' two way Transatlantic
wireless telegraph station was set up near Glace bay Nova Scotia, Canada the
following year, 1902.

I once checked a 125 lb table saw (without legs and packaged in cardboard)
as baggage on Continental back in the late 70's. They didn't even charge me
for over weight. Unfortunately, that was only from Texas to Seattle. In
Seattle I had to change to Alaska Airlines (and re-check the baggage) where
I ended up paying more than I paid for the saw when new ten years earlier.
It was that or walk off and leave it in front of the baggage counter.
Believe me - I was tempted.
Roger, KL7Q
"Terry" wrote in message
. ..

"Robert Bonomi" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Richard Steinfeld wrote:

"Robert Bonomi" wrote in message
...
| In article ,
| Phil Nelson wrote:
| I just got email from a guy who checked a 90+ pound military
boatanchor as a
| piece of LUGGAGE on a flight from the UK to the US. This was
some time ago,
| so apparently he wasn't charged for the extra weight.
|
Not quite: It was a nine tube 1942 British R107. 24 by 17 by 13 inches,
originally weighing 92 pounds, which had included a sheet metal cover. It
had a reputation for ruggedness.
This was before 9/11!
Mine was missing the cover so it weighed in at about 88-90 lbs.
On a trip to visit relatives in the UK I took one check-in suitcase and a
carry on.
A good friend had purchased the R107 for me and brought it to me during my
visit.
Preparing for the return trip; on my sister's dining room table and using
bathroom scales I stripped the R107 of it's power supply chassis, thinking
that would get the weight down to the airline limit.
It did not. Ended up removing other pieces including the non original
audio
output transformer (to any UK readers I'm still looking for a Transformer
Telephone , No 13, ZA3135, btw!), the 1940 'heavy magnet style' speaker,
the
BPO style 'muting' relay etc. and some steel brackets.
The thing is built like a Sherman tank and there was a, perhaps mythical,
story about one being pulled off the back of a truck by its power cable
and
'It kept working'.
The Mullard style glass tubes were packed into my underwear, the power
supply was hand carried in a canvas bag.
I had taken care to have exchanged emails about a month before with the
one
and only airline I would be flying, about the unit, carried full
documentation, pictures of the unit and the purchase receipt. It weighed
in
at a little over the limit of 66 lbs and they didn't even check that as I
handed it over as my second item of check-in baggage for the return trip!
It's own steel case was strong and the front panel was protected with a
layer of foam insulation and a piece of thin plywood along with the units
two strong handles and two projecting and protecting metal posts. All
taped
into a big cardboard box.
No problems; the only question was when the hand carried bag with the
power
supply went through the X.ray scanner. I happened to have picked an
inspection team that was 'training'. The man viewing the scanner wearing a
great big turban had his assistant ask what the unit was and when I
described that I was bringing back a vintage 1942 WWII radio became
personally quite interested!
Oh yes; my hernia was worse after lifting it onto the bench to reassemble
it.
Why all the trouble? Well, nostalgia! I had a war surplus R107 over 50
years
ago as a teenager in the late 1940s!
Ah memories; of listening to Radio Luxembourg on 208 metres, the lovely
voice of Pat Gates on VOA, and much else; in those less QRN'd days of
fewer
appliances, TV buzzes, computer emanations and generally less non-radio
interference. 'Jamming' from the USSR was common; SSB was just making an
appearance etc. etc.
have fun. I did.
Terry.
PS. The R107 resides a few miles from where on Dec 12th 1901 Marconi
received the first Transatlantic wireless telegraph signal at St. John's
Newfoundland, now part of Canada, from Poldhu, Cornwall England. Marconi
immediately chased away by lawyers representing the Anglo-American
Transatlantic cable company who felt they had the exclusive right to all
telegraph communications! So the first 'commercial' two way Transatlantic
wireless telegraph station was set up near Glace bay Nova Scotia, Canada
the
following year, 1902.