Seeking assistance in Phoenix Post Office

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Glenn Brooks
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Seeking assistance in Phoenix Post Office

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Hello all,

The Phoenix Post Office dropped a loco part I shipped to Washington last week, out of their system, last week. Now they won’t do anything to locate it, or respond to my requests. (Iam in Seattle.)

Wondering if anybody in the Phoenix area knows someone in the the Postal system who could locate my package, or go ask about it, and possibly get it to me?

The part is basically an irreplaceable steam pump for my old park gauge locomotive. It is packaged in a priority mail medium size flat rate box, with proper address and tracking number. The Tempe annex received it, logged it out, and sent it to the phoenix sorting facility 10 miles away- but it never got logged in. Now, it’s permanently “in transit” between the 10 mile stretch of highway between the annex and the sorting facility.

The other two boxes I mailed at the same time arrived here in Seattle within three days. This one simply disappeared.

Really hoping someone in the area might know a Postal employee who can actually go look for the package, or maybe go to the facility and do something to recover it...

I have photos or the pump and the tracking number to properly identify it.

Thanks much,

Glenn
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Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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NP317
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Re: Seeking assistance in Phoenix Post Office

Post by NP317 »

Glenn:
Just tell the post office how much they will owe you for the replacement value of the pump. GASP!
I bet it will show up...
RussN
whateg0
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Re: Seeking assistance in Phoenix Post Office

Post by whateg0 »

I'm general the usps is the worst about caring for your stuff or you. Good luck! But I'd find out how to file a claim if that's a thing at usps.
Glenn Brooks
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Location: Woodinville, Washington

Re: Seeking assistance in Phoenix Post Office

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Truly amazing! The package showed up on our front doorstep just now. Package shredded open but the part is intact.

AND STILL no tracking anywhere along the line, except when it left the little back room Tempe annex 10 days ago.

Many thanks to the Postal employees who actually go about doing their job! Seems like they face an uphill battle.
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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rmac
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Location: Phoenix, Arizona

Re: Seeking assistance in Phoenix Post Office

Post by rmac »

Postal Employee #1: I wonder what we should do with this package. It's been lying around here for weeks.

Postal Employee #2: I know! I know! Let's deliver it to the address written here on the box!
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BadDog
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Location: Phoenix, AZ

Re: Seeking assistance in Phoenix Post Office

Post by BadDog »

Glad it worked out. I was going to post to say I would help as I could, but I don't know anyone at all that would provide a hook, which is too often the only way to get anywhere with bloated government bureaucracies.
Russ
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Glenn Brooks
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Location: Woodinville, Washington

Re: Seeking assistance in Phoenix Post Office

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Thanks Russ, I was really getting nervous as this pump is an old Sandley built two cylinder steam pump. Basically irreplaceable. Fortunately it showed up safe and sound. It’s a key component in my restoration of 1904 Campbell 4-4-0.

For anyone contemplating shipping valuable parts- Lessons learned here-

1) insure, and register, the hell out of whatever you are shipping,

2) pay the price for extra packaging - this pump weighs 40# and chewed up the box and tracking sticker.

3) put protective clear tape or plastic over the top of the shipping label to protect it from damage...

4) maybe even box it in plywood, and pay extra for the size and weight.

5) stand up and cheer when your local politician starts talking about improving mail delivery.

All small costs compared to having unobtainium go down some rabbit hole...

Glenn
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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Steggy
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Re: Seeking assistance in Phoenix Post Office

Post by Steggy »

rmac wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 4:31 pm Postal Employee #1: I wonder what we should do with this package. It's been lying around here for weeks.

Postal Employee #2: I know! I know! Let's deliver it to the address written here on the box!
Postal Employee #1: You're a genius for thinking of that.
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RSG
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Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: Seeking assistance in Phoenix Post Office

Post by RSG »

Glad to hear you got your package Glenn!

For me I've had only good things to say about USPS. I've had situations sending reels over to the US that even had the wrong address given to me by the customer and was able to correct it at an outlet by calling and talk to a person. The worker went out of her way to change the address and entered it back into the system. I really don't think I could get that service up here in Canada.

One thing I do is to send the package on the highest priority and usually add the max insurance. One important feature I think adds to its safety is to have a "signature required" added. It can get expensive but if the package is invaluable then it deserves that treatment.
Vision is not seeing things as they are, but as they will be.
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NP317
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Re: Seeking assistance in Phoenix Post Office

Post by NP317 »

Glenn:
The last time I shipped an irreplaceable heavy metal item across our country, I built a wooden mini-crate for it, screwed everything together so it could not come loose, insured it, and it arrived just fine. Although the recipient had a challenge getting it unpacked. I even included the special star drive bit with the shipment, so they could disassembly the crate.
So when I read that you sent the pump in a Priority medium rate box, I immediately pictured the box all torn up and lost.
'Happy to hear it finally arrived!
RussN
SteveM
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Re: Seeking assistance in Phoenix Post Office

Post by SteveM »

Glenn Brooks wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 11:34 pm 4) maybe even box it in plywood, and pay extra for the size and weight.
I build wood boxes sized to fit inside flat-rate boxes. No extra cost for the weight.

Shipped a 35-pound tool in one. Buyer said it was the best packing job he had ever seen.

The PO used 20-lb boxes and tells you you can ship up to 70 lbs in it, so what would they expect you to do?

If the box had ripped open, it would have been my fault for not packing it properly.

Federal law requires all boxes to have either a burst strength or edge crush test printed on every box used for shipping. Either the post office is exempt or they are flouting the law, as their flat-rate boxes do not have them.

Tape EVERY seam. Don't give any chance for something to catch an open edge.

On small flat-rate boxes, tape across the perforations you would rip to open the box. That prevents postal employees from popping the seam and stealing your stuff (yes, I have had it happen).

Use strapping tape on heavy packages. Not just at the seams, but put a couple of turns around each girth of the box, including around the sides.

The box might look ugly when it gets there, but it will be intact.

Steve
Glenn Brooks
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Re: Seeking assistance in Phoenix Post Office

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Steve, and Russ, well said. These are excellent recommendations.

Glenn
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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