Keep eyes out for a N scale brass Shay- EDIT maybe moving now

[randgust]

Was the locomotive in the 'original' box or otherwise identified so an unschooled individual would know what it is?

Thinking of keeping an eye out on FeePay for it.  Would make a difference if it was listed as "little brass train' or "N brass WM#6 Shay'......

Easy enough to set up alert searches.   I've found one of my own that got 'lost' and was 'returned'.

I'm always on the lookout for that kind of mis-listed stuff anyway.

[u18b]

I thought of that.
But this was in the original box.

[randgust]

OK Ron, that's what I want to know.   Any attempt to sell this thing will be specific description.   On it.

I'll have to tell you the story sometime of how I tracked down some stolen historic materials I had copyright on.  They showed up three years later on Feebay.  They got 'donated' back, all came out well, but its a good story.

Have you tried the USPS tracking number system?   I've seen that go absolutely nuts on line shunting it back and forth between sorting centers.   I had one disappear for two months going back and forth between major sorting centers.   I could see it, but nobody could find it.  When it did arrive, receiver told me it looked completely abused on the packaging but not damaged.    I was told by an 'insider' that stuff gets 'stuck' in the belts all the time.  Mine went back and forth between Piney Pt. Maryland and the sorting center at Washington DC no fewer than three times in two months according to the tracing.

[Wlal13again]

I have had more packages "lost" this year by the USPS than every year before.  I have noticed some shippers have switched to UPS.

[peteski]

I thought of that.
But this was in the original box.

Original box?!  You mean you stuck the address label of the nice box the model was packaged in at the factory?  You didn't put it in either a free Priority Mail box, or in a typical brown cardboard box?

[u18b]

Original box?!  You mean you stuck the address label of the nice box the model was packaged in at the factory?  You didn't put it in either a free Priority Mail box, or in a typical brown cardboard box?

You didn't put the troll emoji.
Or tongue in cheek.

[peteski]

You didn't put the troll emoji.
Or tongue in cheek.

You answered Randy's question about how would thief know the package contained expensive model, to which you answered stating that the model was shipped in the "original box".  My question was perfectly serious.  Maybe you were joking? Or maybe this is just a misunderstanding on my part?

EDIT: maybe I'm taking this too literally?  Or what you really meant is that the model was packed in its original factory box and then packaged in another plain box for shipping?  But they how would some thief know what was inside the shipping box without opening the package? Especially since it seems that it went missing not at the location you dropped off but somewhere else en-route to the destination. How would some postal employee or another person pick your box out of thousands that go through the system?

[Maletrain]

If the box is insured, that might make it a target.  Once stolen, and unwrapped, the material inside the shipping box can tell the thief if it is worth the effort and risk to sell it.  And, if so, what type of place to try to sell it.

[Chris333]

I don't think anything USPS is uninsured these days. Automatic $100 and they ask if I need more than that.

[u18b]

You answered Randy's question about how would thief know the package contained expensive model, to which you answered stating that the model was shipped in the "original box".  My question was perfectly serious.  Maybe you were joking? Or maybe this is just a misunderstanding on my part?

EDIT: maybe I'm taking this too literally?  Or what you really meant is that the model was packed in its original factory box and then packaged in another plain box for shipping?  But they how would some thief know what was inside the shipping box without opening the package? Especially since it seems that it went missing not at the location you dropped off but somewhere else en-route to the destination. How would some postal employee or another person pick your box out of thousands that go through the system?

Correct.   The latter.
The thief would know upon opening the box and doing some research.

I meant that someone with access to X-ray.... or someone who had access to insured value would know something.   And then there are just workers who steal anything.
Of course, I don't know what happened.   Just fearing what might have happened.

If someone somehow steals this and opens the cardboard shipping box and sees the green OMI box- the label will say what it is.    That...  and a photo of the model submitted to AI requesting "what is this and what's it worth" ... and the person will know what it is and its high value- even if they know nothing about trains.

At any rate, the trace has been out for three days now... and no word yet.

[u18b]

Just to see what would happen....

I uploaded to Grok two photos- one of a box end label and one of a model.   I asked what this is and what is it worth.
The answer was pretty good.....

And I got a charge out of seeing @spookshow referenced and quoted!   

Mark has been noticed by AI!

[spookshow]

Mark has been noticed by AI!

EEK! 

[peteski]

Was the declared value clearly visible on the box?  If not, how would the potential thief pick that package out of the thousands more others passing through the system?  What I'm saying is that this might all be just a simple problem with the package routing (maybe fell off the conveyor somewhere) than theft.  I guess I'm just being optimistic rather than paranoid.  I'm hoping for a good outcome.

[delamaize]

Ugh, Well, here's hoping it's just stuck in USPS Limbo somewhere.

My latest "Lost" package was with FedEx, with their Asinine "Sure Post" service. Ordered a few passenger cars from a gentlemen in Az. He shipped them out FedEx "Sure post," tracking showed that FedEx got the notification of the package, but never "received" it. After a month, the seller apologized, and refunded my money.

The other 2 experiences I had with "Sure post" had my packages getting to Portland Or, and getting stuck there, one was 2 weeks, another was 3. I'm guessing that is where they hand it off to USPS for my area. When I called FedEx to find out what the hell was going on, the thick Indian accented woman I got, who I could hardly understand, Kept insisting that all I needed to do was check the tracking info, and insisted that 3 weeks at a distribution center was normal and acceptable. Needless to say, I'll be avoiding "Sure Post" and FedEx for the foreseeable future. 

[tehachapifan]

I had a small packet of etchings sent to me on 8/8 (CO to CA) and they didn't arrive until 8/18. So, I'm guessing the Shay will eventually turn up.

As a side note, the small, padded envelope also looked like it went thru a meat grinder, but the contents were thankfully OK.

Seems like the USPS is just a shell of its former self these days.