First and foremost, follow these rules, which I have determined over several years of shipping locomotives and other valuable fragile items:
Many of the items that are shipped to me are damaged in transit because of improper packing and/or rough handling by the shipping company.
The locomotive weight should be removed. You may keep it if the loco is to be customized. Otherwise pack it separately and ship it via a low cost method.
For many of the older imported models, the foam packing in the box is just for looks and does little to protect the model during shipping. Sone of thse more recent imported models have adequate protection for the model in the original box. Many narrow gauge models have adequate protection in the original box. The exception to adequate original packing is the dreaded red foam which deteriorates and is very difficult to remove from the model if it contacts it. Please do not send the locomotive in its original box unless we make prior arrangements or you want me to keep the box - my packing technique does not use the original box, and the cost of returning the large empty original box to you is not trivial.
I have developed a packing method that so far has prevented damage to locomotive models. To give you an idea of the system here are the packing instructions for the system. I will send the box containing all packing materials to you so you can pack it yourself then ship the model to me. I will charge a $250 deposit that will be either refunded or credited towards the job cost when the box and all packing materials are recieved back.
I know $250 sounds like a lot, but when the deposit was smaller some people elected to forego the deposit and keep the box for their own use. I'm not in the box supplying business.
If you decide to pack the model yourself using methods you prefer, some suggestions. Do not wrap the locomotive with bubble pack only! Details on the locomotive can pop the bubbles, making them useless. Your best bet is to firmly wrap the locomotive with 1/8" thick polyurethane foam or layered newspapers, then protect it front and back both sides top and bottom with wads of sheets of wrapping paper or newspaper which work better than bubble pack or plastic peanuts and is recycleable. Please do not send plastic peanuts! Protect protruding fragile details from getting bent by placing strips of styrofoam or other firm material between the detail and the body. Wrap tenders separately. Each unit of a diesel should be wrapped separately, and with hood units place styrofoam blocks between the body and all handrails especially the end handrails. If you don't strap the loco to a board, be sure that the front and rear of each wrapped item has plenty of padding for when the box is dropped on its end. You would be amazed at what can happen during transit. Be sure that there is at least 4 inches of padding all around all packed items. I know this is a lot of trouble to go to, but if your locomotive is severely damaged during shipping, you will wish you had gone to the trouble to pack it properly.
I suggest you put a piece of paper with your address and phone number inside the box and firmly attached to the model.
After the model has arrived I will unpack and inspect it within a week. If there is shipping damage I will work with you on getting it resolved with the shipping company.
Please do not ship a locomotive without discussing it with me first! I want to be expecting it so that if it doesn't arrive I can let you know, and I want to be sure I have space to store it until I work on it. The shipping companies make the originator of the shipment responsible for initiating traces on undelivered items, so you need to know as soon as possible if your parcel did not arrive.