The case of the frozen locomotive

[valenciajim]

This is not an April Fools Joke, this actually happened.

Several months ago, I ordered one of the Athearn UP 1943 locomotives. I did not recall which on-line hobby shop I purchased it from. Last week I saw the credit card charge hit my account and I got an e-mail from FedEx that the package was delivered. The problem was the package was not on my doorstep and it did not appear anywhere that I could find it. I was ready to call the hobby shop and/or FedEx to find out what happened. Perhaps some one stole the package off my doorstep.

Yesterday afternoon my wife opened our freezer to take out the ham she was going to cook for Easter. She asked if I ordered a box of frozen omelets. She said that there was a large box of frozen omelets that had been sent to me by FedEx and they were in the freezer. I took the box out of the freezer and sure enough it said "Keep Frozen Zero Degrees or Below." The shipping label said it came from Toy Train Heaven.

It turns out that a recycled box was used to package the locomotive. When the package was delivered only our cleaning lady was home. She read the warning on the package and dutifully put it in our freezer. She clearly did not want the frozen omelets to spoil.

The good news is that after the locomotive thawed out overnight, it seems to run perfectly today.   It is a very nice model.

[bnsf971]

Apr 1, 2018 14:38:09 GMT -8 valenciajim said:

This is not an April Fools Joke, this actually happened.

Several months ago, I ordered one of the Athearn UP 1943 locomotives. I did not recall which on-line hobby shop I purchased it from. Last week I saw the credit card charge hit my account and I got an e-mail from FedEx that the package was delivered. The problem was the package was not on my doorstep and it did not appear anywhere that I could find it. I was ready to call the hobby shop and/or FedEx to find out what happened. Perhaps some one stole the package off my doorstep.

Yesterday afternoon my wife opened our freezer to take out the ham she was going to cook for Easter. She asked if I ordered a box of frozen omelets. She said that there was a large box of frozen omelets that had been sent to me by FedEx and they were in the freezer. I took the box out of the freezer and sure enough it said "Keep Frozen Zero Degrees or Below." The shipping label said it came from Toy Train Heaven.

It turns out that a recycled box was used to package the locomotive. When the package was delivered only our cleaning lady was home. She read the warning on the package and dutifully put it in our freezer. She clearly did not want the frozen omelets to spoil.

The good news is that after the locomotive thawed out overnight, it seems to run perfectly today.   It is a very nice model.

I hear they are even better with ham and cheese.

[fr8kar]

Today I learned you can get frozen omelettes in the mail. Who knew? I still make mine the old fashioned way.

Good to know a locomotive can survive such low temperatures.

[NS4122]

You're lucky you got it at all. TTH's ordering system is rinky dink and outdated at best. I only deal with them as a last resort.

[peoriaman]

Apr 1, 2018 14:38:09 GMT -8 valenciajim said:

When the package was delivered only our cleaning lady was home. She read the warning on the package and dutifully put it in our freezer.

Bloody rotten luck that it came on the butler's day off!

[riogrande]

Doh. I am always a bit paranoid when parcels with trains are delivered on really cold days, what with temperature differentials causing things to expand/contract at different rates. I know those etched metal parts tend to bow or come loose. Anyone had any issues with other thing from extreme cold?

[gevohogger]

Apr 4, 2018 2:36:39 GMT -8 riogrande said:

Doh. I am always a bit paranoid when parcels with trains are delivered on really cold days, what with temperature differentials causing things to expand/contract at different rates. I know those etched metal parts tend to bow or come loose.

Decals, too.  Don't they say to jeep from freezing?  I never liked having to order them in winter.

[kentuckysouthernrwy]

Apr 2, 2018 12:55:22 GMT -8 fr8kar said:

Today I learned you can get frozen omelettes in the mail. Who knew? I still make mine the old fashioned way.

Good to know a locomotive can survive such low temperatures.

My son works at a Cargill plant here in Michigan that makes things like frozen omelets. Believe me, you want to continue to make yours the old fashioned way.

[alcoc430]

Great story! Thanks for sharing