# A Victrola in Des Moines needs to be in New Jersey **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 12, 2005, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176 "2005-07-12T14:11:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176/1 "2005-07-12T14:11:22Z")
A friend of mine in Des Moines has a lovely old floor-model talking machine, 44 inches tall, 20 inches wide, 21 inches deep (weight unknown). He says it’s mine if I can get it from there to here—neither of us is able to afford too-expensive shipping. Anyone know how (or if) I can do this, for, say, under $100? I remember from helping my mother move last year that moving companies cost a _fortune_. I’d need someone to _carefully_ pack the thing, and deliver it to me on a weekend, so there’d be someone home to accept it. I have a feeling that the talking machine will have to remain in Des Moines. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176/2 "2005-07-12T15:14:30Z")
My mother once had a rocking chair shipped to my sister via a Greyhound bus. Your friend delivers it (already packaged) to the bus station in Des Moines, they stick it in the luggage compartment of a bus, and then you pick it up at the bus station in New Jersey. I don’t know the details but it was the cheapest way she found to ship it across country. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176/3 "2005-07-12T15:33:34Z")
I looked it up on [usps.com](http://usps.com) and I used Hoboken as a guesstimate. You can send 70 lbs. for $65. ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176/4 "2005-07-12T15:38:17Z")
I was going to suggest Greyhound also, or any other major bus company. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176/5 "2005-07-12T15:43:28Z")
Nowadays, I don’t know if they’d let you ship a huge, heavy box via bus with no person attached to it. No “unaccompanied luggage” is allowed on NJ Transit or Amtrak anymore. I’ll have to look up the USPS, though. If they could get it to my local Post Office, I could lug it home via cab. ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176/6 "2005-07-12T15:47:49Z")
> [@An Arky](#): > > I looked it up on [usps.com](http://usps.com) and I used Hoboken as a guesstimate. You can send 70 lbs. for $65. [http://pe.usps.gov/text/Imm/immc2\_013.html](http://pe.usps.gov/text/Imm/immc2_013.html) Given the size of the protective packaging, height should exceed 46 inches. Thus it can’t be mailed. ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176/7 "2005-07-12T15:48:51Z")
Greyhound still does it. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176/8 "2005-07-12T15:54:06Z")
> [@missbunny](#): > > Greyhound still does it. I’m very surprised! Unfortunately, the closest Greyhound station to me is in NYC and I don’t know if there’s one near my friend in Des Moines (he has no car, and said I can have it “if I arrange transportation”). I have a feeling it might be less money and trouble for me to just buy one in the Village and have them transport it . . . I wonder how much UPS or FedEx would charge, and if they could pack it w/o destroying it? ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176/9 "2005-07-12T15:57:36Z")
> [@missbunny](#): > > Greyhound still does it. Yep. [http://www.shipgreyhound.com/faq/#packages\_1](http://www.shipgreyhound.com/faq/#packages_1) “The maximum weight per package is 100 pounds. The extreme measurements of length, width, and height shall not exceed 30” x 47" x 82". Surely this is less than 100 pounds. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176/10 "2005-07-12T15:59:58Z")
> [@rfgdxm](#): > > “The maximum weight per package is 100 pounds. The extreme measurements of length, width, and height shall not exceed 30” x 47" x 82". > > Surely this is less than 100 pounds. Hmmm. I’ll have to ask my friend if he can package it “properly” and see where there are Greyhound stations closest to both of us . . . Thanks! (Now, where am I gonna _put_ the thing?) ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176/11 "2005-07-12T16:14:36Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > I’m very surprised! Unfortunately, the closest Greyhound station to me is in NYC and I don’t know if there’s one near my friend in Des Moines (he has no car, and said I can have it “if I arrange transportation”). I have a feeling it might be less money and trouble for me to just buy one in the Village and have them transport it . . . > > I wonder how much UPS or FedEx would charge, and if they could pack it w/o destroying it? [http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/prepare/weight\_size.html](http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/prepare/weight_size.html) This thing is well within UPS size and weight limits. I just ran this through the UPS website, and assuming it weighs 70 pounds, and it is going to Hoboken, UPS will pick it up from your friend and deliver it to you for about $35. (I think Saturday delivery may cost extra.) Your friend will have to pack it for you. You said you’d be willing to pay $100. I should think it may be possible to pay your friend the difference between shipping cost and $100 to pack it for you such it would be worth his while. ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176/12 "2005-07-12T16:15:55Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > Hmmm. I’ll have to ask my friend if he can package it “properly” and see where there are Greyhound stations closest to both of us . . . Thanks! > > (Now, where am I gonna _put_ the thing?) See my last post. If your friend can package it properly, UPS will deliver it from his door to yours. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176/13 "2005-07-12T16:17:11Z")
> [@rfgdxm](#): > > This thing is well within UPS size and weight limits. I just ran this through the UPS website, and assuming it weighs 70 pounds, and it is going to Hoboken, UPS will pick it up from your friend and deliver it to you for about $35. $35? _Zowie!_ I’ll let him know and ask if he can package it. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176/14 "2005-07-12T16:29:08Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > $35? _Zowie!_ I’ll let him know and ask if he can package it. Thanks! It looks to me from the UPS website Saturday delivery will be an extra $12.50. You really need to contact UPS with the exact address of your friend is, and your exact address, to make sure Saturday delivery is possible. That Saturday delivery is essential for you seems to be the biggest sticking point in shipping. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176/15 "2005-07-12T17:26:56Z")
Speaking as a former Greyhound baggage and freight agent, DON’T SEND ANYTHING FRAGILE VIA GREYHOUND! Unless it has been packed to survive a drop from Earth orbit it will be damaged, but the same can be said for UPS or any of the others, too. Screw down anything that can be and remove and wrap in bubble wrap anything that can’t then wrap the whole thing in bubble wrap. Build a crate so that the Victrola is not providing the stiffness in any direction and so that it is protected from puncture wounds. Pack the Victrola into the case extremely tightly so that it cannot move. Slap the crate with lots of FRAGILE stickers, make sure the tag says what it is, and insure the hell out of it. ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176/16 "2005-07-12T18:11:02Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Speaking as a former Greyhound baggage and freight agent, DON’T SEND ANYTHING FRAGILE VIA GREYHOUND! Unless it has been packed to survive a drop from Earth orbit it will be damaged, but the same can be said for UPS or any of the others, too. Screw down anything that can be and remove and wrap in bubble wrap anything that can’t then wrap the whole thing in bubble wrap. Build a crate so that the Victrola is not providing the stiffness in any direction and so that it is protected from puncture wounds. Pack the Victrola into the case extremely tightly so that it cannot move. Slap the crate with lots of FRAGILE stickers, make sure the tag says what it is, and insure the hell out of it. I’m guessing that this Victrola has more ornamental value than cash value. Otherwise either the friend wouldn’t just give it away, or Eve wouldn’t be worrying much about shipping costs. 😉 FWIW, it looks like insurance via UPS is 40 cents per $100. Thus this shouldn’t be a major issue in cost. And if this Victola per chance were worth say $1000, Eve would be a fool to not pay her friend whatever it takes to hire someone to come where he lives, and pack and crate the Victrola up exactly as you specify above. After that it would just be a matter of contacting UPS to arrange for door to door delivery from her friend to where she lives. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176/17 "2005-07-12T19:09:26Z")
> [@rfgdxm](#): > > And if this Victola per chance were worth say $1000… $1000? [Not likely.](http://search-completed.ebay.com/victrola-talking-machine_W0QQfisZ2QQfromZR10QQfsooZ2QQfsopZ3QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsacatZQ2d1QQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ2QQsatitleZvictrolaQ20Q22talkingQ20machineQ22QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZbsQQsojsZ1) ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176/18 "2005-07-12T19:28:00Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > $1000? [Not likely.](http://search-completed.ebay.com/victrola-talking-machine_W0QQfisZ2QQfromZR10QQfsooZ2QQfsopZ3QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsacatZQ2d1QQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ2QQsatitleZvictrolaQ20Q22talkingQ20machineQ22QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZbsQQsojsZ1) But [not inconceivable.](http://search-completed.ebay.com/victrola_W0QQcatrefZC6QQfisZ2QQfposZQ5AIPQ2fPostalQQfromZR10QQfsooZ2QQfsopZ3QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsacatZQ2d1QQsadisZ200QQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ2QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZbsQQsojsZ1) ---
**Author:** ![JXJohns](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jxjohns/32/469_2.png) [@JXJohns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JXJohns)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176/19 "2005-07-12T19:50:15Z")
The Greyhound Station in Des Moines is at 11th and Keo Way. If your friend has no car I assume they live downtown? The station is on the north end of downtown. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176/20 "2005-07-12T19:50:53Z")
Anything is _possible_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-victrola-in-des-moines-needs-to-be-in-new-jersey/312176.md?page=2)