Saturday, June 29, 2013

How much does it cost to ship apartment furniture across country by rail?

bedroom set in a box
 on includes a bed a dresser a nightstand and a mirror fun barbie designs ...
bedroom set in a box image



Mike


Looking to ship a bedroom set, coffee table, entertainment stand and a few small boxes across the country from PA to CA. Truck rentals are north of $1500, companies like PODS and so on are way too expensive. I am curious as to how much it could cost shipping via rail instead. Can't really find too much on pricing.


Answer
The days when the railroads shipped small lots (called LCL=less than carload) ended by 1960. Most freight now is carried in multiple car lots under contract. The charges for a single sixty-foot long box car would undoubtedly be more than truck rate and you would have to find a rail siding at origin and destination that would allow loading and unloading for a one-time shipper. Your best bet, outside moving companies, is to look at containers. Contact local freight forwarders and check on rates for renting and shipping a container. Best bet might be to contact PODS (see info below under What's your source?) which provides smaller containers and will also store them until you are ready to unload. They are also used to dealing with domestic consumers on single shipments, while a lot of freight forwarders are business oriented and won't do much to get a one-time shipment. While you may think companies rates are expensive, consider their equipment, fuel, labor and insurance costs. Unless you can find an independent trucker (gypsy) who has already made his money hauling a load from CA to PA and is back-hauling your load to avoid returning empty and therefore willing to give you a cheap price, you will probably not find a bargain rate. Consider selling or donating the furniture locally and replacing it at your new locale, and shipping the few boxes by US Postal Service (before their rates go up to UPS/Fedex levels or they go broke).

How much do you pay for storage? Where?




Red


I have: a bedroom set, lots of boxes of clothes, living room furiture, two tv's, dinning room set, kitchen table, pots and pans galore and an office to pack up for about 6 months.

Suggestions?



Answer
in hindsight....
GIVE stuff away to friends!
Sell it...
just keep the personal.... memorable items at your parents.

I say hingsight... because if you get into the habit of KEEPING things... you'll always be weighted down... physically and mentally.

just my thoughts

w




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Title Post: How much does it cost to ship apartment furniture across country by rail?
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