Some items simply should not be shipped, like cranes and bascule bridges. Old Lionel prewar castings are too brittle and do not ship well. Once your engine boiler is broken, no replacements are available, in most cases. Insurance claims can be a lot of red tape and usually don't produce any satisfactory results anyway, so don't expect to get your trains back in one piece, if you don't take the time to pack them as outlined here. You can insure the package, but that doesn't do much good for a broken heirloom.
Insurance does encourage shipper to handle the piece more carefully, however.
Call ahead to advise that you are shipping an item. We will be happy to give you an estimate in advance, if possible. Most jobs require 20-30 days turnaround. No advance payment is required for repair work. A confirmation will sent sent to you when we receive the job.