Derailed: An Order of Amateur Radio Parts Goes Awry

Perhaps Hiram Percy Maxim had an order on this train.

I put in an order to one of my favorite ham radio outlets, Universal Radio a few days ago for parts to put a first-class feedthrough in for my antennas. It was supposed to arrive today. I was looking forward to taking advantage of the nice weather tomorrow to do the installation.

Unfortunately, it didn't arrive. The UPS status is "exception, train derailment." Yeah, that's a problem. According to the news it was hopper cars filled with corn that went off the rails near Albuquerque. Since I didn't order several tons of corn, I'm hoping either the car with my order didn't follow the corn off the rails, or that it was on a different train sitting in a railyard held up by the clean-up and all.

My order was mostly hardware that wouldn't be bothered by a tip sensor sort of event, but I also had a gift for a friend in there that I hope arrives in good condition. A radio, as it happens.

If it arrives coated in corn dust but otherwise OK, I'll try to make that a "feature". Like a corn-dusted Kaiser roll. Must be good, right?


Albuquerque Train Derailment

Update: The order has arrived, a day late, and with minor smushing of one corner of the box. Hopefully all is well inside and I can still get the feedthrough in this afternoon.