In the days before the internet we bought from local hobby shops. Most times they had a small section of track to test on, which most of the time eliminated returns. We would not have purchased anything with parts falling off of it.
Double boxing probably would not have prevented the OP's problem and would likely have added to the shipping cost. Expecting a bomb-proof shipping container will surely increase the overall cost. So until we go back to LHS purchases I think it will continue to be a problem.
