Major price increases on the way?

Our "dear leader" might be playing a bluff poker game to get China to negotiate, but then again, what do I know!

There is always the used but in good shape market.

IDK. I have some expensive 3rd rail stuff comming... Hospital cars, Heavyweights and the 2-10-4 AFT loco. I hope there is no more price increases!

I have not seen any mention of tariffs on toys bound for the USA. Most of the tariffs that I have seen imposed on inbound product is big ticket items ( steel & aluminum ) and now possibly autos and electronics ( phones & computers ). There are really no jobs to protect in the USA on toys, next to zero are manufactured in the USA.

   Bill

I think we are going to see price increases on the non-train things we purchase. Just read a news article last night about our local recycling company. As part of the new trade war, China will be charging to accept recyclables, whereas before they did not. So our trash bills will be going up.

Will folks have any discretionary money left over to buy trains?

Lionel must have seen this coming. They have had major price increases over the last two years.

Brothers, some non-political thoughts:

1. As a lawyer, whose practice includes Customs law, I can categorically say that we haven't a clue what tariffs will ultimately result from the trade negotiations with the Chinese. So relax.

2. None of us, especially reporters, have a clue how negotiations between the USA and China will work out. So whatever is reported now is noise, incompetent noise.There will be bluster, threats, and posturing for public consumption, but it is all noise. Behind closed doors serious people are negotiating actively.

3. China sells to the USA $375billion MORE goods per year than we sell to them (U.S. Census Bureau). In a so called "trade war" the Chinese have everything to lose and we have very little to lose. China will not give up their abusive practices easily, but eventually they will give up some. Then agreements will be signed and everyone will smile and shake hands.

4. The fear or rumor of a "trade war" alone serves to drive up prices since it increases short term demand without increasing short term supply. Don't be a victim. Don't buy if they raise prices. When weak demand causes surplus supply, prices tend to steady or drop.

5. Please keep your comments non-partisan. No sneers. No cheers.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Highly unlikely that "trains" alone would be subject to tariff, even if we had significant US manufacturing to be worried about.  Tariffs are usually applied on broad groupings (automobiles or toys) of products or on smaller groupings with large dollar amounts attached (steel, aluminum, oil, etc.) for ease of application.  Still, the known threat could easily lead to price increases either from manufacturers or from importers or both.

Chuck

Mike Wolf addressed this topic at his TCA Museum session during the most recent York show. Basically, he said it will be a non-issue for our model train market.

The video can be found on YouTube, if you want to see it, but his comment was merely a one-minute answer to an audience question toward the end of his product presentation.

Truth is prices on our new toys are already too high, even without the politics!

Thanks to Pete F....for some common "CENTS"......

I will continue to buy like-new or new Tinplate Traditions and Lionel Classics standard gauge as well as like-new pre-owned original LGB. Done with O gauge at this point in my life, though I still admire it!

Pete F.,

Thank you for your common sense post. Too many people jump the gun with unfounded rumors and opinions. Time for us to sit back and chill out. 

Posting about things that we have no control over does not add to the conversation. 

I'm going to run my trains. 

Dave

No intent to start rumors or chicken little, I just didn't know if the tariffs would have any impact on the toy train market.