Trains from China

Nope, I’m buying less trains and more guns these days. All the good guns are made in the good ol USA

Matt, I am right there with you on both trains and guns.  I collect Postwar mostly from Lionel and Colt so it won't affect me much, but I am concerned for the future of the hobby.

Chris Sheldon

The hobby has much bigger issues than possible tariffs.  For me zinc rot is number one right now......it's real and affecting most of those in the hobby today. $1000 locos crumbling into dust. 

I have dozens of diecast locos and none of them have zinc pest. What are you buying, only locos with zinc pest? I can’t see it as a huge problem

Postwar Lionel and S&W and Winchester, that's what dreams are made of.  I Luv Toy Trains!

From what the President/Leader Of Lionel said at the LCCA Convention this past July 2018, in Chicago, there would be no changes do to the limited Quantities involved. So, I think if one does not buy, via BTO, there may be some rare and hard to find Lionel Trains.  Everyone had a big sigh of relief when he gave us that information.  The day of $2000 toy trains are here and that my friends, could be the norm for the Future of our Hobby.  The new VL Niagara, the new VL Challengers are fun toys, both are beautiful Locomotives, you might say, Big Boys Toys. Happy Railroading....

leapinlarry posted:

From what the President/Leader Of Lionel said at the LCCA Convention this past July 2018, in Chicago, there would be no changes do to the limited Quantities involved. So, I think if one does not buy, via BTO, there may be some rare and hard to find Lionel Trains.  Everyone had a big sigh of relief when he gave us that information.  The day of $2000 toy trains are here and that my friends, could be the norm for the Future of our Hobby.  The new VL Niagara, the new VL Challengers are fun toys, both are beautiful Locomotives, you might say, Big Boys Toys. Happy Railroading....

Help me to see what in this picture provides relief. . . .

Larry, that is good to hear, I know that uncertainty in the market tends to make manufacturers hold back.  That is not good for the hobby.  I build a small layout with trains each year and give it away to a kid just to help the young ones get interested in trains, they always ask where they can get more trains, I direct them to a couple of local train shops, never to eBay or even direct them to old trains, I let them decide what they want.  Most of them end up buying new trains, hopefully feeding the hobby a little.

Chris Sheldon

Matt Makens posted:

I have dozens of diecast locos and none of them have zinc pest. What are you buying, only locos with zinc pest? I can’t see it as a huge problem

Every K-Line heavy weight passenger car I own (3 different sets with extra cars) all had their trucks crumble to dust. I have a few locos with cracking....no crumble yet....but others here have same that are.  A bunch of die cast model cars....but that's another hobby. ONE high dollar item with zinc pest (rot) is to many for me. Tariffs don't worry me near as much. 

Zinc rot is a non issue for me, don't have any and hope to never have any. Tariffs are also a non issue for me. 

I don't buy guns but support those that want to. 

Dave

I only buy Chinese made second hand anyway so it won't effect my buying habit for those manufacturers. 

But my preference has most always been postwar or prewar trains anyway.

Guess I haven't been following threads on all the zinc related issues,I know it effected American Flyer trains terribly and those that survived like my late fathers A.F . O Scale Hudson became somewhat premium. At least some pricing became premium. 

I'd say there will be a slight increase unless the Chinese government makes a big move on collectable type items.

leapinlarry posted:

... The day of $2000 toy trains are here and that my friends, could be the norm for the Future of our Hobby...

Then the future is looking dim.

I’m no expert, but if I understand this situation correctly, the proposed change would effect packages sent from China (and, apparently other countries as well), not large shipments. I think, in the near term anyway, this will effect folks who order smaller quantities of things like LEDs and other electronic components. That could change should there be any “retaliation” from other nations.

Paul, thats what I understand also, and I agree the Postal Treaty going away would probably only affect packages not large shipments from China.  Still, a lot of stuff gets mailed directly from China.  Even when I think I have purchased an apparent USA made item, it sometimes comes in as made in China.

I wonder if the zinc rot problem is related to poor quality control in some countries, even the USA had it's share of this problem, maybe it still does.

It could be all these problems could be kind of related.

Chris Sheldon

It’s my thinking, the real price hikes will be on Automobile’s, Automobile related goods,  Larger Appliances, Soy Beans, Vegetables, Foods, Meats, Medicines, etc....Not really products related to our Hobby.  If we sit around Worrying about Tomorrow, we are going to miss the Fun of Today.  Personally, I like the newer trains with the Bells and Whistles, and do to being retired now, I am having to search for the best pricing, most of the time on the secondary market. Now, it’s my feeling that Lionel, and others, should consider making these trains back here, in the USA. So, go enjoy your trains and your friends in the Worlds Greatest Hobby, model Railroading. 

FireOne posted:

Seemed no really appropriate place for this, so here goes.

Is anyone else talking about the impact on our hobby of the Tariffs and the Postal Treaty being scrapped?  I refuse to talk politics in these forums, but I have to imagine there are some big changes coming in the industry.  I am not saying they are not necessary, it just strikes me odd that no one is talking about the possible major changes to our hobby.

I would like to know more from the manufacturers about what changes to expect and when.           I would also hope we can keep politics out of the conversation.

Sincerely,

Chris Sheldon

 

Matt Makens posted:

Nope, I’m buying less trains and more guns these days. All the good guns are made in the good ol USA

Too late.

AMCDave posted:

The hobby has much bigger issues than possible tariffs.  For me zinc rot is number one right now......it's real and affecting most of those in the hobby today. $1000 locos crumbling into dust. 

Matt Makens posted:

I have dozens of diecast locos and none of them have zinc pest. What are you buying, only locos with zinc pest? I can’t see it as a huge problem

Like Matt, zinc rot is a non-issue. Not sure what AMCDave's statement that it's "affecting most of those in the hobby today" is about. Neither I nor anyone I know has any problem with it. Postings about it are also very rare. 

breezinup posted:

AMCDave posted:

The hobby has much bigger issues than possible tariffs.  For me zinc rot is number one right now......it's real and affecting most of those in the hobby today. $1000 locos crumbling into dust. 

Matt Makens posted:

I have dozens of diecast locos and none of them have zinc pest. What are you buying, only locos with zinc pest? I can’t see it as a huge problem

Like Matt, zinc rot is a non-issue. Not sure what AMCDave's statement that it's "affecting most of those in the hobby today" is about. Neither I nor anyone I know has any problem with it. Postings about it are also very rare. 

Maybe because it cost me a lot of money I see the 'zinc' posts that others pass as 'not my problem'. 

Yes the zinc issue is not hitting everything that comes out.......but when it takes out hundreds of dollars worth of trains it all the sudden becomes personal. I hope you guys keep missing the 'zinc' bullet.......

PS.....and as I have given up on new trains because they are now beyond my financial comfort zone......why should I care if a tariff adds another 30% or more........'not my problem'.....

About 75% of my trains are American made. There is some Chinese in the mix but I do not usually buy foreign products unless they are 50-70% below MSRP.  That discount is easily found on overstocked , close out and lightly used product.  As for buying catalog new; the Chinese don't care about us, why should we care about them?

This is why I got so frustrated with this hobby, I had a Allegheny falling into pieces and the future of parts for any new manufacturing train companies are almost none. Yes I know I can upgrade anything to dcs etc etc. I'm not into buying expensive engines and in 5 years have to put 500 into each one because no parts. I'm done with it. Being 32 years old, a mortgage,  truck payment and 3 kids takes me out of that. And in all honesty it's a waste of money. I took down my 9x24 scale layout this summer and have started building a postwar 50's style layout. Atleast the engines and accessories are fixable and parts everywhere for them. As you can see I was very frustrated  but its actually pretty fun to go back to the roots of all this.

  It's nearly impossible to not be somewhat political on the subject.

Being from Detroit, I've always tried my best to buy American made, not just American sold. Even my foriegn car hobby included hunting for American made parts.   In the end, the extra cost contributes to the whole of this society more than my wallet, but I still do it because I've already seen the result of not doing it... a thinner wallet... So why not contribute?

   It's important if you wish to remain somewhat in control of what's being offered to you.  The present situation could totally collapse overnight, then we could be without the iconic name and new locos for at least while.

   Only the buyers are truely to blame imo. 

There really isn't an excuse for $1000 toy to have issues other than apathy in the name of a money grab.  There is only one cure for it, don't buy and hope the involved companies change tactics.

  The zinc pest problems today seem to me to be far more common as a percentage than in the past with US or even other foriegn manufacturers of the post war era that I'm familiar with.  That points to a failure of China (and others) to even meet our acceptible standards of 70 years ago.  And if you didn't see it coming, you turned a blind eye to save a buck and never looked back

Learned the hard way about modern zinc pest.  Had seberal mint kline freight cars with sprung trucks that had it when i recently took some out of the box.  Ugh,

Matt Makens posted:

Nope, I’m buying less trains and more guns these days. All the good guns are made in the good ol USA

I to am also into guns, I was toying with the idea of selling my " BTO Big boy" so I can buy a A10 or a nice M40A and get a kicking scope.  I want a GOOD 1000 TO 2000 yarder. After thinking it over I cannot give up the Big Boy. There must be something else I can sell.... 

John, I hear a nice kidney goes for $14,000.00.

Chris Sheldon

Just bought an M1A and my looking at a Leupold 9-42x56 or a Zeiss 7-30x56

FireOne posted:

John, I hear a nice kidney goes for $14,000.00.

Chris Sheldon

Believe me they do not want any body parts from this old geezer.

Matt Makens posted:

Just bought an M1A and my looking at a Leupold 9-42x56 or a Zeiss 7-30x56

NICE, I am also looking at the M1A. I had the opportunity to fire a friend's modified M14, very nice weapon. The Zeiss 7-30x56 is a great scope but pricey, need to sell a GG1 and passenger cars for that one. It is worth every penny.

Yeah John, same here, I was thinking of going in to the surgeon and get rid of all my duplicates to have more money for trains but they all grade only C-2.  No zinc rot, little brain rot though.

Chris Sheldon

Get the Loaded M1A with the NM trigger and NM barrel