Model Railroading > China Sept tariff hikes on "toys" delayed until Dec 15

I guess it's good news, unless they are already computed into the MSRP:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/13/politics/us-china-tariffs-delay/index.html

This article says "would be delayed until December 15."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/13/19 08:58 by joemvcnj.

Hopefully the delay was done to save some folks money for Christmas this year, and I am not jsut talking about toy trains.

Russ

NSTopHat Wrote:
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> Hopefully the delay was done to save some folks
> money for Christmas this year, and I am not jsut
> talking about toy trains.
>
> Russ

Sure was, and save rellection. 

Another article I read said "some toys" were delayed.

Imposing tariffs on some toys has been delayed until  Dec. 15. Have not yet seen which classifications of imported goods are involved. This is a government decision on tariffs which is completely separate from manufacturers and importers decisions on production schedules, shipping, and pricing. 

Just in time for the holidays!

Just beetting all that we will still be discussing this by Xmas and realized that companies used it to hike price regardless, start taking mnotes of prices of common moving items now and we will see, hopefully i will be way out to wack, 

Just beetting all that we will still be discussing this by Xmas and realized that companies used it to hike price regardless, start taking notes of prices of common moving items now and we will see, hopefully i will be way out to wack on this or.. 

Stuff for the Christmas holidays arrives in August to October...

It must be really hard working as a trade negotiator for the US government...   Every time some other country is doing some action to reduce the attraction of US exports to them - making an imbalance to trade - and the US announces or tries an action, even just a bluff, to try to get them to change it, the media and far left goes nuts enough to convince that country that the US isn't really going to do anything.  Instead of worrying about trade imbalances, or the oppression/rights of foreign workers at the hands of ruthless governments the only thing some focus on is the cheap prices that imbalance provides them (without regard to the increasing national debt it creates).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/13/19 18:30 by CSX602.

Does anyone really think that so-called "far-lefters" and trade negotiators really give a hoot about adults paying more for their toy trains? They and the world have a lot more than that on their plates. Let's get real, prices will rise as far as possible until they turn customers off, tariffs or no tariffs!

RRBaron Wrote:
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>  Let's get real, prices will
> rise as far as possible until they turn customers
> off, tariffs or no tariffs!

Are you insinuating that some manufacturers are using the not-yet-enacted tariffs to raise prices?

I certainly never sad that.   I think some model manufacturers are doing a great job at holding the line on pricing... others not as much...

CSX602 Wrote:
> Are you insinuating that some manufacturers are
> using the not-yet-enacted tariffs to raise
> prices?

I am sure some would consider doing that if they felt they can get away with it. It's the capitalist way. That's why we don't have dummiy locos any longer. Irv Athearn made his millions even with selling dummies, but then when he died the gates opened on prices. At least one manufacturer of note is now only selling DCC motive power, that's an extra +/- $100 even if you use a different system or are analog. Fortunately for me, I have finally topped-out my DRGW motive power. Now I only need rolling stock. Anyone have AXXA trailers to sell--PM me? .   

RRBaron Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> CSX602 Wrote:
> > Are you insinuating that some manufacturers are
> > using the not-yet-enacted tariffs to raise
> > prices?
>
> I am sure some would consider doing that if they
> felt they can get away with it. It's the
> capitalist way. That's why we don't have dummiy
> locos any longer. Irv Athearn made his millions
> even with selling dummies, but then when he died
> the gates opened on prices. At least one
> manufacturer of note is now only selling DCC
> motive power, that's an extra +/- $100 even if you
> use a different system or are analog. Fortunately
> for me, I have finally topped-out my DRGW motive
> power. Now I only need rolling stock. Anyone have
> AXXA trailers to sell--PM me? .   

The reason why there aren't any dummy engines anymore (except for Athearn RTR F7B's) is that the cost of the motor and rive train parts, relative to the overal cost of the engine, is minimal.  When you have an engine that retails for $100 DCC ready, and remove the motor and drive, you might save $20.  Who is going to pay $80 for a dummy engine?

Stuart

Stuart has it right...   When most of the cost goes to details and assembly, the drive train become a much smaller part of the overall price.   Then the entire market goes for the full DCC ready motorored unit instead of a dummy unit for only 10-20% less.  That's the reason you don't see dummy units commonly offered anymore.

 

The $20 figure for a motor and drivetrain is more than likely the manufacturer's cost. That could reflect perhaps twice or bit more in the MSRP. For example some European manufacturers do still produce units without motors. Some are MU trainsets that are decorated the same as a powered unit but manage to sell for $100 or more less than powered units. The idea being that they would run as a MU set.

I find that unless I repower something like an Athearn (not Genesis) unit with a quality motor, that the current draw of three units is rather high to move a train. In the case of three SD units pulling a train of up to 30 cars with an unpowered unit (which demonstrates quite a drag on even my club's layout which has a thirty five foot straight section), two units can provide enough traction and amperage draw. Of course it is appealing to run three or more units "MUed" at the headend.

With possible future Genesis MSRP numbers bumping close to $400 it may happen. If the consumer demanded, we could have non-powered units again. Perhaps one non-powered number in a release of powered multiple numbers could save some modeling dollars.  I know that I have purchased a few used units from the popular auction site that were sold powered but the original owners de-motored them. So evidently others feel the way I do.

Nah...   There are a lot of us modelers who think if a locomotive is more than $50 then it better have an engine in it...

I once watched an older modeler ask an Athearn rep (in the post-2005 RTR age of $100 MSRP locos) why they no longer made $10 dummy units...   The Athearn rep went through a complete explanation on how the motor was no longer a significant enough part of the cost, and thus it wouldn't be much difference in cost between the dummy and powered unit (if motor was left out of one) and thus the dummy would be at a price point where modelers expected a motor...   The guy grumbled off.  Shortly after I walked up and asked him why they didn't make $10 dummies for dummies any longer and he started laughing so hard he nearly fell off his chair.