ATLANTIC CENTRAL blownout cylinder: mmmm....and off to crabbiness we go.... Any wagers how many pages this will go before it gets locked up? I wager 2 pages..then a delete.... I'll bet I could get it locked real fast, gas prices?, China's standard of living, "spoiled" people in the US - following up on any one of these could do it in a hurry. Fact is things cost what they cost, you either want it or you don't, you can aford it, or you can't. A liberal I knew years ago, yes a liberal, always said "the answer to inflation is to make more money". He was being somewhat sarcastic, but the point is control what you can, don't complain about what you can't. Being self employed I don't "complain" about the price of anything - nor do I do business with people who complain about the prices I charge. If I think the price of something is too high, I shop around or do without, depending on the level of "need". If I really need something, I work harder or do without something else. Is that $299.00 price with DCC and sound? When Proto first hit the market there was no DCC with sound. I didn't buy DCC than, I still don't - I decided it was not worth the money. Despite how many people tell me I'm wrong, I still think it's too expensive for what you get, especially the sound part. We all make our choices and set our own "values" on things. (now this one might get us locked) To our European friends who suggest we join them and settle for less, I say nonsense, I personally have worked hard and don't expect anything from the government or from others - and I'm tired of funding those who can work and don't - that situation is already out of control here, God forbid if ever gets like Europe or Great Brittan. Gaffen, you may think it's fine to pay $9.50 for gas, a price that is more tax than product, good for you. You can stay there, I promise to stay here. And, it appears on that other thread that many agree with me, $2000 a year spent on this hobby is typical, if not low. If gas is $4 because of the market fine, but if it is $10 because of socialist taxes, I'm ready for the revolution - just like the founders of this country. My guns are loaded and I'm ready to vote for anybody not currently in office - kind of like our mid term Congressional elections - a big change back to conservative may be comming - sorry Europe, we are not going to roll over and become like you. There are reasons our ancestors left in the first place. The inflation ajusted price of gas in the US compared with the mid 60's is nearly $3 anyway, the current $4 runup is just the nervious market over the current mid east non sense. It will go back down, at least to $3 where it belongs - yes it belongs at $3. If it was worth 30 cents in 1968, than it's worth $3 today - sorry gas price whinners. As for China production, if the US government would ignore some of the wackos, eliminate some of the rediculious taxes and regulations, our models could be made here, we could all make more money because OUR economy would be stronger, and we could afford any higher prices that brought with it. Toyota and Ford make cars here and sell them just was well as any that come over on a boat? Well if this rant does not get us locked and asked to move on, we are surely doomed. Sheldon
blownout cylinder: mmmm....and off to crabbiness we go.... Any wagers how many pages this will go before it gets locked up? I wager 2 pages..then a delete....
mmmm....and off to crabbiness we go....
Any wagers how many pages this will go before it gets locked up?
I wager 2 pages..then a delete....
I'll bet I could get it locked real fast, gas prices?, China's standard of living, "spoiled" people in the US - following up on any one of these could do it in a hurry.
Fact is things cost what they cost, you either want it or you don't, you can aford it, or you can't.
A liberal I knew years ago, yes a liberal, always said "the answer to inflation is to make more money". He was being somewhat sarcastic, but the point is control what you can, don't complain about what you can't.
Being self employed I don't "complain" about the price of anything - nor do I do business with people who complain about the prices I charge.
If I think the price of something is too high, I shop around or do without, depending on the level of "need".
If I really need something, I work harder or do without something else.
Is that $299.00 price with DCC and sound? When Proto first hit the market there was no DCC with sound. I didn't buy DCC than, I still don't - I decided it was not worth the money. Despite how many people tell me I'm wrong, I still think it's too expensive for what you get, especially the sound part. We all make our choices and set our own "values" on things.
(now this one might get us locked) To our European friends who suggest we join them and settle for less, I say nonsense, I personally have worked hard and don't expect anything from the government or from others - and I'm tired of funding those who can work and don't - that situation is already out of control here, God forbid if ever gets like Europe or Great Brittan.
Gaffen, you may think it's fine to pay $9.50 for gas, a price that is more tax than product, good for you. You can stay there, I promise to stay here. And, it appears on that other thread that many agree with me, $2000 a year spent on this hobby is typical, if not low.
If gas is $4 because of the market fine, but if it is $10 because of socialist taxes, I'm ready for the revolution - just like the founders of this country. My guns are loaded and I'm ready to vote for anybody not currently in office - kind of like our mid term Congressional elections - a big change back to conservative may be comming - sorry Europe, we are not going to roll over and become like you. There are reasons our ancestors left in the first place.
The inflation ajusted price of gas in the US compared with the mid 60's is nearly $3 anyway, the current $4 runup is just the nervious market over the current mid east non sense. It will go back down, at least to $3 where it belongs - yes it belongs at $3. If it was worth 30 cents in 1968, than it's worth $3 today - sorry gas price whinners.
As for China production, if the US government would ignore some of the wackos, eliminate some of the rediculious taxes and regulations, our models could be made here, we could all make more money because OUR economy would be stronger, and we could afford any higher prices that brought with it.
Toyota and Ford make cars here and sell them just was well as any that come over on a boat?
Well if this rant does not get us locked and asked to move on, we are surely doomed.
Sheldon
Sheldon,
Well said, especially about the gas taxes. As much as some want to believe, there are no free lunches, the cost is always shifted somewhere.
One big factor you left out was the rapid decline in the value of the US dollar against other currencies over the last 12--18 months. At the same time the Chinese yuan is being decoupled from the US dollar. These two factors have a compounding effect on the prices of Chinese goods imported to America.
Jay
If anyone is to be blamed for the high cost of model railroad equipment,we are to be blamed for that.There are quite alot of "modelers" that want the details,sound,all the fancy stuff on the freight cars and locomotives. I dont.I have been in this hobby for 36 of my 40 years living.I grew up building kits,using my imagination,making things out of cardboard,using REAL dirt and rocks form a field for details,and building my layout with the knowledge from my days in school.Now we have LAZY modelers (oh there out there) whom just want to take it out of the box and put it on the layout. And they call him / her a model railroader doing this? What fun is it to put a RTR locomotive,freight car,or building on your layout? What if you want to put a interior in a building,or even lights with a RTR building.Cant do it without wrecking the whole thing. Look at the locomotives....I want to put my own details on it,the way I want it to look, not what Athearn,MTH,Broadway,or any other manufacturer should feel is necessary to have on it. I always thought that the manufacturers WERE to listen to us,the model railroaders,to tell them what we wanted,and how we wanted them formed,like in kits,or partially assembled.Seems no one is listening to us at all.
Higher taxes on gas or anything else to pay for what I receive in the way of services is okay with me. I am a right of centre blue collar guy and I prefer to pay for what I get now even it it lowers my standard of living ( which doesn't seem to be the case ) and even if I don't agree with what the Government spends my money on.
Before anyone scoffs at the tax load of another country they better look in the mirror and think about the debt they are leaving their future generations. The Canadian Government slipped from surplus to deficit when the recent downturn happened. I will really be ticked if they are not back in surplus within five years. I don't want to steal from my children just so I can have more trains.
I want my children to have a better life than I did ( and I have had a great life ) Not struggling because I didn't want to pay my way.
Who was it that said " leave more than you came with" ?
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Sorry guys, but this is not the right forum to debate gas taxes. This thread will be locked.
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com