High price of brass!

[E7]

Surfing BT dot com and noticed 40 foot boxcars selling for $695 ! Other HIGH prices in general.

Rich

[Pacific Limited]

Pretty simple,

K shaped economy, and a smart businessman acting in prudence in accordance with the gamut of the upper K-shaped buyers; things have never been better, ever before. The top end of the market is absolutely flush with cash, they cannot spend it fast enough or for that matter live long enough to spend it all. No such thing as a budget with these folks. Once you reach that point, a model box car, 600-700-2000-3000-12,000— who cares. 1.4 million dollar new cars. It is 1928 again.

“If you have to ask……..”

Are these things worth this much more? Not really, more the value of the dollar is about 25 cents now, and it takes twice as long to earn that dollar as it did 10 years ago for the majority. So let’s MBNA at 28%, WTH, right? Hyperinflation is here, somewhat like 1938 Nazi Germany. At least someone is getting rich, right?

[up148]

Pretty crazy pricing when you consider PC was selling them for less that half of that price. Maybe the paint job is worth the difference, but I think I could find another solution. Sure are a lot of people out there with very deep pockets.

[Pacific Limited]

I agree, give it time you will find a better price elsewhere.

I probably have some models I could sell in surplus that BT would “mark-up” for the K shaped economy and I would not, but then I should, Lord knows I could use the extra money, 2 kids under 10, and I’m not part of the inheritacracy. I prefer to be morally responsible, I like to sleep at night and not commit gouging. I hold myself to a higher moral and ethical standard than some.

[up148]

I prefer to be morally responsible, I like to sleep at night and not commit gouging. I hold myself to a higher moral and ethical standard than some.

Nothing wrong with that attitude, as I think many of us older geezers grew up sharing that attitude. It's just not as prevalent today as it was in past decades.

I do wonder if the 1st quarter of the 2000's will go down in history as the time of scammers, liars, cheaters, unprincipled and corrupt predators with total disregard for societal standards of decency.

[Pacific Limited]

The era of the “Priced-Out” generation; a new sort of national pastime for some it would seem.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I do wonder if the 1st quarter of the 2000's will go down in history as the time of scammers, liars, cheaters, unprincipled and corrupt predators with total disregard for societal standards of decency.

Only in that it's become overt behavior vs. discrete, and that it's now linked to an increasingly high level of entitlement that's making it all acceptable as there are no consequences.

[up148]

Yeah, so many believe its only a lie if you get caught. People show remorse for being caught, not for committing whatever they committed.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Yeah, so many believe its only a lie if you get caught. People show remorse for being caught, not for committing whatever they committed.

Not any more - now it's all about lying and celebrating the lie! Go on TV, on TikTok, and whatever social media and celebrate....

There's no consequences!

[86TA355SR]

Brass trains are optional in my world. I choose not to participate in the madness anymore. There’s enough of being raped for daily life necessities vs ruining something I enjoy at my workbench. Your mileage may vary. We each have a “balance” the economy is ####ing up daily.

There’s a few items I really want but not paying those prices. Time is on my side, they’ll reappear. If not, I don’t need it.

Auctions can kiss my #ss also. That’s prior to fees, tax, shipping, handling, and other ways they find to put in our @ss. Bidders loose sanity swiping their button to win. Far from sane. Won’t even comment on ebay.

If you can’t see the huge economic s##t sandwich we’re all taking a bite of in the future, now’s the time to take cover. All the folks living on credit cards…outliving their means by choice…drive $100k SUV with an 8 year loan payment plus interest worth $10k in the end…saving nothing for retirement because the government will take care of them…are some of the daily reminders.

Went to get a yogurt between flights today. Guy scans it and it’s $13, price not marked on container. No price tag because of shame gouging?..hardly…general laziness attitude…would require him to do something other than look at his phone at work…while price stickers laid next to register. “You want it?” he asked. Real cordial, right? “Sh*t no since you couldn’t say “hello” either” I retorted while walking away. Attitude goes a long way when I’m being bent over.

I don’t feel obligated to buy and sure as hell not leaving a tip for that $6 small black coffee the “career” Starbucks kid so “expertly” poured…

Rant over.

[86TA355SR]

Yeah, so many believe its only a lie if you get caught. People show remorse for being caught, not for committing whatever they committed.

Not any more - now it's all about lying and celebrating the lie! Go on TV, on TikTok, and whatever social media and celebrate....

There's no consequences!

BUT…they got “views” “clicks” and “subscribers” for monetary gain to reinforce that behavior by social media platforms. What can possibly go wrong with a system like that….sarcasm….

[Chris Webster]

Pretty crazy pricing when you consider PC was selling them for less that half of that price. Maybe the paint job is worth the difference, but I think I could find another solution. Sure are a lot of people out there with very deep pockets.

FWIW, the PC website shows a bunch of 40 ft boxcars still available directly from Norm, at $311/each.'... while Trainworld's website shows they are taking preorders for MTH 40' USRA boxcars in 3-rail that will cost $84.99/each.

[Pacific Limited]

I really enjoy painting Norm’s cars. I have paid 250-400 for them and I have a small collection painted and his PC decals. My friend Jeff was using Krylon rattle cans on his and Seacrest’s, works great and hard to tell not done with a proper paint gun like I use. Have any of you had issues with some of the decal - logos - flaking off? I had that happen on 3 sets now, Frisco, Birmingham Southern, and one other can’t recall. I ended up having the decals reprinted by another guy after more than 2 attempts with PC again. Surprisingly, Micro-scale is usually pretty good. Gads, I hope I don’t get this with my Gibson Wine cars I just did.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

All the folks living on credit cards…outliving their means by choice…

Been a worry of mine for many years now....history of buying on credit is interesting...seems to have started in the 1920's leading up to the crash....for a long time it was practically a sin to borrow money, and then I think it was Oldsmobile that starting making loans so that they could sell you a car....and it's been downhill ever since...

drive $100k SUV with an 8 year loan payment plus interest worth $10k in the end…

There's optimism!

saving nothing for retirement because the government will take care of them…

There's laughable optimism!!