# the time traveler



## Tom Leaton (Apr 26, 2008)

Just an idle question: Pretend that you met a time traveler from the future,who came to your country whatever that is. Pretend also that the traveler told you alone that you have only the next 12 months to buy one non-domestically made locomotive, for yourself (and not for resale), before imported train prices become unbelievably high, then

. . what would you get? 


Just wondering 


TUL


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Your premise doesn't leave many options if you stay with stuff running on 45mm track unless you count the fact that most everything except HLW is made in China! I'm going to assume (dangerous, I know) that companies here in the USA are excluded (like USAT, Aristo, Bachmann, etc...) and go from there. I would look at the time traveler and thank him for his tip and would then do _nothing! _Everything I may want or need in the future is available domestically! I won't spend $$$$$$ just to save $$!


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Forget that, I threaten beat the snot out of the Doctor until he told me which way the stock market was going to head, and should I continue to invest in Dalekinium futures???? 

Seriously, I've been downsizing, but recently did make a major purchase, but domesticly made, and just picked up a Germie-made product from Axel, so the only other stuff I'm really really interested in are also domestic from Missouri Locomotive Works (grumble Chris) their isnt really anything outside of maybe, just maybe the LGB Forney, but even that has plenty on the second hand market. So I dont see anything currently being made overseas being really desirable to me. 

Well maybe the Roundhouse Darjeeling, but thats made of Unobtanium, and Dalekinium is way more affordable.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Does this stranger also give me the cash? And I'm limited to just what is available at that time? Guess that rules out sold out limited runs of the past... so I'd like a C-something live steamer. 
Back in the real world, I'm set. 

John


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## Dave F (Jan 2, 2008)

I'd just ask to borrow his sonic screwdriver and fix a few things.. 

Oh, and spend a little "Quality time" with Rose Tyler..


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## Tom Leaton (Apr 26, 2008)

Speaking for myself, I sense that where I live (in the US) we will not again see today's low prices for, say, a live steamer imported from the Peoples Republic, nor imported from the land of the Euro. Thus, I hope to act accordingly ( if cash frees up). 

Good luck to you


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

under these hipotetical circumstances i would buy a Stainz, made in the 70ties, unused out of the box and not run yet. 

that would be the most hours of running i could get against the hardships of the future..


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Tom, 
What is the deep psychological inner motivation in asking that question? 
Do you know something about forcing the PRC to float their currency that we are not being told about?


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

For me it would be a Regner live steam Heidi. 

Keith


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## Tom Leaton (Apr 26, 2008)

Tony: No clue re the PRC! (But I doubt that anyone will force them to do what they are against.) I'm more concerned about the future of my own buying power


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## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

In that case, Tom, I would try to get the most out of your present dollars. I sincerely feel that our buying power, as we know it today, will be somethig we tell our grandchildren and great grandchildren about. Just as when I was a kid growing up in the fifties, my parents would tell of penny ice cream cones, and nickle movies. Mind you, when I was that kid, in the fifties, an ice cream cone was ten cents, eleven cents with jimmies!! But still ten times what my parents paid in the early thirties.


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## stevedenver (Jan 6, 2008)

well no lack of hubris here 

but the time traveler must have visited me in my dreams 
did that with a vengence about 2 years ago, when i began to suspect LGB was in trouble- 

what was my choice -well lots- 
but the top of the list was a sound Uintah mallet as well as a DR sound mallet 

today-id do the HB 2-10-2 with synch smoke and sound-if i could find one 
next on the list would be an A-B-A set of UP F-7s and 6 passenger cars


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Madman on 28 Apr 2010 07:49 PM 
In that case, Tom, I would try to get the most out of your present dollars. I sincerely feel that our buying power, as we know it today, will be somethig we tell our grandchildren and great grandchildren about. Just as when I was a kid growing up in the fifties, my parents would tell of penny ice cream cones, and nickle movies. Mind you, when I was that kid, in the fifties, an ice cream cone was ten cents, eleven cents with jimmies!! But still ten times what my parents paid in the early thirties. 




Yeah, but its not actually 10 times more expensive when you factor in inflation and the fact that people's incomes also rise over time, as prices of everything else rises..

For example, In 1965 you could buy a new Ford Mustang for $2,500..
Today it can be over $25,000.
but is today's mustang really "10 times more expensive" than the 1965 mustang?
not really..because most people today earn 10 times the 1965 salary..

In relative terms, the price is probably about the same..
same concept applies to the 1930's ice cream cone vs. the 1950's ice cream cone.

I dont think "buying power" has gone down much, relatively speaking..
if anything, its generally been going up over time..

Scot


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

I was curious how accurate my Mustang analogy was.. 
so I did a little research.. 
obviously people's individual situations vary a lot, (my wife and I are earning 25% less then we were 4 years ago) 
but this is just using averages.. 

Average yearly earnings: 
http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/COLA/AWI.html 

1965 earnings = 4,659 
1965 base Ford Mustang = $2,368 
The 1965 Mustang equals 51% of the 1965 income. 

2008 earnings = 41,335 
2008 base Mustang = $19,650 
http://autos.aol.com/cars-Ford-Mustang-2008/overview/ 
the 2008 mustang = 47% of the 2008 income.. 

making it slightly MORE affordable than in 1965!  
using that one unscientific example, "earning power" in 2008 is about the same, maybe slightly better, than 40 years previous.. 
of course after 2009, its probably down a bit..  
but still, overall, average "earning power" hasnt really changed much over the last half century.. 

Scot


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

So, I can buy one locomotive not from the US, because all the non-US prices are going crazy, and it's for me, so like the last chance. 

Well, since I don't run live steam, and I run 1:29, easy... a USA Trains Big Boy... the more expensive the item the more money I "saved". (If I was 1:32, it would be an Aster sparkie, don't they go for 18 grand?) 

Seriously, with no budget considerations, or anything else, it would be the same thing as: you can make one transaction to buy a bond that is guaranteed to go up in value, how much do you want to spend? All that I can.. 

Regards, Greg


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