I would imagine the level of detail is market driven to some degree. And once you see a highly detailed model, it’s hard to accept a lesser model even at reduced prices. Personally, I don’t care about detailed bottoms, but I don’t think that contributes greatly to the overall cost compared to topside detail.
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If production is shifted to the US, the cost will be influenced by much more than just labor rates. There will be fringe benefits to account for, labor/safety rules, the infrastructure/overhead costs, utility cost differences, etc. So that $60 quickly becomes $120.
where are you getting these #s from?
Yes. "In the early 1970s a good, 21-inch console color television might cost you $500. In today’s money that would be around $3300. A good tabletop set might be $350, or about $2200 today. " The adjusted for inflation amount would probably be correct for a color TV made in the USA now. It would cost a huge amount of money to build new assembly plants here, train workers (no pun intended), pay taxes, etc.
TV Technology and Prices: Then and Now | Sound & Vision
p.s. to put prices in perspective, my father was a US mailman in the early seventies approaching 30 years of service. He earned about $1000 a month then.
I’ll focus here, not on tariffs and the comments thereto (from differing perspectives), but on the increased preference for detail. And, in the case of engines, cabeese, and passenger equipment, on electrical complexities.
One can’t simply leave increased cost at the detail and complexity doorstep alone. Another factor is the increased willingness to pay another to install them.
Yesterday I hauled out an NIB Detail Associates Espee sugarbeet gondola and peaked inside. Not only was it highly detailed, many of the more delicate parts - especially grabs and underbody piping - were metal. I grew up in an age where if you wanted nicer stuff, you built it. Which, of course comes with its own satifactions. The discussions on these and other forums (sic) on this particular subject are many and extensive and I won’t belabor the points; just to say that we pay for instant gratification in many ways.
International market and trade issues, and now tariffs, merely provide another “room” in which to carry on the discussion - and vent as one deems it appropriate.
John
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Toolbelt, I do agree that the high end models of today are gorgeous but they will never run on my layout. They would not provide a greater value to me than my Life Like P2K’s or Atlas Trainman locomotives. Of course, opinions differ and I have no problem with that. The MR companies capture more returns by focusing on the high priced items now and in the future. I personally would pay more for a higher priced mid-tier product made in America than one from China. YMMV.
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$500 in today’s dollars will buy you a 4K 55" HD LED tv for what the equivalent of $3300 would buy you in the 1970’s for a much smaller, no def, rabbit eared tv.
Items like utility costs comparisons are readily available online, as are most of the other items I mentioned. For comparison sake, an apartment in China rents for 300-400% less than in the US.
Just because someone doesn’t want you to know something doesn’t make an action hostile.
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In this example, Amazon wanted people to know the exact cost of tariffs on all items affected. To the masses, tariff is an obscure term. Some even actually believe that the tariffs are paid by the exporting country and that it won’t affect prices domestically. If tariffs are so good, why all the pushback when a retailer wants to show the true cost, in dollars?
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How is that in any way related to the discussion? That 20" black and white TV didn’t cost so much more because it was made in the U.S. That same TV made overseas also would have cost as much as a big screen today, because the biggest difference in price in that example is caused by advances in technology. I could get a 75" TV today for less than what I paid for a 55" made in the same country 10 years ago.
I find it ironic that you mention Life Like Proto 2000s and Atlas products to contrast with more modern highly detailed models. Both of those product lines were imported to the best of my knowledge. And from my memory of modeling in my childhood and young adulthood, Proto 2000 products were the first products I remember coming mostly ready to run (sure you had to put the shell on the chassis) and highly detailed that were not imported brass. Just saying that those two examples are probably not that good. If you want to talk about US made products before most of the manufacturing was moved over seas you’re talking about Athearn Blue Box locomotives. Which were fine products and I still have all of mine and enjoy them. But there is a big detail level difference, many didn’t even have window glazing. Just to give one example. And while I enjoyed putting time into adding lots of details to those models, it’s not for everyone and I have a hard time imaging us returning to that level of detail even if it would be fine with me.
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Had those manufacturers kept production in the US, today’s 55" basic Big Screen would cost around $3000, not the $500 we currently pay. And in 10 years, a larger TV may cost the same, the same rule applies regardless of the manufacturing country, making that a moot point. Production didn’t get “stolen” by foreign countries. Domestic companies chose to manufacture elsewhere due to cost advantages.
I recently went through the process of detailing my old BB GP-50, and it easily cost 2x more for the detail parts than what I paid for the unit back in 1987. It was a labor of love, but certainly didn’t make economic sense. But it still growls 
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whate “crystal ball” are you getting these #s from ???
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Likely from the same crystal ball that’s telling us that gas is down to $1.88 and egg prices are down 87%.
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Saw gas drop here in NWPA to $3.44 a few weekends ago, the lowest it had been this year so far. 24 hours later?? $3.69 the highest it has been this year.
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so you’re just making these #s up ???
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I extrapolated the data available based on known variables from global statistics which track items such as labor rates, benefit costs, utility costs, real estate averages, construction charges, etc. To suggest that production can simply be moved to the US with no effect on price is crazy talk. While it’s a nice sentiment, the reality suggests otherwise. Furthermore, it would require at least 10 years to develop the infrastructure, tooling, skills and networks required to come even close to today’s standards, and millions of dollars. It would be foolish to even begin that process when the need for doing so will be gone in 4 yrs (or less).
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I highly doubt it would cost six times as much, regardless, the cost of a TV from 50 years ago is irrelevant.
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