They go into effect today.
Are our imported trains considered toys?
You can find Bachmann sets in the toy dept at Wally World.
Is the paint safe on Accucraft.?
John Bouck said:I'll go chew on them and get back to you. ;) :)
They go into effect today. Are our imported trains considered toys? You can find Bachmann sets in the toy dept at Wally World. Is the paint safe on Accucraft.?
Richard Smith said:Richard, I was thinking the same thing. Its kind of like the guy keeping the grenade and throwing the pin. I can see it now - a Surgeon General study saying that sucking on model trains can be harmful to your health. This tain't rocket science, boys.John Bouck said:I'll go chew on them and get back to you. ;) :)
They go into effect today. Are our imported trains considered toys? You can find Bachmann sets in the toy dept at Wally World. Is the paint safe on Accucraft.?
Laff it up boys. 
Next time your grandbaby crawls out on the layout and starts sucking on your Chinee car…
Lewis once told me you shouldn’t smoke your trains 
So, jb, what are these new paint rules?
Steve Featherkile said:It has to do with testing. Lets say you make 10 different toys using the same red paint. Instead of certifying the red paint, all 10 toys have to go through a testing and certification process to ensure the paint is safe and non-toxic. It will likely eliminate many small toymakers. Ralph
So, jb, what are these new paint rules?
Musta been a gummint committee that came up with that one.
Daffynition: Gummint Committee: A life form with six or more legs and no brain.
If it is call a collectable does it still have to under go the testing?
Also, forgive me on this one seeing I do not have kids. But safe paint or not. I don’t think I want a kid or even my dogs chewing on these things. There not cheep you know. If I get married and have kids I will get them some chew toys from Petsmart that have been dog tested safe.
Steve,
The real killer is the second-hand stores… If they sell any kids stuff, this means every thing, it has to be tested… This will mean they will not carry any kids stuff… This means most will go out of business…
Ah, yes, the law of unintended consequences!
Bob Burton said:
Steve,The real killer is the second-hand stores… If they sell any kids stuff, this means every thing, it has to be tested… This will mean they will not carry any kids stuff… This means most will go out of business…
I wasn’t aware this applied to used merchandise. If so, this is a hugh blow to low income people.
I remember when I was younger, and poor enough, shopping at second hand stores for both toys and childrens clothes.
Ralph
I still shop second hand stores to find summer shorts that don’t go down to my knee caps.
Locomotives are getting lighter and the old LGB 140mm wagons have gone by the wayside to purge lead from toys.
Steve Featherkile said:Here in The Peoples Republic of California the animal rights zealots got an initiative passed in November that prohibits chickens from being confined to cages. All egg and meat production has to be free range. That has prompted several of the largest chicken and egg producing operations to plan moves out of state, and in some cases out of the country (think Mexico) so they are not affected by the law.
Ah, yes, the law of unintended consequences!
This week, the California legislature is proposing a new law that will prohibit selling chicken and eggs in California that are not produced in California. That will no doubt prompt trade restriction retaliation by other states, with the bottom line just driving up costs for everyone.
Meanwhile, our state budget deficit is well over $40 billion and growing daily, with no effort by the legislature, the governor nor any other government agencies to bring the fiscal bleeding under control. They are too busy legislating the size of chicken cages, where chicken is produced, and passing a new law that will make my house uninhabitable without my spending ~$45,000 on a new septic system. That is if I can get a permit to build a new septic system, which under the new law is somewhat in question.
As Steve wrote “. . . unintended consequences . . .,” except many of those consequences are obvious, but ignored by the privileged political class.
Happy (Toyless) RRing,
Jerry
Tom Ruby said:man and i was up to 3 reefer car a day:)
Lewis once told me you shouldn't smoke your trains ;)
We had a thread on this a while ago–the only evidence about the dire effects of this new law is an editorial written by a guy who runs a trade association for toy importers. It may indeed have the dire consequences described but before I start trotting out the usual cliches about how government is a always bad and legislation is always bad I’d like to hear the other side of the argument.
Here’s an article from USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2009-02-04-new-lead-safety-law_N.htm
I have no opinion on this law specifically, either for or against. In general as the parent of a small child I’d like her toys, books and clothes she uses to not have lead in them
Well, Mike, you and I grew up chewing lead paint and we turned out OK. 
btw, use a lower case “i” for italics
So, if I make a toy that has no paint on it, do I still have to test the paint that I didn’t use?
That is what I got when I read the law…
Steve Featherkile said:You sure about that? :) :)
Well, Mike, you and I grew up chewing lead paint and we turned out OK.
The lawmakers no doubt have our interests at heart. We grew up in a time when lead was added to paint to achieve richness, lead added to petrol to increase octane rating and asbestos was the wonder insulation material, used everywhere in the home and in industry.
We have every right to expect a legislated level of safety, as one becomes more reliant on goods from developing countries. Look to the plastics addition to milk powder in China to give it more protein. We cannot rely on self-regulation from local and overseas manufacturers. Safety recalls last year almost halted importation of goods from China by Walmart. The end result will be higher priced, safer toys, although the last time I chewed on a toy, was during teething, about sixty years ago.