Dear Customers:

To all United States customers:

What is the latest tariff information for all United States PWRS customers?

  The US Government is ending the practice of allowing shipments of goods into the United States made in China, duty free, using the de minimus exemption. The de minimis exemption has allowed goods valued at or below $800, per person, per day, to be imported duty free.

The US governement is disallowing this exemption as of May first. This means that goods coming from China, Hong Kong, Mexico and other countries will be assessed a tariff when they enter the United States. The tariff assigned to the goods is based on the country where they were made, not from where they are being shipped.

            All shipments to US customers will be subject to the new tariff rate after May the first.

Please take a look at what we have and on the shelf now because those items are available for shipment immediately and can be sent before the tariffs are in effect. So if you want anything from PWRS, especially NARC items, it's a good idea for you to place any orders for items in stock right away. After May first, we will still be able to ship to you but you will be responsible for the applicable tariffs and taxes.

Today, April 17th, the tariff is expected to be 145% on goods from China, where most model train products are manufactured. As we have seen, the tariff amounts waiver so that may change. In discussions with some of our US based suppliers whose products also come from China, there is talk of suspending or pausing future shipments because the currect tariff rate will make purchasing unattractive.

Item that we have in stock are selling quickly because the cost today will be much less than in the future. New products coming in could be as much as, or more than, 145% more expensive.

Products made in the United States and shipped to customers in the US, i.e. Microtrains and Kadee, are not subject to any tariff.