IS IT SAFE FOR KIDS TO PLAY WITH HO SCALE TRAINS SETS

[JR387]

MY SISTER-IN-LAW PURCHASED THE THOMAS' FUN WITH FREIGHT SET HO SCALE ELECTRIC TRAIN SET FOR MY 8 YEAR OLD SON.  AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT IS SAME FOR HIM AS THERE WAS A WARNING ON BOX THAT STATES "THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS A CHEMICAL KNOWN TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO CAUSE CANCER,BIRTH DEFECTS OR OTHER REPRODUCTIVE HARM. MADE IN CHINA."

SO MY CONCERN IS WEATHER OR NOT THIS IS SAFE FOR KIDS TO PLAY WITH AS IT WOULD CRUSH MY SON'S HEART TO HAVE TO RETURN THIS AS HE HAS LOVED THOMAS THE TRAIN SINCE THE AGE OF 2.  AND AS OF YET HIS LOVE FOR THIS TRAINS GROWS.

I WOULD APPRECIATE SOME UPDATE AS TO WHEATHER THERE MAY HAVE BEEN ANY RECALLS POSSIBLY KNON IN THE US. OR ANY FURTHER HELPFUL INFORMATION ANYONE OUT THERE MAY HAVE.
THANKS

[ABC]

You can disregard the warning. As I understand it, there is a trace (very very small, barely measurable) amount of some chemical that may be a carcinogen or linked to cancer, but at the level the chemical is present, it poses absolutely no danger to anyone, I think it is present in the circuitry of other things including computers and other things like that. As long as he knows not to electrocute himself, he will be perfectly fine.

[JR387]

THANKS ABC.

I SINCERELY APPRECIATE IT.

[jonathan]

The number one rule in modeling...

don't eat the trains!

J

[James Thomas]

If you do eat the trains, wait at least an hour before you go to California.

-JRT

[full maxx]

or swimming

[jerryl]

  The only danger is that he will catch "The model train viris"  It usually lasts forever with no known cure.   But, there are worse things.   Jerry

[tac]

Please note for future reference that the state below Oregon that you mentioned also puts this warning on baby food packaging, health-care products and an untold number of pharmaceutical products that we take by mouth, rub on various parts of our anatomies, anoint our bodies, spray under our armpits or even use to disinfect ourselves and our homes.

They also have a notice in a forest near the border with Oregon that warns visitors that 'Trees are a natural product, and, as such, are not required to post warning of impending failure.  Please note, therefore, that you enter this area of natural forestation at your own risk - falling trees or components thereof MAY cause personal injury for which the State of C********a cannot be held responsible.'

The state appears to be run, if that is the right word, by a bunch of yo-yo's from Planet Gleep.

tac
www.ovgrs.org

[BestSnowman]

Tac has it pretty much on the money, my son has a Thomas set at my parents house that he does pretty well with (he's 3).

I'll guess what California is "concerned" about is the solder used to attach wiring, it often has small amounts of lead and with the tiny amount of solder in a locomotive we are talking miniscule amounts of lead.

It makes me wonder what type of warning California has on CFL lightbulbs, those have the solder (with lead) and vapor Mercury which is nasty stuff in it.

[FECfan]

it all depends, do you live in california? if not, disregard the warning 

[Heave]

California should be a WARNING to the rest of the United States of America.

Now with that said, 8 years is fine.

I started off in O standard gauge at 5, never alone. Then HO at 7 never alone. By the time I hit 14 I knew what is what with trains. Kadee coupler good, plastic coupler bad. Metal wheels good, plastic bad etc.

One set in particular almost drove me back into Standard Gauge. It's over 40 years and I aint gotten over it yet.

H***, the HOUSE I played with the train in in those days had a coal bunker converted to fire Oil for the radiators every window was equiptted with. No airconditioning in sight.

Cloth covered electrical wires to the plug in wall with slow acting shotgun fuses give plenty of fry time. A few cooks taught you to stay the h*** away from those.

Heck, vacuum tubes were replaced like Double A batteries today in those days.

H***, the PAINT was nice and shiny, the flakes too.

Need I go on?

The telephone aint where you wanted to be on when the trolley came through or a storm hit.

You might stand there under the coldish water of the shower while the Oil heater monster slowly lifted a slug of hot boiling water three stories to dump onto you.

What else?

Oh yes. How about hot summer days eating blacktop flying off those roaring pavers following street strip machines tearing at the Belgian brick cobblestones 10 yards from your porch?

Or the Arabber bringing up produce and milk by wagon from downtown in the hot sun for a few hours early in the morning?

Yes, those were the days, forget the gawdawful little stickers. Watch out for real life.

[mf5117]

DON'T CUSS CALL US !!!!!!!! REMEMBER THE YOUNGER GENERATION IN THIS FORUM !!!!!

[Len]

A decent explanation of those stupid warning tags can be found here: http://www.aristocraft.com/articles/warning%20label/Cal%20Prop%2065.pdf

In short, California has put itself in the positions of regulating interstate trade (which is supposed to be a Federal function) with this rule. Note that it also applies to items that are NOT manufactured, or sold, in Califonia - but that might be brought into the state by a third party.

Those stupid stickers cost consumers and business big bucks, just to avoid what have become known as "Warning Label Bounty Hunters."

Len

[sp4449]

dont put them in snow either and yes they r safe i have that set it runs like a dream excluding the noise when it goes down the track its excellent