Hundman Commentary - UP Logo Issue

Jim Stanton · 2003-07-10T00:12:14+00:00

If you have not read the Mainline Commentary in the August issue ofMainline Modeler Bob Hundman explains the Union Pacific licensingissue.Recently there was a posting on this newsgroup about the UP licensingissue and I don't mean to be redundant here I just wanted to commenton Bob's commentary.At the end of commentary Bob started to go where I hoped he would notwhich was by making a case that shippers who influence shippingdecisions would start shipping on the BNSF. Economics, not sympathies,will determine how shippers move their freight. He also said thiscould be a public relations issue for the Union Pacific. The realityis that the public is not going to be sympathetic to this issue atall. In fact the public will never know about it. Just the MRRcommunity will. I understand he needs to approach it this way becausehe could not endorse telling manufacturers to simply ignore the UnionPacific.Something is driving the Union Pacific to do this. I have not heard areason that sounds logical yet. Could it just be a revenue issue? Dothey want a part of model railroad revenues? Is that the business theyare in?Could be that the Union Pacific is worried about their trademark beingused on things other than model railroad products such as a UnionPacific Sucks website and use of the trademark on model railroadproducts without royalties might make it difficult for them to tramplesuch a site. By the way I have not checked if there is a Any webmasters out there interested in buildinga website?Bottom line is it is unfortunate the UP does not sell something youand I could buy because if they did they would be paying the modelrailroad manufacturers to make more UP stuff.The manufacturers are in a tough situation. Which one should step outand challenge the Union Pacific to see what happens? My recommendationto manufacturers would be for them to ignore the Union Pacific. MRIA(the Model Railroad Industry Association) should get the advice oflegal counsel paid for by the manufacturers who...

Jul 10, 2003 21 Replies

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crosstie 23 years ago

FWIW, I just got permission from CSX to use their logos gratis on my webside, providing I don't use them in a degrading manner. So if I want to illustrate the SAL section with a logo, they have ~no~ problem with that, and no desire to charge me for the privelege. Since they had lawyers scan the Internet for their marks and draw up papers but they don't get any revenue, I conclude their only reason for making me sign an agrement is to protect their marks. Just like UP.

Jeff Sc. Free To Me, Ga.

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crosstie 23 years ago

I think a photo of a protected logo would have the trademark symbol in the photo. Otherwise, if they don't want their logo photographed, they have to make it not visible from public property.

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