Union Pacific not a scrooge

scheme even coming close to paying for the cost of administering it.<

No one has ever answered my question. What if all model RR cars in question become undecorated (painted with reporting data but no UP on them). Then the UP sold as stick-ons (decals or the like) as a separate item for a dime! UP then gets 1% of a dime per item and the cost of administration out weights the income by a bunch. Kits and resin, etc. are in a perfect position to do this and RTR could do it also.

So just who has as their favorite railroad a stock milking corporate device (Penn Central)?

That has got to be one of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard. If one actually takes the time to read trademark law (which is much different than copyright law), one finds that trademarks used in Interstate Commerce are restricted the most ... which means the chances of ever getting them exempted is slim to none.

If you tried changing the laws, it's likely every lobby group involved in interstate commerce (such as airlines, trucking companies, etc) would balk and attempt to get the efforts struck down. Since their bank accounts are far deeper than model railroad manufacturers/enthusiats, their voices will be heard by the politicians loud and clear...

Well, actually modelers aren't at anyone's mercy. They simply make what they need.

Model /buyers/ are going to pay the price.

Much of this hoo haa effects only the RTR crowd.

CTucker NY

What's your job description? I'm guessin' you're a desk jockey because UP railroad men I've talked to are not exactly happy campers.

Another local UP derailment, in Robstown Texas, a gravel train this time. I think that's been about a half-dozen around here this year. Seems like UP ain't got its act very together when it comes to track maintenance and treatment of the folks who do the actual railroading.

Texas Pete

Heh. What I meant is that the PRR and the NYC (although not the NH) is still around and known as American Premium Underwriters. The NH, last I heard, was a small office of some lawyers handling ancient NH cases (things like environmental issues and 99 year leases that have yet to come due).

It'd be interesting to know about other RR's that have bit the dust, yet their coporation is still around...

Paul A. Cutler III

Don't forget that this would apply to Microscale and other decal companies. So unless you can make your own accurate UP decals, this will affect scratch builders and custom painters, too.

Paul A. Cutler III

And just what will you do, Paul when UP buys up CSX or NS? You MUST konw that that is on the Borg (UP) agenda. They are just waiting for the heat from their last mergers to die down.

Regards,

DAve Fan of the Late Great Southern Pacific and Santa Fe.

So far, New Haven modelers don't seem to be in danger.

..............F>

Heavy Electric, GA.

I am certain I have read this before but those few dollars on a hundred dollar lccomotive just doesn't make any difference. Someone said health premiums had soured and nobody was complaining. I have to agree. Mine went up 50% this year. This is really a lot but nothing can be done. We just have to accept it. This small increase on trains will also be accepted. Everything is going up and we pay royalities on almost everything. I also doubt those Lionel buyers will not notice this increase. You must remember their engines cost around a thousand dollars and the increase would be more like thirty or fourty on an item. Seems as much of their product is now scale except for the three rails I imagine they are like all modelers, road specific in their purchases. I know this is an irritating subject but the small amount this will come to in the end will not ballast much right away

Jerry

I have nothing against that. But why are they going against standard practice of the past 50+ years? Model RRing has been a great source of free advertising for ALL railroads. Too bad they don't recognize it as such.

I don't mind UP demanding a cut so much, but that involves the extra bookkeeping to keep track of that. Truth be told, any decent inventory/sales database could get the answer to "How much UP stuff did I sell?" in a matter of seconds to minutes. All you need is the part numbers of your UP items cross-referenced to your sales database. But that should be easy for big mfrs. if they have their stuff set up correctly, which they may not.

If this goes through, anybody want to bet that UP stuff may get its own part series with at least 1 manufacturer?

Jay CNS&M North Shore Line - "First and fastest"

There is approximately 2 billion in the budget for track improvements. Things should be getting much better in that area.

Jerry

Why would I care about the CSX or NS? :-) Just kiddin'. Obviously, that would be more of a problem for me as an eastern modeler, but I could still deal with it as the NH's logo rights were either swallowed up by PC (now APU), or still in the hands of the NH's corporate descendant, or in the public domain. Considering that the Conn. Dept. of Trans. is using the NH's logos and paint schemes, I don't think that it would be a problem. And, what with the new rules and attitudes following the almost BNSF-CN merger, mergers might not be seen as necessary as they used to be. Not to say that UP wouldn't grab either CSX or NS at the drop of a hat, but it is less likely to happen now, IMHO.

Paul A. Cutler III

So far, so good. I think the NH is safe from such UP-type actions. Although it wouldn't surprise me for some idiot to come along and try to get the rights... But I also think they would be unsuccessful...

Paul A. Cutler III

swallowed up by PC (now APU), or still in the hands of the NH's corporate descendant, or in the public domain.< You don't understand, UP doesn't care about this public domain stuff. As far as they are concerned they own everything public domain or not!

And the company could maintain that control just by charging a token annual amount - say $1 or $5.

Typically, the majority of people who would even see this form of "free advertising" is the model RR community, who know full well what the heck UP is, and what they do. To the typical person off the street, they wouldn't know the difference between a UP boxcar model, and an empty box of Dunkin Donuts on wheels.

On second thought, people would probably recognize what the Dunkin Donuts logo was first.

These days, the "free advertising" from model RR products argument just doesn't wash...