UP Logo issue

Please post the reply from Mr. Davidson, if you do receive one. It should be interesting to hear his point of view on the subject.

in article snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com, Steve Hoskins at snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.net wrote on 9/7/03 6:07 PM:

I will. But please write physical letters and let Mr. Davidson know what you think of their licensing policy. Be polite, but let him know what you think.

What did you say?

Probably not. He may not even see it. Someone will be opening his mail and routing to the "appropriate" departments within the corp. It will probably go to legal for a response. EVEN IF his signature appears on the response he may not have seen the letter or response.

It would be great to be wrong about this.

Paul

The point is to write. If you write you'll (maybe) get your own reply.

The text of my letter follows:

***** Dear Mr. Davidson;

I am a model railroader and have been for many years. I became aware recently that Union Pacific is now charging for use of their logos by model railroad manufacturers. This is outrageous. UP is a giant corporation extracting a tax on what is mostly a cottage business. Even Athearn is a relatively small company. It seems to me that the ill will generated among model railroaders, the most ardent railroad supporters you could desire, more than offsets any minimal revenue you might generate. Your policy should be to grant royalty free licenses with the same restrictions you currently enforce. Certainly, you need to protect the logo from misuse, but charging legitimate modelers for its use is over the top. Your current licensing policy certainly does not cause me to have a favorable opinion of Union Pacific.

***** in article nKS6b.388755$uu5.73046@sccrnsc04, Paul Newhouse at snipped-for-privacy@pimin.rockhead.com wrote on 9/7/03 8:31 PM:

You could always try the trick of sending the letter in a personal rather than business type envelope and spraying it lightly with perfume. just enough to be noticable.

Secretaries and adminstrative assistants don't like to handle their bosses' personal mail. Avoids having to testify in divore cases later about what they read . :-)

Eric

Paul Newhouse wrote:

Probably not. He may not even see it. Someone will be opening his mail and routing to the "appropriate" departments within the corp. It will probably go to legal for a response. EVEN IF his signature appears on the response he may not have seen the letter or response.

It would be great to be wrong about this.

Might work!! If he has a sense of humor.

You need to send it Fed-Ex or UPS Red with signature so that only his secretary or he gets it. Even if a receptionist signs, the letter will make it back to his office. The admin may readit first but it will get further than a regular letter.

Charles

You guys are getting carried away. Just send a letter in a personal letter sized envelope with a 37cent stamp (US Flag is nice). If he gets one only (mine), it probably won't make a difference unless he actually gets the letter and reads it and says, "What idiot put that policy in place? Hey Margie, get Scheizkopt from Marketing in here. NOW!"

But even if he doesn't get them, if hundreds or thousands are send, it will be noticed. This is especially true of they are not form letters or postcards, but honest to goodness individual letters expressing your personal opinion in a thoughtful and considered fashion. No flames, no ridiculous threats (I'll never ship with UP again. It's Sluggo's Deliveries from now on for me).

And it is only a shot in the dark in any case.

Ed.

in article snipped-for-privacy@syrcnyrdrs-02-ge0.nyroc.rr.com, Charles P. Woolever at snipped-for-privacy@rochester.rr.com wrote on 9/8/03 2:29 PM:

Who else has written a letter so far?

Care to share it with us so we can get some ideas on what to write to them?

CBix

I posted the letter a bit ago.

Ed.

in article snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com, Charles Bix at Charles snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com wrote on 9/12/03 9:23 AM:

Excellent letter too.

OK that's one, who else?

CBix

I used Edwards letter as a starting point and sent it. I figured what the hell it might do something. Did anyone else send a letter or is the lack of a response to this post representational of apathy toward the UP trademark issue within the model railroad community? Did everyone roll over on this subject?

I think the UP is within their legal right but it is petty for them to do so.

Jim Stanton