According to posts elsewhere, if true, CSX has joined the effort to extract a toll from both fans and model railroaders by exploiting their logo to harvest cash from our pockets. What was formerly good will and free advertising is now been transformed by greed into a bad taste in my mouth that smells like arrogance. LGB is rumored to be considering dropping UP from its product line. I would not fault others if they followed a backlash. I hope they do and dry up this well of shameless exploitation. Despite rumors to the contrary, the Robber Barons are alive and well.
I think CSX is sadly mistaken if they think that their logo and artwork is in the same league with that of UP. On the other hand I suspect that controlling the fallen flags that created CSX could bring in some revenue. It was bad when UP started this crap, here we go again.# Corporate GREED, who’s next???
CSx itself isnt a big draw but if you want a car with a B&O,C&O , or a chessie logo on it I can see why they would get greedy.because the predecessor roads are more collectibale.
stay safe
joe
You may remember, Chessie System was probably the first major railroad to license its corporate trademarks, in the early 1980s. It caused a bit of a furor back then, but the railroad was fairly civil about it.
This is really nothing new. For years, the C&O Historical Society’s Magazine (now called C&O History) has had a note on the inside front cover: “C&O, C&O for Progress, Chessie, Chessie System, and CSX trademarks are the property of CSX Corporation and are used with permission.”
Just a reminder from other postings, if a corporation doesn’t protect its trademarks, they can be lost.
On a related note, I remember reading a news article in TRAINS some years back in which some character incorporated and then attempted to register the PRR keystone as his trademark, the object being to collect royalties for using the trademark.
As has been discussed at length, the RRs are simply playing catch-up in the world of licensing. I suspect that if approached civilly, they will be civil. Time will tell, of course.
2 down, 5 to go.
In the last few months I’ve been disliking CSX more and more.
The thing is that companies PROTECT their trademarks by USING THEM regularly, not by charging for them, even though they do have the right to do so. There are plenty of companies that don’t have marketable trademarks.
This whole thing may be more about claiming the revenue from the fallen flags, than it is about licensing the current railroad’s trademarks, that is just gravy. This would explain why that guy wanted to try to claim the Keystone.[:0][}:)][;)]
No matter how you slice it, coming out and pulling this crap, after all these years, is just plain rotten[:(!][V][B)][:(]
Great! Soon we will all be buying models of the Onion Pacific, CSaX, BSSF, Newflock Southern, Canrail, KaCiS, Beltimore & OH, Pansylvania RR, Chassis, Sue Line, etc.
Maybe the manufacturers can sell a little paint on the side so we can paint over the “off” marks and make the corrections at home. I see a whole new industry springing up.
When UP denied Microsoft the right to model a UP loco and equipment in their Train Simulator, it was only a little while before others set out the Onion Pacific equipment. Maybe our models will have to follow suit. Freelancers may be the future. Undecorated equipment the norm. People will have to paint their own stuff (horrors - what will happen to RTR?).
here I was, proud of my favorite rail company for not doing what UP was doing, boy was I wrong. [B)]
hey… all i got to say is…
MODEL CSX…buy anything that says CSX on it… help cover my pay check…and put money into my retierment
csx engineer
I would if I modeled the CSXT!
Im still waiting to see what the BNSF is going to do first…HELLLO!
In a similar field, it would be interesting to find out what is paid in royalties to the various airlines for airplane models, decals, etc. using their corporate logos and colors.
I’m sure if they do this all the money will go to buying golf clubs for the execs
If I named my cat “Chessie” would I have to pay royalties to CSX[?]
im sure its not going to go into the system…lol… but its nice to dream…lol
csx engineer
Hmmm - I may be in trouble - already had a cat named “Chessie.” Passed on quite some time ago, though, so maybe the statute of limitations applies…
I wonder who owns the rights to the Pennsylvania Rail Road name ? Eight years ago I met a character at a Great American Train Show who was selling PRR credit cards.He claimed to have acquired the rights to the PRR name and wanted to use the profit from the credit cards to subsidize a shortline. Joe G.
Why can’t you people see that they are just trying to make these model builders to accuratly represent their companies? All they want is for their logos to be correct and the colors matched!!! I think 5 bucks is a small price to pay for a more accurate model for those of us who are not “crazy” about painting and decaling them on our own.
I must disagree with you. I can’t think of one model I have purchased in over thirty years + where the logo was distorted or in the wrong location.For us modelers, It’s appying a fix where there is not nor has there ever been a problem. Read the reviews of new products in one of Kalbach’s sister publications and you find it’s an area of quality that is also reviewed along with the neatness of the paint job. More and more, modern maufacturers pride themselves in making a more accurate model because that is a major selling point. If you heard the response from UP in the stockholders meeting where this issue was raised, it was said it was a no brainer decision to increase the revenue stream from their point of view. It will be interesting to see if BNSF follows this trend. For those of us who received the new K-Line catalog, there is a great looking Santa Fe passenger set decorated in the “black bonnet” colors. It is not accurate inasmuch it is an "as if " concept. How would BNSF view a non accurate model with a subsidiary logo affixed to it? If it were licensed when the fee were paid that would throw out the argument there is an overwhelming concern for accuracy. Time will tell. However, I think you will see a general retreat from manufacturer’s from these logos because there is a huge price war going on with too much product in inventory.