The UP has had advisors visit other countries many times and has been benchmarked by railroads from all over the world.
Dave H.
Oh Oh, if they are going to arrive in Omaha on Amtrak they are very likely coming via air into Chicago and then via rail on the Amtrak California Zephyr that comes through my town every day and through Omaha on its way to California. It is chronically lated, especially at this time of year with cold weather, frozen cars, etc. Even though frozen cars might not be a real problem in Iraq, they will likely not be overly impressed with our railroad timekeeping using Amtrak as an example. Perhaps Chicago’s Metra rail can spare a train to take them to Omaha, they are almost always on time.
Well, I think it’s good if they can help get the Iraqi railways back into decent operating condition. After the war they need all the help they can get.
Also, I found this site which might be of interest showing the various types of motive power used by the Iraqi railways: http://www.ajg41.clara.co.uk/iraq/locomotives.html .
I think it will end up more like Guilford Arabian Lines…
…inefficient, little to no maintenance and complete employee/managment harmony. That part of the world does not have a rich history of railroading experience. Egypt has rails but they were in bad shape when I saw them ten years ago. Within the Gulf region, the primary export already has it’s primary means of distribution within reach, the bulk of the oil heads out on BFTs …Big Freakin Tankers…(that’s a technical term by the way). The rest heads out through pipelines across Jordan to the port of Aqaba, or through Syria to Tartus, where again it rides the freindly waves. Yes they have railroads, yes they use them, and quite frequently as a primary source of passenger travel, but no their economy doesn’t depend on the Iraqi railways getting back up on it’s feet. I wi***hem the best of luck, but like I said they are more in tune with blowing railways up, not building them…(Read TE Lawrences book…not the movie).
“Good morning Iraq, how are ya?,
don’t you know me I’m your native son.
I’m the train they call the City of Basra,
and I’ll go five hundred miles 'fore the day is done…”
Are you joking???
If theres any model railroaders or railfans there they’ll have to pay extra for UP (Union Persian) stuff.
I totally disagree. Yes, they run the most “profitable” railroad in the world. Want to know how they are getting the “Profit”? They’re getting it by making model railroaders pay to use their logo. The way I look at it, that is not a shrewd, calculated, or very profitable buisness decision. Sure it has profit for Union Pacific, but not for the model railroaders. You may have a point, some people may agree with you, but I don’t.
I have to side with Ed on this one and I hope that Mookie’s right. The way I see it it’ll be either BNSF or CSX, and my vote would go to BNSF since they have the history and the territory to compete with UP.
Willy- While I understand your argument, the simple fact is that they have put trademarks on their assets. The logo and company name is rightfully theirs and they can choose to protect it how they wish. Think of it like packaging, Perrier and Dannon both bottle water but the Perrier is more expensive becaue of the name, not necessarily the content. In either case it is the purchaser’s decision whether or not to pay the extra. While it might not be a popular move in your eyes, it is a shrewd business move that will undoubtedly bring some additional cash flow in an area where there wasn’t previously any. Still its not like they are raking it in hand over fist by creating licensing agreements to model
manufacturers. Ultimately the decision resides with you. If it really upsets you that much, don’t buy it.
And good for the Iraqis. I hope that in some small way this helps get things back on track(pun intended). It be nice to think that maybe railroaders can help do what the politicians can’t.
Willy2,
I think UP goofed with the logo thing also.
Not that the fee for the licenseing agreement will alter their cash flow, what they will make off the logo wouldnt even pay fro the morning coffee at headquarters and the dispatching center.
And after all, it is their property.
Bad PR, though…
But UP has in the past, and will continue to do something most railroads have put on the back shelf.
They are making plans, and putting into motion, steps to make sure the future of the company is sound.
They are taking a pro-active stance, adding tracks, and repairing current trackage, and moving towards a place where, at some point in its travel, almost every piece of transcon freight will have to move on UP tracks at least part of the way.
Their major concern isnt the model railroad world, nor that of the railfan, but instead, they are more concerned in making the shareholders and investers a profit, and building a stable, financialy sound railroad.
Trust me, there hasnt been too many of those around for a long time.
Count on it, these guys are dead serious about being one of the biggest railroads in the world.
I would suspect BNSF will be the other one in twenty years, and one of the major eastern railroads will survive, but thats about it.
Stay Frosty,
Ed
If you money that they are going to get from charging people to use their logos will hardly be enough to pay for coffee I think that there is even more reason to not make people pay.
I do agree that Union Pacific is very committed to exellence and they have some very positive goals. Overall they have a good railroad and they try to keep things in great shape. I just think that they have made a few mistakes. Those mistakes can be corrected if they keep up the good work that they are doing.
Willy - to kind of suppliment what Ed has said - you start getting a handle on the little things (charging for logos) while they are still small and they won’t be such a problem later on down the road. Worry about pennies and dollars will take care of themselves!
Shoes, T-shirts - you can get plain ones cheaper than signature ones. You are paying for the use of the logo, plus you are a walking billboard. Driver’s ball cap (N) in red - not exactly inexpensive - my purse - not very expensive - no outside label - pay a lot more and I can carry a purse with Ralph Lauren on it. Or Gucci. Or Mookie…
…Ed: I agree with your assessment of who will be the final big 3 railroads in the country hence 20 years or so…
Hey Any place with trains must be a good thing. Unless it’s used for terrorism or something like that.