All that I can say is typical move on UP. Im sure when they started to hear rumblings about how ‘non-use’ of the logo’s would cause their venture to flop, they decided to run up a few new engines with the logo’s in their glory.
I like the schemes…but I dont like how UP went about it.
What? So the UP can create a few more dollars and cents of every Model Locomotive sold in these schemes?
I think that just went into the paint tank during this program genesis.
It’s time we stop bashing railroads for trying to do things we suspect having ulterior motives.
Why?
I decided that if CSX did a similar program on the east coast and brought back the B&O, WM, SAL PRR and others that made it what it is today… I would enjoy seeing these colors in life once again.
Let’s enjoy the hobby and get away from the dark side regarding model locomotive royalties and costs. Paying an extra 5 dollars for a 400 dollar UP engine with DCC and Sound is trivial. (Having a dummy coupler on the front instead of a 1.59 Kaydee set really lights my boiler)
If this is not a issue then I am totally off base (It would not be the first time a sunday swing missed the pitch)
I think UP’s move is a brilliant marketing scheme and a celebration of railroad history. What’s not to like? They are the only large RR I know of that kept their historic name thru the years. For them to honor the fallen flags is great thinking.
Now if we could just get Amtrak to lose the ugly trains and run classic streamliners again…
I still don’t understand all the UP bashing - it’s a business. They spend a lot of money keeping the steam locos running and on a traveling display. I spent 4 hours in Houston looking and photographing the challenger. I spent all day looking at the SP Mk-5 2-8-2 in DeQuency La. when it was there for DeQuency Railroad Days Festivel, at no charge to DeQuency
Model Railroaders don’t put enough money in the UP coffers to amount to a hill of beans.
When we buy a loco very little of the cost goes to UP, most of it goes to China. Are we bashing China?
I don’t model it because I don’t like Armour Yellow color.
All that I can say is typical move on UP. Im sure when they started to hear rumblings about how ‘non-use’ of the logo’s would cause their venture to flop, they decided to run up a few new engines with the logo’s in their glory.
I like the schemes…but I dont like how UP went about it.
I am not sure what you mean by “typical move on UP”…this is the first time in recent/contemporary history that any railroad has purposely repainted some of it’s locomotives to celebrate its past. Bravo to UP for at least trying. This is obviously done for the rail enthusiast public and general good old fashioned PR…certainly this was not done for the shippers benefit…they could care less what UP’s equipment looks like…
For all the UP bashers, consider this. Maybe the royalties we’re paying are helping to keep the steam program alive.
UP has done much to promote RR history while promoting itself. I agree with Highiron, let’s just enjoy the hobby. I can find plenty of controversy elsewhere.
Me thinks if Uncle Pete is trying to stir the pot and argue that its Fallen Flag are still “active” and therefore accountable for its “protection fees” I mean, “licensing fees”. Me hopes that Mr Judge slaps Pete upside the head with having to repaint a significant portion of his Yellow Jackets into these Fallen Flag schemes in order to justify said licensing fees…
i"m all for the new paint schemes. and i agree with the others that have posted before me in this thread that are in support of UP. i"ll bet big money that the cost of the designers, paint,painters& man hours spent to do this WAY exceades the stinking five dollars(or whatever they get) extra they get on a model. cripes, like Highiron2003ar mentioned, if i"m paying 289.00 for a plastic DCC w\sound engine, whats $5.00 more? come on, give me a break. lets just enjoy the old fallen flag paint, i AM! i cant wait to see what CNW will look like. no other road out there is doing this, and i think it shows their herritage. UP is the OLDEST running raod still around, and I will continue to support them! (ps. gvdobler, you posted while i was writing this,sorry, didnt mean to step on your toes on the paint)
I’m not quite sure what I think of the fallen flag paint schemes (aesthetically, not philosophically). I grew up in MoPac territory, so seeing anything other than plain ol’ blue with the eagle is a bit of a shocker to my sense of the past. But the idea, if not the actual paint scheme, is fine by me, and I’ve been critical of UP’s heavy-handedness in this whole debate and PR nightmare they have.
I read about the paint schemes out here on the day their press release went out, so there were threads.
While I’m not sure what I think of these two paint schemes, they do make me want to see the others when they come out.
But Grande Man, if you think that any of the royalties go to the steam program over, let’s say, the legal department, I have a bridge you might be interested in acquiring.
It’s not that I think that, it’s just that maybe that’s a way of thinking that could make the royalties issue a little more palatable for some here. Kinda along the lines of thinking of my tax dollars going to important things, not Govt waste. Helps to offset reality somewhat. [:D]
That is not cheesey!! That is great!! Finally UP gets away from their lame-plain old ‘armour yellow with gray and red trim’ paint! Uggh!! That was getting old! Although, the UP “Big Flag” is “PRETTY” interesting! But I think that those are nice units.
I’m a contractor for the Government, and I hate to burst that bubble too.[(-D]
Actually, I halfway expected you to ask what kind of bridge…truss, deck, covered, wood, steel.
Had UP done exactly what you are proposing it would have been a stroke of genius, in my opinion. Maybe you should consider selling your services to their PR department.
I’m happy to see the repaint. I was telling someone just a few weeks ago that it would be nice if the railroads would do this sort of thing. I would love to see the good old B&O paint come back, as well as Western Maryland.
