I’m surprised no one has yet turned a spotlight on this item:
There’s a note in the latest CTT that Union Pacific has decided to divert all royalties from its controversial [my word] licensing program to its heritage programs, which maintain steam train and passenger train operations as well as the railroad’s museums. The fees collected are from model train manufacturings, plus any sundry item using the UP logos or trademarks.
Shows somebody at UP must be reading this forum, because that’s exactly what was proposed here awhile back by many of us.
It’s simply a funds-shift on paper, but I gotta give UP an attaboy anyway for this excellent public relations move.
Helloooo? Norfolk Southern? Helloooo? Get that J-Class 611 out of the parking lot and back out on the high iron where we can all REALLY enjoy it, willya?
Its only good news if its additional funding to the program. If it replaces funds supplied from operations, then it just increases the bottom line as if didn’t go through. As a financial professional (Controller) with a lot of experience in funding and budgetting, it’s very easy to play games like this for public consumption while really padding the bottom line in reality.
Check next years financial report and check the comparatives, if the funding stays the same, you’ve been had. The funding must increase by at least the amount of the licensing fees collected in order for you to have any warm and fuzzies.
Well at least UP SAYS the money will go t’wards the heritage program. While I don’t believe this 100%, hopefully it will. I might not feel so bad buying C&NW stuff if the license fee goes to a good cause (heritage program, vs. going to UP itself)
I think it is a shrewd business descision on their part that in all likelyhood will increase their bottom line AND make us feel good about spending 150 bucks on a new model (instead of 145)![:D]
Hey, at least they are making the effort. Gotta love that.
Now, there’s something I never stopped to think about. Some day, there might be an old GP9, sitting on a slab of concrete in the park next to the Milwaukee Road or Rock Island caboose.
We all need to remember that UP’s Heritage program is a lot more than six SD70ACe’s with fancy paint jobs. Maintaining the various company museums and archives is much bigger and a lot more important, even if it’s a lot less visible. Considering the number of major firms in any industry that even care about their history, UP is to be commended for having such a program and providing a regular source of funding for it.
