An article in todays Chicago Tribune (6/27) outlines UP plan to demand a 3% royalty on the use of their name. It also includes the Fallen Flags of : WP, T&P, C&NW, M-K-T, Cotton Belt and SP.
The article can be seen at the following:
www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0406270424jun27,1,652764.story?coll=chi-business-hed
Hope I got the address right. Jerry
yay!!! go UP!!
[#ditto]
Not when they are a fallen flag in five years.
Dougal that’ll never happen.
I said it once and ill sat it again…GREED!
Who cares? If you model the UP, here’s your favorite railroad wanting you to pay to model them. Who in their right mind would pay for such a thing? Let them charge whatever they want. It’s their name, it’s their logo, it’s their trademark. It belongs to them, and you need permission from them to use it for your own or for anyone else’s profit. If you made a home movie of your layout and put the “Pentrex” name on it and try to market the thing, you’d be slapped with lawsuits before you made the second dub. If I produced a bunch of V&O hoppers and sold them, I’ll bet Mr. McClelland wouldn’t be too happy with me. Yes, if these companies were smart, they’d realize that we do them a small service by representing them in our own way, but they don’t care. UP should take a page from John Deere, Coca-Cola, and the USPS in having companies produce items, but they won’t.
And remember, this is nothing new to our industry…Brach’s Candy…United Parcel Service…
Let’s all PPPLLLEEEAAASSSEEE get over it. Either that or have Bergie start your own topic heading so we don’t have to listen to this constant crap!
Guys,
So it’s nothing to “celebrate” but nothing to get “mad” about either.
Three percent on a $50 HO engine would be $1.50. Hopefully, the MANUFACTURERS and distributors will make a “reasonable” price adjustment of 3% to 4% to cover their expenses instead of price gouging.[;)][8)]
As for UP becoming a fallen flag. Possibilities should never be discounted. Don’t forget that at one time the thought of Burlington Northern, Southern Pacific, or Santa fe becoming fallen flags was considered a fantasy JOKE! (especially after the failed attempted merger of the Santa Fe / Southern Pacific years back) No one seems to be laughing today.
Saying “Yayyy!! UP” or “Boo UP” is not going to affect anything at all. Move on and enjoy the hobby! I choose to remember the UP of the past. A top notch innovative railroad. I still plan on purchasing two SD40-2s in the UP scheme. I’m not a UP modeler, but I like the way these units look and will run them as “foreign power” on my upcoming SCL based layout.
Cheers!
UP rules…they will live on forever!!!
The Chicago Tribune is just now getting on to this story? It’s been old news for more than 15 months.
Go to the USPTO web site (US patent and Trademark Office) and do a search for UP. You’ll find that they have not yet been awarded the trademarks covering models and such for most of the fallen flag railroads yet, or at least not the last time I checked. Sending them a letter (which I have done) may prevent them from awarding the trademark, may not. But at least its worth a shot… they have not been awarded all the trade mark protections they wanted on old UP logo’s either. Its a positve action to take if it really matters to you.
Jack W
Well in five years NS, CSX, UP, BNSF. CP, and CN will all be fallen flags. Nothing lasts forever.
Ok so what will be left?
dougal wtf are you talkin about? geez some people
Nobody, everyone will merge and there will only be two Class 1’s left.
UP9899,
Hey guy, relax. No need to get agitated.
You seem to be taking some of the comments too personally. We’re all modelers here, not enemies. If some people make comments that are unfavorable about our favorite railroad, so be it! Won’t hurt the railroad, won’t hurt you. Let it go, Amigo!
Whether UP is around 5 years from now won’t matter as the tracks and service will still be there. Fallen flags are created as the result of business decisions. If the UP does merge with another road and changes names, most of us will still appreciate the rich history. All railroads have or have had their “dark periods” in the past century.
Who will buyout who or merge with what road? Regardless, you, me and the rest of us will admire and model the roads we prefer!
My favorites, SCL and NH dissappeared a while back. And yet, the NH had very narrow minded, and arrogant leadership, while the SCL often “slacked off” in track maintenance in the late 70s. Nothing for me to get upset about if someone brought this up. I’m still modeling these roads.
Take care, guy!
“UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD [censored]”
My stock broker needs to know if you’ve gotten this info by following their annual reports & growth projections or from your Ouija Board.
I agree a specific forum for UP silliness would be nice.
Wayne
I don’t follow the finacial part of railroading, I look at the past, 50 years ago there were dozens of Class 1 railroads in the US and Canada, there are only 7 left.
One more thing, a final mega merger isn’t certain.
Lets just drop the subject of UP