While I am not fond of MTH products or their lawsuit (or is it lawsuits?) over DCC. The antics of Union Pacific can no longer be tolarated.
I want to know of all of us start a lawsuit, can we get class action status and how many of it it will take and on what grounds can we sue to win. And is there a lawyer or group of laywers who are also model railroaders crazy eneugh to take this on.
Something Needs to be done before I start considering assassanation as a viable option. (Yes I am that angry over this. )
As is obvious, I am on the side of MTH, Who’s side are you on?
stUPid is the only one who would sue a model railroad manufaturer- at the bottom of every page on Atlas’s website it says †Union Pacific Licensed Product -why the hell is stUPid so protective- i’ve never seen “BNSF licensed prouduct”
The UP does that (in part) to make sure that their name isnt put on a peice of crap model… which I can see…I dont like that they try to make so much money off of it though…[:(!] so yes Dingiox, I agree, this is stUPid indeed…
its all about the $$$$$ money money money!!! as if locos were not high priced already and it drives up the cost of a UP loco $-5-10 while not a Up modler i feel bad to those that are[:(!]
Why doesn’t UP have a right to their name? I can’t just go off and come out with Tiger Woods chocolate frosted Sugar Bombs, not without getting the rights to use Tiger Woods name. No one would believe that I was advertising for him, and no one would blame him for suing me.
Actually BNSF does require licensing permission and will sue you if you don’t get it; the only difference is UP charges a minimal sum.
Scott, thats very true…you would think that the railroads would like to have models produced…models=free advertising!!! [8D] BTW, stop by the teen forum, we miss ya man!!!
That is not UP’s fault if you read the licensing agreement. http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/licensing/up_licensee_model.pdf
Union Pacific only charges 3% or .5% if the company sells 20% or more UP products. So let’s figure that you loco cost an outrageous $250, UP probably makes about $3.75. That is a pittance of what any other companies are charging. Just try and “advertise” with a Nascar boxcar. Now where does the money go? Well look at this. http://www.uprr.com/newsinfo/modelrail.shtml The opportunity to benefit from Union Pacific’s increased investments in public awareness advertising and programs.
These posts are never going to end are they? When has MTH ever sued a DCC company? The suit with QSI has nothing to do with DCC, it’s over the PS2 system in the MTH O scale locomotives. Why do you guys keep repeating this garbage?
What a waste of time and energy. There is no reason UP can’t defend it’s trademarks anyway it chooses. After all, they paid for that right! The problem is hold outs like MTH are trying to protect the modelers from themselves. Well I’m a modeler, and my vote is stop trying to protect me! If I choose to purchase UP products and they are 5% more, so beit… [;)] A lawsuit like this will cost all the modelers money in the long run, not just the ones who prefer UP.
You know, I really don’t think this is true at all. If you were on MTH’s side, you would quit posting untrue comments about them. It’s posts like this that stir everyone up, and as very few people take the time to go and read the facts, these insane rumors somehow turn into the truth. You may disagree with me all you like, but MTH hasn’t even brought an HO scale product to market yet, and look at the hatred by most on this and other forums.
Sometimes I don’t know why I waste my time… Good luck with your war rally…
I’m with Ultimate Power on this one. MTH has given enough crap to DCC and QSI and modelers in general. UP is protecting their logos and nothing more. Atleast they’re not trying to change the model railroad industry. And I don’t consider adding $5-10 a big change. Besides, it’s only for UP modelers and those who model their fallen flags. You don’t like it, TOUGH. I hope MTH gets hit big time with this one.
Unfortunately, this is not a clear cut case. If you go back in history before WWII, railroads would pay model train manufacturers to put their logos on the locos and cars. I guess they considered it advertising. Not sure when that practice ended.
So on one side of the argument you have a precident set years ago.
On the other side, you have a company’s right to protect their trademarks and logos.
Just a thought about the “But it is advertising” argument. How in the world does a model help any shipper decide what railroad to ship by? At least in the old days people traveled by train, but now there are no passenger trains to advertise for.
Lotus, your argument makes the most sense, I think some of it is lawyers trying to stay busy?maybe, maybe not, do it matter, we won’t change the price of UP models… right? Danny
i’m relatively new to the MRR scene, so i’m too new to it to remeber a time before you had to pay extra for licensed products. i’m totally with UP on this, they have every right to do it. what if your favorite railroad had to start having their stuff licensed, yould you abandon them?
i have been in to fixing up old vw’s for a long time. in the past 5 or so years volkswagen of america started cracking down on any shop, event or product that used the word beetle, bug, buggy, and so on. only genuine vw parts could have their logo on them, most of which had not been made by vw in years. almost everything is made be “repoppers”. vw had cut it’s ties to the aircooled lineage in the 80’s, but that never stopped people from buying and fixing the old cars. shops are now faced with serious lawsuits to change their names, many have just closed up shop. events are having to get creative with the names and simple, common parts like hubcaps and may be hard
to get.
so from what i’ve seen an extra 5 bucks is a drop in the bucket. at least you can still get the thing!
As I have said before, UP needs to make money like a real railroad does, work for it. Right now I classify UP not as a Class 1 RR but as a Class Crap RR. stUPid needs to be shot. Student of Big Sky Blue, what kinds of weapons do you have?