After sueing the model rr business and costing the Modeler numerous amounts of dollars. the CEO has spoken and put the suits to work to try and build up public relations and provide a good relationship. It is the start of a long pr campain to clean up the Union Pacific image. Friscobob broght on the suggestion.
Moral: If you're gonna claim to be "Building America," then you better not be building any animosity!
Thanks- I'm glad you used my idea. You need to add a female figure to represent Brenda Mainwaring, UP's main flack. Or do you have her cleaning out the toilet in the nose?
All in jest... But without their lawyers, UP cannot maintain its industry-standard efficiency, and might be at risk of takeover by more powerful railroads such as the evil Kansas City Southern! Not to mention their trademark and that of all of the railroads fortunate enough to join UP might be taken advantage of by evil people in NJ, IL, etc. who manufacture "models" for so called "modelers" whose purpose it is to find ways to hurt the glorious Union Pacific through whatever means possible! What'd I miss??? :teeth: :teeth: :teeth: :teeth:
TRADE MARKS MY WRINKLY OLD BUTT!!, all UP is doing is finding new ways to make money, I still cant believe that they actually went through with this all its done os hurt the model industries. Next they willwant us topay for railfanning. Tony
Bob, I wonder what has or will happen to dear Brenda? Nils Huxtable filled me in on her as the cause of all this nonsense. I read recently that they settled with Nils, too (He's Steamscenes and their beef with him was his UP calendars). :confused2:
I heard that Brenda left UP and is working for the new Secretary of Defence, Robert Gates. I have not been able to confirm that anywhere. I tried Googleing it but no luck.
Good question, since they're basically employees executing someone else's decision. It is good to see a breath of what I'd call common sense come into the fray, though...
While I was glad to hear that some degree of common sense had returned to the upper echelons of UP, this thing apparently still is not totally cleared up. In e-mail conversations with an HO manufacturer about future production, some "fallen flags" are apparently still in question - and, this involves one of the railroads I thought was among the "good guys." And, yes, I do blame the lawyers and more importantly - judges. Apparently there is no conflict too small or too personal for them to avoid adjudication or legislation (?).
Don Phillips' column in the Feb. 2007 issue of TRAINS says some interesting things on how some of the other railroads handle copyright protection. basically, they look at what's proposed, an agreement is written up & signed, a token fee (pocket change) just to make it look good, and no animosity. UP has a right to protect its trademark, but the way they went about it was wrong. I don't know who got the bright idea to do what they did, but I'm sure it had to be approved from Omaha. The lawyers are there doing the bidding of the railroad (and are' therefore, the focus of much wrath). FTR, some of the best lawyer jokes I've ever heard have come from lawyers. All I see these men & women doing is the bidding of whoever hired them. Wonder, in hindsight, if you can reserve a bucket and brush for one Richard Davidson, former UP head......
I do blame their legal staff. (Not to mention company executives above, for being so easily swayed as to buy this silliness.) I'd like to see evidence they really took time to look this idea over. Thoroughly. It was a loser from the start. Financially. PR. The concept of trying to take something from public domain in this manner was ridiculous. Their logos and name had been out there, with the knowledge of UP, since well before WWII! That they'd suddenly pretend to be offended/harmed was strange. Let alone doing the same with long gone, old predecessor companies, which they'd acquired via mergers...... Now, they've expended more than possible to ever recover, going that route. And need to spend more, time and money, to polish up a well self-tarnished PR. It's a oddly structured and staffed department, when nobody within, either is able, or is willing to speak up. And say "we should look more closely." Or better yet "this is a road we should not take." A quietly conducted campaign, working tactfully with the model RR/railfan industries, would likely have worked. Boxcab E50
From what I have read this is not just going on in the rr industry. There are other companies involved like GM and Ford were the model industries are replicating there product. They all want a cut of the final dollar. The word of common sense is no longer around I fear everyone is out to make a quick dollar and a name for themselves. How else can they afford the big compensation packages for the outgoing bosses?
Im thinking of modeling a scene, high cliff, broken gaurdrail, big buss, lots of lawyers, one emty seat...
I'd rather a busload of corporate suits.........them poor lawyers have taken enough of a beating. After all, the head office hired these folks to enforce this asinine policy up until said policy was rescinded. It's like being mad at cops- they don't make the laws, they just enforce 'em. Let's give the lawyers a rest & go after the corporate suits in Omahaha. Perhaps the Board of Directors could take a turn at loco washing........be a good place to learn how to run a railroad. Lord knows they need to learn........
I was thinking about cleaning out the boilers and fireboxes of all steam engines after doing an excursion run and then washing them and shinnning all the brass. Have to start somewhere...
Corporate "suits" and railroading Before you go around knocking all of railroad management, suggest you read Rush Loving's The Men who Loved Trains. I think you'll find there are many railroad managers who know a great deal about how to operate a railroad, because they've "been there, done that". Quite a few are railfans and model railroaders, as well, but keep that aspect quiet. Having been Director, Marketing and Sales for a fair sized short line for almost two decades until I retired, I got to know quite a few railroad officials, and I find the characterizations here somewhat insulting and demeaning. Of course, I suppose I should be out cleaning out fireboxes, too. Or should I just run my car into the Gulf of Mexico, it's just down the road (no cliffs handy)? mg:
A widely cast "corporate suits" net would actually include their legal department. They are not seperate from that infrastructure... Boxcab E50
