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I agree w/ Andrew's post above re: let this topic die, and consolidate the whole damn UP royalties / licensing topic under one thread, if it must be discussed at all. Right now this Forum is so preoccupied with this UP stuff, it seems analogous to Chicken Little screaming "The sky is falling !" I think that AntonioFP45 has the right idea, and he has initiated a topic that proposes a far more productive approach to consider for everyone concerned about this UP directive adding to the cost of our hobby, whether we model UP or a 'fallen flag'. ( Refer to "Let's do something positive and realistic regarding this boycott" ) I suggest that topic should be the central focal point for any mature suggestions that will address the real issue(s) at hand. It's about the money isn't it? It should be, because we can affect what direction the manufacturers take, but we'll not have one iota of influence over UP if we, as a group, threaten to boycott UP branded models. Admittedly, from my prespective anyway, UP hasn't demonstrated particularly fine-honed public relations skills as of late, and they're not alone in corporate America these days. Guys and gals, flaming each other and getting close to a coronary over this issue is dumb. Why not take a different approach and lets collectively explore a way to nip any price gouging issue in advance. The more facts we have, the better equipped we'll be, as a group, to confront the model manufacturers and distributors, in a professional manner, where they can clearly calculate how much money they will lose if they attempt to treat us as hayseed turkeys that just fell off the turnip truck.. There is strength in numbers. In other words, if they screw w/ us we'll spend our money elsewhere, and that is the message we probably should send. . . If each manufacturer decides to add a licensing / royality price adder for the fee imposed on them that is not proportionate to the real cost of that fee, and if that fee is uniformly excessive (perhaps even a form of price fixing), we'll then make enough noise for at least a couple of 'ambulance chasers' to nail them. (I'm sure that there are more than a few lawyers that are also model railroaders.) I don't think that the legitimate manufacturers would be so arrogant to allow it to escalate that far, although I could see them trying to amotize the adder across their product line. If they're reasonable in how they do that, the actual cost increase to us should be negligable. As it has been pointed out already, the subject of licensing and royalty payments affects many products we buy and its going to be with us for a long time. Auto manufacturers collect a royalty in some fashion from all the model cars manufacturers. It seems to affect the little guys - the model car cottage industry - the hardest. I suspect that problem will unfortunately filter down to model railroading speciality suppliers such as makers of UP specific diesel details, decal makers, limited run craftsman kits of specific UP prototypes, and even some paint manufacturers that may have to come out w/ substitute names for prototype UP colors. {How about "Miss Piggy yellow" and "three blind mice gray"? }
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