A westbound Norfolk Southern freight with Union Pacific power approaches Burns Harbor, Ind., in March 2013. Photo by Brian Schmidt
It's Flag Day 2016, and I want to ask you a simple question: Should Union Pacific continue to use Old Glory on the side of its locomotive? Why or why not?
Budweiser, a Belgian-owned beer brand, is changing its name to "America" for the summer in a thinly veiled attempt to leverage pride in one's country into sales. In contrast, UP is a decidedly American company, maintaining its headquarters in Omaha, Neb., to this day.
The railroad's roots run deep in the history of the country, and the nation's first transcontinental railroad always gets credit for helping to hold together the union during a time of national strife. Further, it's traditional red-white-and-blue shield logo is evocative of the flag itself.
As a bonus, the flag-flying UP locomotives do photograph rather nicely when they're clean, too...
A U.S. flag flies on the side of a UP locomotive at Rochelle, Ill., in September 2012. Photo by Brian Schmidt
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