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EMD Name to be 'Retired'

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EMD Name to be 'Retired'
Posted by CPM500 on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 10:27 PM

The familiar EMD two-tone blue logo and name will be retired in favor of a new logo 'Progress Rail-A Caterpillar Company.'

In other words, Progress Rail will build 'EMD' or 'Electro-Motive' brand locos.

The EMD identification will be retained on certain parts and assemblies.

CPM500

 

 

 

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Thursday, May 26, 2016 8:09 AM

Electro-Motive Diesel is a subsidiary of Progress Rail, which is in turn a subsidiary of Caterpillar.  At any rate, a review of Progress Rail's website indicates that they are building locomotives under the EMD name.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by BaltACD on Thursday, May 26, 2016 8:10 AM

'New' Coke - Coke Classic - Be careful with your branding.

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Posted by Entropy on Thursday, May 26, 2016 9:52 AM

CPM500

The familiar Electro Motive two-tone blue logo and name will be retired in favor of a new logo 'Progress Rail-A Caterpillar Company.'

In other words, Progress Rail will build 'EMD' brand locos. 

 

I fixed it for you. 

Think of it like this, 

GM is the parent of the brand Cadillac who makes the CTS

Progress Rail is the parent of brand EMD who makes the SD70ACe-T4 

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Posted by carnej1 on Thursday, May 26, 2016 11:56 AM

Entropy

 

 
CPM500

The familiar Electro Motive two-tone blue logo and name will be retired in favor of a new logo 'Progress Rail-A Caterpillar Company.'

In other words, Progress Rail will build 'EMD' brand locos. 

 

 

 

I fixed it for you. 

Think of it like this, 

GM is the parent of the brand Cadillac who makes the CTS

Progress Rail is the parent of brand EMD who makes the SD70ACe-T4 

 

I believe what the O.P is saying is that Cat/Progress is retiring the EMD brand name in the same way that GM retired the Pontiac name (although that may not be an apt comparison as Progress is still marketing the EMD product line)..

"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock

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Posted by daveklepper on Thursday, May 26, 2016 1:10 PM

News to me that Pontiac is being phased out.  Oldsmobile was phased many (how many?) years ago.   I felt that was a shame, because that was the brand where new ideas used to show up first.   So a GM car buyer will be left with Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac for choices?    Does Ford still market Ford, Meercury, and Lincoln?

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Posted by PNWRMNM on Thursday, May 26, 2016 1:20 PM

Balt,

The Coke blunder is doubtless a case study at any Business School worthy of the name.

I surmise that Coke Corporate discovered that a significant share of cola drinkers prefered Pepsi to Coke. Corporate changed the formula to make its stuff taste like Pepsi and called it New Coke BUT DISCONTINUED REGULAR COKE.

The fact was that those who liked Pepsi already had Pepsi, so they had no strong reason to switch. Those, like me, who preffered or strongly prefered Coke, took one drink of the new stuff, determined that it tasted like Pepsi and bought Root Beer or 7UP the next time and forever after.

Corporate stood fast for a few months after which it brought back
Coke as Coke Classic. The mistake was not to go head to head with Pepsi, but they should have called it New Coke and continued to sell original Coke under the original brand name. They lost months of sales to folks like me.

As to the change in loco brands, I would keep the old logo, even if I changed the name. I would probably have done EMD Division of Caterpillar.

I do not think this one makes any difference to anyone in the business. Remember the thread about "What to railroader's call their engines?"

Mac McCulloch

BaltACD

'New' Coke - Coke Classic - Be careful with your branding.

 
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Posted by BaltACD on Thursday, May 26, 2016 1:50 PM

The time to 're-brand' is when the current brand name is associated with a bad product line.  Is that the message Progress Rail is trying to send about EMD?

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Posted by Entropy on Thursday, May 26, 2016 2:05 PM

Except EMD isn't going away. 

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Posted by CPM500 on Thursday, May 26, 2016 3:21 PM

daveklepper

News to me that Pontiac is being phased out.  Oldsmobile was phased many (how many?) years ago.   I felt that was a shame, because that was the brand where new ideas used to show up first.   So a GM car buyer will be left with Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac for choices?    Does Ford still market Ford, Meercury, and Lincoln?

 

 

Pontiac was phased out several years ago...as was the Mercury brand.

CPM500

 

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Posted by CPM500 on Thursday, May 26, 2016 3:34 PM

carnej1

 

 
Entropy

 

 
CPM500

The familiar Electro Motive two-tone blue logo and name will be retired in favor of a new logo 'Progress Rail-A Caterpillar Company.'

In other words, Progress Rail will build 'EMD' brand locos. 

 

 

 

I fixed it for you. 

Think of it like this, 

GM is the parent of the brand Cadillac who makes the CTS

Progress Rail is the parent of brand EMD who makes the SD70ACe-T4 

 

 

 

I believe what the O.P is saying is that Cat/Progress is retiring the EMD brand name in the same way that GM retired the Pontiac name (although that may not be an apt comparison as Progress is still marketing the EMD product line)..

 

The original press release (which I have) is poorly written. I suspect that the EMD name will vanish off the LaGrange location, as well as various marketing communications items such as business cards, letter head...and paychecks.

The entire escapade sounds to me like the retrograde rationale of 'Billy Ray Redneck'-onetime scrap dealer. Hard to imagine that 'Progress Rail' has anywhere the gravitas as the 'EMD' brand. IMHO, it is only a matter of time until the whole shootin' match becomes 'CAT Rail.'

New Coke-Old Coke ?? Aren't we speaking of things like ROI, FLY and lifecycle cost ?

 

CPM500

 

 

 

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Posted by Entropy on Thursday, May 26, 2016 4:09 PM

You're incorrect, in your statements and assumptions, I don't speak for any company. Person to person you can either accept you have incorrect information or keep progressing this, and later you will see you foolishly made an incorrect thread title. Choice is yours. 

My suggestion is, delete this thread. 

Brand changes are coming as per the thread but its not described correctly. 

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Posted by Paul of Covington on Thursday, May 26, 2016 4:22 PM

   Consumer items from soft drinks to cereals to appliances develop a brand loyalty over the years, and buyers don't know or care much what company produces the product, so it's wise to keep brand names and logos the same or similar enough to be readily recognizable.   Locomotives have very few customers, and these customers are very familiar with the backgrounds of the builders.   Whatever the name is that replaces EMD, they know that it was designed and built by a combination of ex-EMD and Cat people, so the name won't matter that much.   (Within reason, of course.)

_____________ 

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Posted by mudchicken on Friday, May 27, 2016 6:59 PM

daveklepper

News to me that Pontiac is being phased out.  Oldsmobile was phased many (how many?) years ago.   I felt that was a shame, because that was the brand where new ideas used to show up first.   So a GM car buyer will be left with Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac for choices?    Does Ford still market Ford, Meercury, and Lincoln?

 

Oldsmobile 1897-2004, Pontiac 1926-2009; Saturn 1985-2009; Lincoln Mercury 1938-2012 (Lincoln will go too unless the design by ugly-stick stops); Plymouth 1928-2001 (Ditch the Fiats! Quality in Italy does not exist?)

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
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Posted by YoHo1975 on Sunday, May 29, 2016 12:21 AM
Quality in Chrysler didn't exist either. At worst, Fiat is a push on that front. So, to sum up, the LaGrange facility will no longer be an EMD facility. EMD is going away as a wholly owned sub of Progressive and will become a marketing badge. So what? That was essentially what it's been since Cat bought them anyway.
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Posted by mudchicken on Sunday, May 29, 2016 6:44 PM

YoHo1975
Quality in Chrysler didn't exist either.

There are several here that would disagree with that comment....best left for another thread.

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
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Posted by daveklepper on Tuesday, May 31, 2016 12:11 AM

chevrolet and Ford have made inroads into the Isralei market.   Used to see only Japanese and European brands.   Of course, the Fords and Chevvies are probabloy made in Europe anyway.  Occasional CAddilac, obviously from USA, possibly came over as personal property from someone moving from the USA or Canada.Have not seen any Buiks. One preserved old Lincoln Continetnal.

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Posted by carnej1 on Tuesday, May 31, 2016 11:21 AM

OFF TOPIC ALERT!!!!

 As it turns out, In a way Pontiac is not completely gone though the average Driver will not easily (or cheaply!)get his hands on one of these:

http://www.foxsports.com/motor/story/trans-am-bandit-is-back-chevy-camaro-each-signed-by-burt-reynolds-032616

 

"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock

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Posted by zugmann on Tuesday, May 31, 2016 4:29 PM

carnej1
As it turns out, In a way Pontiac is not completely gone though the average Driver will not easily (or cheaply!)get his hands on one of these:

Looks like a Camaro that a Pep Boys threw up all over.

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any

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Posted by mudchicken on Tuesday, May 31, 2016 6:44 PM

zugmann
 
carnej1
As it turns out, In a way Pontiac is not completely gone though the average Driver will not easily (or cheaply!)get his hands on one of these:

 

Looks like a Camaro that a Pep Boys threw up all over.

 

LaughLaughLaugh

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
RME
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Posted by RME on Tuesday, May 31, 2016 10:54 PM

zugmann
carnej1
As it turns out, In a way Pontiac is not completely gone though the average Driver will not easily (or cheaply!) get his hands on one of these:

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Posted by carnej1 on Wednesday, June 1, 2016 11:14 AM

RME

 

 
zugmann
carnej1
As it turns out, In a way Pontiac is not completely gone though the average Driver will not easily (or cheaply!) get his hands on one of these:

 

 

I've always thought that Chevy should offer a deluxe model Camaro named after that song...

 

"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock

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