Like it or not, you are paying for Union Pacific

[TurboOne]

Many here are seeing ads and are we not noticing. Trains.com has ads constantly. Those advertisers pay money and in turn we get to have a great website. And post. For free. Thank you advertisers. I also would bet that advertising on the train mags brings in more money than the subscribers do, as most mags have that happen. If not, the mag prices go up, and up and up.

Name recognition. It is the best item for sale in the country. Many names in the country used to mean something. Many have changed philosophies since the original founder has left. Even the mouse has changed with the new bosses. In business marketing there seems to be fine line between advertising and rip off. For every legit sports logo, there is the same item made illegally and sold. Go to a sports event and see outside the stadiums just up the street shirts, hats, and more at lower prices.

The bottom line is more of the price increase in MRR in general is due to small runs on trains. That is a bigger factor. Why are we not complaining that all the manufacturers are making limited run to keep the price up, and the long time train fans are slowly being priced out of trains. They are becoming collector prizes that people keep and sell later. Like baseball cards. Fun as a kid, now its a business for profit for many. Is it better? 10 years ago who would have thought you could buy a steam engine for $2000? With the prices going way up, and the technology getting better, shouldn't prices be coming down. In the electronics business, a video camera that was $2000 is outdone in a few years and the technology price drops as more are produced. Now you can buy a camera just like it for $399. How comes train technology isn't lower prices?

[2c]

Tim

[Anonymous]

"CSX is demanding payments from New York Central modelers. NYC fans do not get off scot free."
------------------------------

You sure about that? Not all licensing arrangements involve a payment of fees, you know. What is the CSX fee structure?

My feeling, again, is that if you are a fan of UP or any other road that wants to extort payment from toy manufacturers, YOU should pay for the royalty fee. The rest of us who are not interested in your particular road, for whatever reason, should not see those fees tacked onto the products we buy.

Purchase all the UP stuff you want--please--but be willing to pay the full freight.

[FJ and G]

SkyRay,

I love those old Betty Boop cartoons. She's my dream gal.

My favorite Boop toon was "Ride the Tiger."

[Jumijo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FJ and G

SkyRay,

I love those old Betty Boop cartoons. She's my dream gal.

My favorite Boop toon was "Ride the Tiger."

Great body, but her head's too big for me.

Blondie - there's a woman!

[lionelsoni]

Did you know that Betty Boop was originally a dog?

[Jim Duda]

QUOTE: Originally posted by lionelsoni

Did you know that Betty Boop was originally a dog?

Oh No! Not a female dog, I hope!!!

[FJ and G]

BB the beagle could star in her own cartoon.




No, wait, Snoopy already has that job.

[Anonymous]

Hello All: Can't leave this one alone. What will happen when one of the Manufacture's get's exclusive right's on roadname's ? Let's say for 5 or ten year's. Don't think for a moment that those people haven't thought about it. Kind Regard's Steve

[FJ and G]

Steve,

I don't think anyone has ever made that very good point. But let's keep it a secret from the railroads. Shhhhh!

If they get the idea, BB the beagle said she will paint her own road names with her paws.

[webenda]

On 03 Mar 2005, 13:39:21, Allan Miller said, "The overall hobby--including those of us who do not model UP--should not be saddled with costs imposed by whimpy manufacturers who lack the guts to stand up to UP."

Back on Nov 18, 2004, 7:06:44 PM, Lionel Forum, Jerry Calabrese said, "UP is a complicated question and the short answer is that we will not make a deal that works in the short term but endangers the future of our ability to make product we have been making for a century."

And on Feb 16, 2005, 6:30:25 PM, Lionel Forum, Jerry Calabrese said, "We keep trying but UP isn't responding to our offers to talk. As much as we want to settle this with UP informally, we are never going to agree to a license that takes control of making trains out of our hobby's control."

I am surprised that no one mentioned that Lionel is not wimping out.

The Union Pacific Company says, (Licensing gives) "The opportunity to benefit from Union Pacific's increased investments in public awareness advertising and programs."
http://www.uprr.com/newsinfo/modelrail.shtml

So, UP thinks that their names, symbols, heralds and advertising are worth something. Have you noticed in model railroad advertising the statement, "UP Licensed Product?" Doesn't that statement give the product more perceived value?

Atlas MRR Co. parrots some of UP's stated benefits for signing up with the Model Railroad Licensing Program. They must agree.
http://www.atlasrr.com/Notices/upagreement.htm

If the other model railroad manufacturers can sign the agreement, I do not see why Lionel cannot. I think that Lionel has gotten itself into too many binds at one time and that they should try harder to sign up with the Union Pacific licensing program. That would be one down...

As has been pointed out, charging more for UP models could be self defeating. It makes more sense to me to just absorb the cost of various licensing agreements.

Wayne

[Anonymous]

I love union pacific's the best.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by eriktimmy

I love union pacific's the best and bnsf and santa fe's too.

[Anonymous]

we want to see the rocelle web cam now now.