BOYCOTT UP (sorry UP fans but i can't put up with this any longer)

[Anonymous]

Re: UP offering more new UP branded stuff as lupo mentioned in a prior postt, it kind of reminds me of how Earnhardt Inc took over the manuf. and marketring of die cast Nascar Earnhardt vehicles, hats, pins, and everything else w/ the #3 on it. Then they'd have a one-off paint scheme for a particular race, make up a bunch of 'custom painted,. limited quantity, "collectible" commemorative articles, like die cast replicas.and charge thru the nose for them. Ahhhh, good old creative all American marketing at its best..

You wouldn't think UP would do that would you? They probably saw all the ruckus being made about this topic and decided that perhaps they could make that much more out of it ! I mean, UP has to run their 'memorbelia dept' at a profit don't they? (that was a feable attempt at humor) By buying this stuff we only fuel the fires for the manufacturers and LHS to do that much more. It's like all the panic about Horizon killing the 'blue boxes' - now they think that we're all a bunch of 'fomers' and that we'll pay even more for their long in the tooth stuff.

We do it to ourselves.
BILL

[philnrunt]

I understand the feelings towards another corp trying to get into your pockets, very few have any extra ca***hese days, especially if you like to eat and drive anywhere. But, in a way, this is kind of ...well, neat!
We all probably have some UP equipment on our layouts, and not a cent of the money we spent went to the real company. Now, in a very -VERY-small way, we are helping a giant of railroading put black ink on their bottom line. You have become an actual customer of Union Pacific! Those of you with huge UP layouts might even get stock options!! OK, that was crazy, but still, you have to admit it does tie your railroad a bit closer to theirs.
As for LHS jacking up the price, in todays world, does this surprise anyone? Upsets and disappoints,sure, but surprise?
Unfortunately, I think we'll see alot more of this in the future.

[lupo]

I noticed at the same time this UProar about UPcharging for use of their logo their own UP merchandise shop on the net got lots of new articles in it.

[Anonymous]

I think you guys are angry at the wrong corporation. You need to channel your collective energy and blast the model railroad manufacturers that are taking advantage of all the hype and misinformation flying around about the UP. Remember all the stuff a few years back about CSX, the Chessie logo etc. Same crappola.

If your LHS has placed a surcharge on UP labeled items and it is not an increased price from the manufacturer, tell them they will lose your business if that gouging practice continues. Most modelers are vocal about this stuff, and should be. Speak up now, or forever open the door for other attempts from both manufacturers and (probably only a few) LHSs at reaching a little deeper into our poskets. Can't wait for Horizon to come out w/ a surcharge on UP 'blue box' stuff. Imagine a $30. UP 40' box car tooled in the '50s and used to sell for less than $1.99 retail !

I'm sure the UP ambulance chasers are charging more per hour than a Lionel Veranda for their legal services to implement this program. Perhaps they have convinced the men in suits at UP that it will be necessary for them to amortize the costs of this "program" over the couple hundred thousand UP things sold over the next year or so. UP is a very proud 100+ year old company and this is probably an attempt at shoring up their company's image and protecting the integrity of anything UP. Personnaly, I think it has been a rather anal (okay to say that here?) corporate decision on UP's part, but I don't think the pennies per item that will be added is worth all the fuss, if that's all it will cost us, anymore than UP men in suits are concerned as to whether or not modelers decide to model BNSF instead of UP out of anger.

Wonder if UP will insist that Athearn finally correct the too wide hood on its GP7, if Horizon expects to still paint them in UP colors?
BILL

[Anonymous]

C'mon people get over it. I did already,It's only a small fee for god sake.
You can still pay the small fee and enjoy your favorite railroad at the same time too,so why give up now? the CSXT is going to do the same thing too and as the NS and BNSF too.
Im a huge BNSF fan and I can't wait till the BNSF railroad starts charging a min,fee on their locomotives......know why?
Because I LOVE THE BNSF RAILROAD.
I wan't you all to think very hard about what I said.....just pay that STUPID fee,"If you don't want to.....then don't".
Stop blaming the UNION PACIFIC!
Im not a UP fan myself but at least I can see where the railroad is coming from a stand point!
"UNION PACIFIC MUST PROTECT ITS NAME"
"It's NOT about the money">>>>>>>>>>Its the "NAME".
BNSFfan/mrlove.

[METRO]

Boy I'm bloody glad I model the East Coast. (sorry couldn't help it)

I think that the UP isn't any better or worse than any other line. While they have given us a bit of a snub, they still show a love for trains. (ever been to Cheyenne?) I truly think the reason some modelers have something against the UP is that it's been so hungry for other lines lately. I'll tell you, I'd be the first to want the CNW and DRGW back but such is business.

Let's everyone just take a breath, have a good drink and relax.

[Roadtrp]

Gordon,

The site I listed does not carry Athearn or Kato, but they do carry Atlas and P2K. And they change no more for UP flagged locos than for any other. I have read from reputable sources (newspaper articles I've found on the net) that the licensing fee IS just pennies per item. So whether it is the manufacturer or the retailer, anyone who charges $5 more for UP is marking the fee up by a large amount.

[Anonymous]

WOW, a CN&W fan mad at U.P. wonder why? hey those ex-CN&W units look even better with U.P. patches on them.

[CP5415]

Originally posted by Roadtrp

Geez, this stuff gets really stale after a while.

A few facts for you my friend...

The UP licensing charge is just pennies per product. It is the retailers (some) that have decided to take advantage of the situation by adding a $5 or whatever surcharge for UP stuff. Check out www.hobbylinc.com. All of their UP stuff is sold for EXACTLY the same price as the non-UP stuff. Apparently they've decided that they can absorb the extra few cents of cost to keep their customers happy.

So let it rest. It’s not UP; it's your LHS trying to take advantage of the licensing thing to pad their profit margin.

So why it everyones re: Atlas, Kato, Proto & Athearn all have a MSRP of $5 more than everything else they make?
It's not the LHS's doing this, it's the manufacturers

Gordon

Brought to you by the letters C.P.R. as well as D&H!

K1a - all the way

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