Model Railroadings Biggest Crisis

[Anonymous]

I agree with Christian - the user fees are not the death of MRRing. Has it stopped anyone from buying Athearn (Walhers) AMTRAK P42s in phase V ?? Or their Coke, John Deere or USPS products? You are paying a fee on these NOW! And I note that P2K has not eliminated UP locos from their future product line.

This article sounds like it was written in the best National Enquirer style!

I would worry more about the impact on the hobby of the loss of beginner-level priced locos and rolling stock kits! Athearn Blue Boxs are quickly evaporating - many locos are no longer available except on e-Bay - for now! And there has been a corresponding rapid growth and price inflation of R-T-R products ($600 steamers being the latest). We seem to be headed toward a "plastic brass" market where only a few can afford to buy.

[Anonymous]

Hundman is half a year late in getting folks all excited about this. News was posted on this site back in November about Union Pacific and various licensing proposals. This move is a result of the 1996 Federal Trademark Anti-Dilution Law that changed the nature of service mark, name and logo protections from the old rules. (Google the name of the act and you'll get all the legalize you wish!) You'll note that Union Pacific isn't doing any thing differently from Ford, Amtrak, United States Postal Service, John Deere, Coca Cola, GE, EMD, Pines, Ringling Bros., UPS, Stanton and so on. Take a look at Model Railroader ads from the past few years and see how many times you see permissions or licenses cited. Also note that half of one percent of price for a product with specific logos is actually not much. Wholesale on an SD70 is about $60. That makes the fee thirty cents. On a sheet of decals about one and a half cents. Model Railroader's announcement quoted Bill McClung of the Model Railroad Association as saying that they were in negotiations to work out an arrangement. I will assume that Model Railroader will report as soon as there is real news.

[Anonymous]

Hundman is half a year late in getting folks all excited about this. News was posted on this site back in November about Union Pacific and various licensing proposals. This move is a result of the 1996 Federal Trademark Anti-Dilution Law that changed the nature of service mark, name and logo protections from the old rules. (Google the name of the act and you'll get all the legalize you wish!) You'll note that Union Pacific isn't doing any thing differently from Ford, Amtrak, United States Postal Service, John Deere, Coca Cola, GE, EMD, Pines, Ringling Bros., UPS, Stanton and so on. Take a look at Model Railroader ads from the past few years and see how many times you see permissions or licenses cited. Also note that half of one percent of price for a product with specific logos is actually not much. Wholesale on an SD70 is about $60. That makes the fee thirty cents. On a sheet of decals about one and a half cents. Model Railroader's announcement quoted Bill McClung of the Model Railroad Association as saying that they were in negotiations to work out an arrangement. I will assume that Model Railroader will report as soon as there is real news.

[Anonymous]

That, I believe, is what may happen, according to the article but I'm not sure, and at this point who knows!!!!!

[Anonymous]

That, I believe, is what may happen, according to the article but I'm not sure, and at this point who knows!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Class action law suit?

[Anonymous]

Class action law suit?

[Anonymous]

Today I read in MAINLINE MODELER, about a certain very big western Rail Road thats attempting to move in on the model railroad industry, and take our hobby right out from under us. Not only do they want a very large licensing fee but they also want .5 percent of the profits made by the manufactures of model railroad equipment. As always, those companies will have to pass on the fees and the lost profits to you and me, the very people that support the industry. Now I don't know about you, but I'm already stretching my hobby dollors to the limit. Any more price increases and I'm out of the hobby in favor of something cheaper. I been a model railroader since 1953 and I really don't want to leave the hobby, but if it comes down to putting food on the table or buying the latest offering from P2k or Kato or Athearn, guess what's going win out. I really don't know what can be done at this time, but 5 years from now I don't think we're going to have the selection we have today, and we may not even have a hobby anymore. I read that a couple of the manufactures were were knuckling under but if the RR decides it wants to cancel the licensing agreement with them, the RR will have the right to all tooling for the equipment made by that manufacturer that has the RR's logo on it. What @*&&%$#@*&^@ nerve. Our hobby is at stake here. Any ideas[:(!][:(!][:(!][:(!][:(!][:(!][:(!][:(!][?][?]

[Anonymous]

Today I read in MAINLINE MODELER, about a certain very big western Rail Road thats attempting to move in on the model railroad industry, and take our hobby right out from under us. Not only do they want a very large licensing fee but they also want .5 percent of the profits made by the manufactures of model railroad equipment. As always, those companies will have to pass on the fees and the lost profits to you and me, the very people that support the industry. Now I don't know about you, but I'm already stretching my hobby dollors to the limit. Any more price increases and I'm out of the hobby in favor of something cheaper. I been a model railroader since 1953 and I really don't want to leave the hobby, but if it comes down to putting food on the table or buying the latest offering from P2k or Kato or Athearn, guess what's going win out. I really don't know what can be done at this time, but 5 years from now I don't think we're going to have the selection we have today, and we may not even have a hobby anymore. I read that a couple of the manufactures were were knuckling under but if the RR decides it wants to cancel the licensing agreement with them, the RR will have the right to all tooling for the equipment made by that manufacturer that has the RR's logo on it. What @*&&%$#@*&^@ nerve. Our hobby is at stake here. Any ideas[:(!][:(!][:(!][:(!][:(!][:(!][:(!][:(!][?][?]