Iraqi Railroad Officials Visit Omaha!

[traingeek087]

Hey Any place with trains must be a good thing. Unless it's used for terrorism or something like that.

[Modelcar]

....Ed: I agree with your assessment of who will be the final big 3 railroads in the country hence 20 years or so...

[Mookie]

Willy - to kind of suppliment what Ed has said - you start getting a handle on the little things (charging for logos) while they are still small and they won't be such a problem later on down the road. Worry about pennies and dollars will take care of themselves!

Shoes, T-shirts - you can get plain ones cheaper than signature ones. You are paying for the use of the logo, plus you are a walking billboard. Driver's ball cap (N) in red - not exactly inexpensive - my purse - not very expensive - no outside label - pay a lot more and I can carry a purse with Ralph Lauren on it. Or Gucci. Or Mookie.......

[Willy2]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

Willy2,
I think UP goofed with the logo thing also.

Not that the fee for the licenseing agreement will alter their cash flow, what they will make off the logo wouldnt even pay fro the morning coffee at headquarters and the dispatching center.

And after all, it is their property.

Bad PR, though....

But UP has in the past, and will continue to do something most railroads have put on the back shelf.

They are making plans, and putting into motion, steps to make sure the future of the company is sound.

They are taking a pro-active stance, adding tracks, and repairing current trackage, and moving towards a place where, at some point in its travel, almost every piece of transcon freight will have to move on UP tracks at least part of the way.

Their major concern isnt the model railroad world, nor that of the railfan, but instead, they are more concerned in making the shareholders and investers a profit, and building a stable, financialy sound railroad.

Trust me, there hasnt been too many of those around for a long time.

Count on it, these guys are dead serious about being one of the biggest railroads in the world.

I would suspect BNSF will be the other one in twenty years, and one of the major eastern railroads will survive, but thats about it.

Stay Frosty,
Ed

If you money that they are going to get from charging people to use their logos will hardly be enough to pay for coffee I think that there is even more reason to not make people pay.

I do agree that Union Pacific is very committed to exellence and they have some very positive goals. Overall they have a good railroad and they try to keep things in great shape. I just think that they have made a few mistakes. Those mistakes can be corrected if they keep up the good work that they are doing.

[edblysard]

Willy2,
I think UP goofed with the logo thing also.

Not that the fee for the licenseing agreement will alter their cash flow, what they will make off the logo wouldnt even pay fro the morning coffee at headquarters and the dispatching center.

And after all, it is their property.

Bad PR, though....

But UP has in the past, and will continue to do something most railroads have put on the back shelf.

They are making plans, and putting into motion, steps to make sure the future of the company is sound.

They are taking a pro-active stance, adding tracks, and repairing current trackage, and moving towards a place where, at some point in its travel, almost every piece of transcon freight will have to move on UP tracks at least part of the way.

Their major concern isnt the model railroad world, nor that of the railfan, but instead, they are more concerned in making the shareholders and investers a profit, and building a stable, financialy sound railroad.

Trust me, there hasnt been too many of those around for a long time.

Count on it, these guys are dead serious about being one of the biggest railroads in the world.

I would suspect BNSF will be the other one in twenty years, and one of the major eastern railroads will survive, but thats about it.

Stay Frosty,
Ed

[techguy57]

I have to side with Ed on this one and I hope that Mookie's right. The way I see it it'll be either BNSF or CSX, and my vote would go to BNSF since they have the history and the territory to compete with UP.

Willy- While I understand your argument, the simple fact is that they have put trademarks on their assets. The logo and company name is rightfully theirs and they can choose to protect it how they wish. Think of it like packaging, Perrier and Dannon both bottle water but the Perrier is more expensive becaue of the name, not necessarily the content. In either case it is the purchaser's decision whether or not to pay the extra. While it might not be a popular move in your eyes, it is a shrewd business move that will undoubtedly bring some additional cash flow in an area where there wasn't previously any. Still its not like they are raking it in hand over fist by creating licensing agreements to model
manufacturers. Ultimately the decision resides with you. If it really upsets you that much, don't buy it.

And good for the Iraqis. I hope that in some small way this helps get things back on track(pun intended). It be nice to think that maybe railroaders can help do what the politicians can't.

[Willy2]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

A little bit of prophesy here, and you guys can hold me to it.
Got out the old crystal ball, and threw a few knuckle bones around, and came up with this.

In twenty years, you will have...

Union Pacific,
and,
whoever manages to survive.

UP is dead serious about running the biggest, strongest and most profitable railroad in the world, period.

So far, with the exception of the hard-headedness in Houston a few years ago, they make very shrewd, calculated, very profitable business decisions.

You might not like them, but you gotta admit, they run one hell of a big railroad, and run it well.
Ed

I totally disagree. Yes, they run the most "profitable" railroad in the world. Want to know how they are getting the "Profit"? They're getting it by making model railroaders pay to use their logo. The way I look at it, that is not a shrewd, calculated, or very profitable buisness decision. Sure it has profit for Union Pacific, but not for the model railroaders. You may have a point, some people may agree with you, but I don't.

[Anonymous]

If theres any model railroaders or railfans there they'll have to pay extra for UP (Union Persian) stuff.

[Anonymous]

Are you joking???

[dharmon]

"Good morning Iraq, how are ya?,
don't you know me I'm your native son.
I'm the train they call the City of Basra,
and I'll go five hundred miles 'fore the day is done..."

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bnsfkline

Hmmmmm.....

Iraqi Union Pacifc......"Building Iraq"..... What Next...IBNSF, INS, ICSX and IKCS? Wonder how the officials will like the SD70Ms / AC4400CW / C45AC's with a Huge American Flag....wonder if they will also go for a paint scheme similar to Union Pacifics, only with a huge Iraqi Flag.

I think it will end up more like Guilford Arabian Lines.....

....inefficient, little to no maintenance and complete employee/managment harmony. That part of the world does not have a rich history of railroading experience. Egypt has rails but they were in bad shape when I saw them ten years ago. Within the Gulf region, the primary export already has it's primary means of distribution within reach, the bulk of the oil heads out on BFTs ..Big Freakin Tankers...(that's a technical term by the way). The rest heads out through pipelines across Jordan to the port of Aqaba, or through Syria to Tartus, where again it rides the freindly waves. Yes they have railroads, yes they use them, and quite frequently as a primary source of passenger travel, but no their economy doesn't depend on the Iraqi railways getting back up on it's feet. I wi***hem the best of luck, but like I said they are more in tune with blowing railways up, not building them...(Read TE Lawrences book..not the movie).

[Anonymous]

Well, I think it's good if they can help get the Iraqi railways back into decent operating condition. After the war they need all the help they can get.

Also, I found this site which might be of interest showing the various types of motive power used by the Iraqi railways: http://www.ajg41.clara.co.uk/iraq/locomotives.html .

[eolafan]

Oh Oh, if they are going to arrive in Omaha on Amtrak they are very likely coming via air into Chicago and then via rail on the Amtrak California Zephyr that comes through my town every day and through Omaha on its way to California. It is chronically lated, especially at this time of year with cold weather, frozen cars, etc. Even though frozen cars might not be a real problem in Iraq, they will likely not be overly impressed with our railroad timekeeping using Amtrak as an example. Perhaps Chicago's Metra rail can spare a train to take them to Omaha, they are almost always on time.

[dehusman]

The UP has had advisors visit other countries many times and has been benchmarked by railroads from all over the world.

Dave H.

[bnsfkline]

Hmmmmm.....

Iraqi Union Pacifc......"Building Iraq"..... What Next...IBNSF, INS, ICSX and IKCS? Wonder how the officials will like the SD70Ms / AC4400CW / C45AC's with a Huge American Flag....wonder if they will also go for a paint scheme similar to Union Pacifics, only with a huge Iraqi Flag.

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie
I stand by my stand - it will end up being UP and BNSF - and I hope BNSF gets the horse!

Mook

Should be an interesting paint scheme...

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

A little bit of prophesy here, and you guys can hold me to it.
Got out the old crystal ball, and threw a few knuckle bones around, and came up with this.

In twenty years, you will have...

Union Pacific,
and,
whoever manages to survive.

UP is dead serious about running the biggest, strongest and most profitable railroad in the world, period.

So far, with the exception of the hard-headedness in Houston a few years ago, they make very shrewd, calculated, very profitable business decisions.

You might not like them, but you gotta admit, they run one hell of a big railroad, and run it well.
Ed

I stand by my stand - it will end up being UP and BNSF - and I hope BNSF gets the horse!

Mook

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by kevinstheRRman

QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon

Forget running the trains.......I want to work in their PR dept. ......


Iraqi Railways.....You'll like us or else (we'll get you and your family)

Iraqi Railroad ...we're not past tense like Iran Railroad..

I'm wacky, You're wacky, we're all Wacky for Iraqi

Fleeing Kuwait..next time take the train

We'll get you there Inshallah*

We don't just make great targets anymore

All new equipment!



*(God willing)

Where do you... Come up with this stuff??

[:D]

Comedian Dan.

It's the voices inside my head. They tell me what to write.....
No they don't I DO!
NO I DO!
DO NOT
DO TO

gotta go they're having an argument now

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon

Forget running the trains.......I want to work in their PR dept. ......


Iraqi Railways.....You'll like us or else (we'll get you and your family)

Iraqi Railroad ...we're not past tense like Iran Railroad..

I'm wacky, You're wacky, we're all Wacky for Iraqi

Fleeing Kuwait..next time take the train

We'll get you there Inshallah*

We don't just make great targets anymore

All new equipment!



*(God willing)

Where do you... Come up with this stuff??

[:D]

Comedian Dan.

[M636C]

It appears that the motive power currently in Iraq is largely Chinese. A standard Chinese class DF4B, number DEM 2747, worked one of their ceremonial reopening trains recently. They even have French built locomotives with ALCO engines, and (if they survived) some MLW built units.

It would be good to see the faces of the senior guys in Omaha when they work out what they'll have to work with!

Peter

[edblysard]

A little bit of prophesy here, and you guys can hold me to it.
Got out the old crystal ball, and threw a few knuckle bones around, and came up with this.

In twenty years, you will have...

Union Pacific,
and,
whoever manages to survive.

UP is dead serious about running the biggest, strongest and most profitable railroad in the world, period.

So far, with the exception of the hard-headedness in Houston a few years ago, they make very shrewd, calculated, very profitable business decisions.

You might not like them, but you gotta admit, they run one hell of a big railroad, and run it well.
Ed

[Anonymous]

NOW IRAQ WILL BE TAKEN OVER ALL OF THE MIDDLE EAST RAILROADS and they made an UTTERLY PATHETOIC CHOICE GO TO BNSF or NS

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Limitedclear

Will they paint anything yellow? Perhaps they could borrow the paint from the Iraqi Army...

LC

Whatever color they choose, they're going to need a lot of it. They've got all those tank cars serving the "baby milk" factories to paint.

[Anonymous]

Will they paint anything yellow? Perhaps they could borrow the paint from the Iraqi Army...

LC

[dharmon]

Forget running the trains.......I want to work in their PR dept. ......


Iraqi Railways.....You'll like us or else (we'll get you and your family)

Iraqi Railroad ...we're not past tense like Iran Railroad..

I'm wacky, You're wacky, we're all Wacky for Iraqi

Fleeing Kuwait..next time take the train

We'll get you there Inshallah*

We don't just make great targets anymore

All new equipment!



*(God willing)

[Willy2]

QUOTE: Originally posted by espeefoamer

They went to the wrong railroad![:0]If they really wanted to know how to run a railroad right, they should have gone to Fort Worth and talked to the BNSF people!!!

I agree with you. BNSF is a much better choice![:D]

I did make one mistake. They will be arriving on Amtrak, not Union Pacific. However, they will still meet with Union Pacific employees.

On their ride into Omaha on Amtrak they will find out that being late is just a way of life for railroaders! [:o)][(-D]

Willy

[timthechef]

I you go, Be careful, and keep your head down. Enough of us are diing over there.

[edblysard]

Well,
Think of it this way.
They come over here, look at how we do things, then take the concepts and information back with them.
They also take back the name of the contractors and suppliers, and the names of the professionals needed to make it all work.
Labor they got, lots and lots.
Its the knowledge to put that labor to work they lack.
Someone has to teach them how to run a SD70!!
Doubt mudchicken and other would turn down the amount of money they would offer for a years worth of their time.
I would be happy to go teach them to flat yard switch, at a few thousand a week!

And, because the American taxpayer is more than likley going to be the ones footing the bill for all of it, the money ends up coming back home!
Sweet!
Ask any Aramco employee, its tough, but it pays!
Ed

[espeefoamer]

They went to the wrong railroad![:0]If they really wanted to know how to run a railroad right, they should have gone to Fort Worth and talked to the BNSF people!!!