Outside of the exciting the railfan community and improving employee moral does anyone have information about the heritage units having any impact on NS rail business? Was it a worthwhile effort from a business standpoint, or too early to tell?
K4sPRR Outside of the exciting the railfan community and improving employee moral does anyone have information about the heritage units having any impact on NS rail business? Was it a worthwhile effort from a business standpoint, or too early to tell?
I don't think this was done as a effort to gain more business. But who knows... stranger things have happened.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
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How would fancy paint jobs have any effect on business at all?
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It could in several direct and indirect ways. First, it brings attention to the railroad itself which could be an advertising message to shippers. The public becomes aware of the railroad, more conscious of its existence and might even act more safely around grade crossings and walking along track reducing time losing accidents. And the employees might take pride in who they were and who they are giving their employer a better day's work. It gets attention, makes people pay more attention, to the railroad...
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henry- Would you pay more at the store, if you knew that the goods arrived on a train with a prettier engine? Shouldn't you also be willing to pay more, if the railroaders on that engine were of above average looks?
You're talking a level of dollars that doesn't make much difference overall. Also, if the road is getting better work or safer conditions, then it is paying them back..
If paint mattered the railroads would be kicking up a fuss about all that graffiti that has dispoiled about 75% of their rolling stock. Why bother to paint at all beyond a protective coat of primer? Just paint everything in primer...forget the paint schemes, although nice to look at if you're a fan, they don't add anything to the bottom line.
This sort of thing may be difficult to quantify but it sure couldn't hurt.
Ulrich If paint mattered the railroads would be kicking up a fuss about all that graffiti that has dispoiled about 75% of their rolling stock. Why bother to paint at all beyond a protective coat of primer? Just paint everything in primer...forget the paint schemes, although nice to look at if you're a fan, they don't add anything to the bottom line.
I'm all for slime lime for safety's sake. That'd be cool.
henry6 It could in several direct and indirect ways. First, it brings attention to the railroad itself which could be an advertising message to shippers. The public becomes aware of the railroad, more conscious of its existence and might even act more safely around grade crossings and walking along track reducing time losing accidents. And the employees might take pride in who they were and who they are giving their employer a better day's work. It gets attention, makes people pay more attention, to the railroad...
I doubt very much that any business person is going to think, "Gee, I think I'll start using rail shipments now because those locomotives sure look nice."
You'd be surprised how images work in advertising. Been doing it for 50 years so I can't dismiss the concept.
henry6 You'd be surprised how images work in advertising. Been doing it for 50 years so I can't dismiss the concept.
zugmann Ulrich ... Why bother to paint at all beyond a protective coat of primer? Just paint everything in primer...forget the paint schemes, although nice to look at if you're a fan, they don't add anything to the bottom line. I'm all for slime lime for safety's sake. That'd be cool.
Ulrich ... Why bother to paint at all beyond a protective coat of primer? Just paint everything in primer...forget the paint schemes, although nice to look at if you're a fan, they don't add anything to the bottom line.
... Why bother to paint at all beyond a protective coat of primer? Just paint everything in primer...forget the paint schemes, although nice to look at if you're a fan, they don't add anything to the bottom line.
Hey, I know! Why not the best of both worlds, and maintenance gains too, use zinc chromate...
We at NS used to routinely run locomotives that were in primer- I kinda liked their appearance. Basic black gets pretty old after a while. And hotter than the hinges on the gates of hell in the 9 months of summer we have in South Carolina.
They painted the heritage units and the bottom fell out of the coal franchise. Certainly not cause and effect! Heritage paint was more about company morale and public perception than marketing, no?
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
oltmannd They painted the heritage units and the bottom fell out of the coal franchise. Certainly not cause and effect! Heritage paint was more about company morale and public perception than marketing, no?
You got the broad base of the idea right.
Murphy SidingHow does painting a locomotive in a heritage scheme make employees work harder? Who's to say they don't take pride in their work already, and that a splashy paint scheme is going to change anything? Are there still railroaders furloughed, while money is spent on pretty paint?
It says NS is proud of who it is and where it came from. Walk around the NS building in Atlanta and you will see lots of employees with posters of the heritage locomotives in their cubes and their favorite as a screen saver or on the tag line of their email. So, has it been good for morale? Yup.
The number of employees NS needs is not a function of how much money is spent on other projects. They are not connected. Nobody got laid off because NS painted locomotives. Nobody will get hired because none will be done this year.
Murphy Siding How would fancy paint jobs have any effect on business at all?
Market awareness?
Lets say you worked for a real company, such as Weyerhaeuser or 3M, and you were shipping 100 cars a month from the Pacific North West to the South East and mid West. BNSF might originate your shipment, but you need to select a connecting road to complete your deliveries
Who ya gonna call? You might call the distant railroad known for rusty bridges, or you MIGHT call the railroad that has those bright shiny nostalgia machines
There is a local roofing contractor here who does a lot of commercial roof maintenance, his gimmick is that he uses old old trucks that are restored to near mint condition, with the slogan on the side reading "It pays to maintain".
Will people pay him more to fix their roofs because of his old trucks? likely not. Bu if he can get them to call him first, or call him at all...that is an advantage
oltmannd Murphy SidingHow does painting a locomotive in a heritage scheme make employees work harder? Who's to say they don't take pride in their work already, and that a splashy paint scheme is going to change anything? Are there still railroaders furloughed, while money is spent on pretty paint? It says NS is proud of who it is and where it came from. Walk around the NS building in Atlanta and you will see lots of employees with posters of the heritage locomotives in their cubes and their favorite as a screen saver or on the tag line of their email. So, has it been good for morale? Yup. The number of employees NS needs is not a function of how much money is spent on other projects. They are not connected. Nobody got laid off because NS painted locomotives. Nobody will get hired because none will be done this year.
Convicted One Murphy Siding How would fancy paint jobs have any effect on business at all? Market awareness? Lets say you worked for a real company, such as Weyerhaeuser or 3M, and you were shipping 100 cars a month from the Pacific North West to the South East and mid West. BNSF might originate your shipment, but you need to select a connecting road to complete your deliveries Who ya gonna call? You might call the distant railroad known for rusty bridges, or you MIGHT call the railroad that has those bright shiny nostalgia machines There is a local roofing contractor here who does a lot of commercial roof maintenance, his gimmick is that he uses old old trucks that are restored to near mint condition, with the slogan on the side reading "It pays to maintain". Will people pay him more to fix their roofs because of his old trucks? likely not. Bu if he can get them to call him first, or call him at all...that is an advantage
While I have to agree that the Heritage scheme locomotive will not have a lot of impact with the non railfan/rail industry professional public, the idea of using locomotives as an rolling billboard has caught on in other parts of the world:
http://www.txlogistik.eu/e-services/advertise-o-our-locomotives/
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Murphy Siding I don't think they are done with the intention of doing anything for the bottom line.
Not in the short run. Only if it helps nudge the needle for PPP money a bit.
oltmannd Murphy Siding I don't think they are done with the intention of doing anything for the bottom line. Not in the short run. Only if it helps nudge the needle for PPP money a bit.
Murphy SidingWhat is PPP money?
henry6You'd be surprised how images work in advertising.
Henry
What about greater public awareness of a company and name recognition. Is that desirable in an of itself?
John
It is.
I think it is merely a matter of keeping the names, logo's, livery and advertising phrases of the predicessor lines as "in use" and "current" to keep someone from using them under the claim that they were abandoned.
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
There's also something to be said for appearing frugal and careful with money. I wouldn't want my customers to think they're overpaying me. It is hard to justify things like fuel surcharges or accessorial charges when you roll into the plant with a fancy shmancy paint scheme. This is also why I rarely wear suits... the impression I want to leave is "I'm careful with your money" But maybe it is different for very large companies where more effort needs to be made to cultivate employee pride and involvement..so maybe in the case of NS, the heritage project does provide a positive return.
Semper Vaporo I think it is merely a matter of keeping the names, logo's, livery and advertising phrases of the predicessor lines as "in use" and "current" to keep someone from using them under the claim that they were abandoned.
Excellent point...could even be a legality....
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