@Frank Mulligan posted:I've often wondered about the process (and cost) for model train companies to get approval for using trademarked railroad names. I seem to recall there was an issue several years ago with a license to use the Maersk name and at that time (2015?) there would be no more Maersk model train items made.
The UP went after the model train industry starting in 2003, they were looking for licensing revenue for UP and the railroads that merged/it bought. They sued Athearn and Lionel in like 2004 (note, didn't have this info at the tip of my fingers, looked it up). It was a revenue move pure and simple,part of a broader effort.
It backfired on them, it generated a ton of negative publicity for them which 'surprised' the knuckleheads that came up with this idea, it prob cost them more in negative publicity than they could have gotten back. In 2006 they basically granted a perpetual license to model train companies. In their press releases they tried backtracking, claiming that the only reason they wanted licensing was to make sure that the 'brand was displayed properly', rather than money (which totally contradicted what they filed in court). An executive of one of the model train companies speaking anonymously (I would hazard a guess Athearn) said that was kind of ridiculous, in that model train companies strive to reproduce the real thing as closely as possible.
