So I have this rule for my model railroad: "Union Pacific does not exist". My reasons for this rule are another topic for another day, so I will leave it as that. In keeping with the rule, there will be no UP locomotives or rolling stock on my layout. Today, however, I had an idea that may change the rule to: "Union Pacific is a fallen flag". The idea springs from all the patches UP has placed on Southern Pacific locomotives. if they can patch SP to UP...on my railroad, I can pretend it's the other way around and patch UP to SP. Then I got to thinking, I could even put some random SP gray doors on the side of a UP yellow locomotive, like I see the UP yellow doors on the sides of patched SP locos. I am curious what yall think about my idea.
We've got a few people on this board who have patched over UP locos with SP, and there's another person who had Great Northern taking over the UP.
Technically, SP is the surviving entity, it just changed its name to UP. By coincidence, I just looked at my HO locomotive roster. I have a single CNW unit, and three SP units. I don't think it's chance there are no Unlimited Parking units.
lynngrove, Like this one ? I thought the scarlet would show the patch job better than grey. Love it ! !
No, UP bought SP. I think you've got that mixed up with the DRGW merger; Philip Anschutz's DRGW bought SP but used the SP name for the new corporation because of larger name recognition.
Just curious as to why so many people hate UP?Is it because they bought up so many other railroads?Didnt BNSF, CP, CN, and CSX essentially do the same thing?Just curious?Please explain?
I don't know if that many actually hate Union Pacific. For most of us, I think it's more of a friendly rivalry, kind of like how a lot of people root for any team that plays against the Yankees or the Lakers. Another difference is that roads like BNSF, NS, and CSX did at least make some attempt to merge the identities of their constituent railroads in their new identity. Union Pacific completely supplanted their identity on that of the roads they acquired or merged. Since a lot of us are fans of those roads, it kind of hurts to see them disappearing, if not on paper at least on paint schemes. I have friends who are UP modelers and we like to give each other friendly jabs once in a while but it's all in fun.
Well CP and CN are Canadian roads, and most Americans don't care (or know) about anything that happens outside of our borders, so you can count them out. CSX and BNSF are relatively new companies made up of merged fallen flags. Their corporate identities haven't been around for very long. But the UP started in 1862 and still operates to this day. I'm not going to be a UP apologist, but a lot of the anti-UP hate is rooted in envy and jealousy, how a company can last for so long under the same corporate identity for nearly 150 years, and especially play a part in American history (See: Golden Spike, Promontory, UT, 1869). Love it or hate it, the UP IS one of the iconic companies of the United States - along with General Electric, Ford Motor Company, IBM, etc. If the SP or Pennsylvania Railroad or ATSF bought other railroads and still survived to this day, I'd bet a lot of railfans would "hate" that railroad. Look, I love the SP, it's my favorite RR of all time, and for a time I really hated the UP. But I got over it and now respect the UP for what it's done throughout American history. Their "Building America" slogan has a lot of truth to it. Very few surviving companies around the world can claim to be that influential in the development of an entire nation throughout its history.
MRL, The SP would not have spent any big bucks to repaint a unit due to go off lease. So, this unit is due off lease soon. Carl
SD and MRL said most of it really. 'Hate' is a bit strong though - dislike maybe. It's just human nature to an extent - most of us are underdogs in the big scheme (only a small percentage are in the Buffet or Obama class), so we tend to side with the underdog. Just look at the popular movies To me UP just seems a bit bland and unchanging - unyielding even. Everything is grey over yellow, always has been and (it seems) always will. The other roads do try to be varied over time, or maybe just fail to be consistent .... And as a bit of an SP fan the way they walked in and said "This is UP now, do it our way" followed by meltdown for months on end didn't endear me to them any more than I was already.
Nicely done. Looks like SP moved on UP before the actual UP take over. It also reflects that the SP was in good enough shape to take the time to do such a tidy decall set on a UP unit. Run this with a Kadachrome and of course 4 or 5 other SP units and it would be a typical SP consist in the Inland Empire of Socal. I grew up watching the SP roll through Lancaster Ca. at speed then was able to watch the West Colton yard for many years and that is the main reason I like the SP. I do tease the UP guys and tell them its to easy as most model makers create UP everything. You have to admit it was pretty cool for the UP to create and run the heritage units. I do wish there were more of them though.
Thanks for the post Hemi. My issues with UP started during the time they tried to enforce their copy write. It is not that they did, (they have every right to), it is how they did it. We don't need to debate it here.
No, he is correct. UP was technically absorbed by the SP. SP has/had an office in I think Delaware for tax purposes. BNSF does as well iirc. In any case, when the assimilation occured, UP changed the SP corporate name to UP and that was that.
