Western Railroad Discussion > U. P. To drop flag decal on locomotives?

Heard a rumor that the U. P. has decided to stop putting the flag on locomotives to save money. At first I blew it off but the more I thought about it I realized that anything with the U. P. is possible. Would anyone confirm this or offer any insight to this?

Posted from Android

The UP needs to WASH their engines.  Almost all of them are filthy!  Seeing American flags covered with grime is disgusting, as well as unpatriotic.

I LOVE the big flag decals WHEN THEY ARE CLEAN.  Seeing them covered in road grime is less of a problem for me than seeing them faded or partially removed or damaged.   The UP is using an image of the US national ensign to show patriotism and pride.  Unfortunately the wear and tear of day-to-day use often disfigures the decal.  When damaged the decal should be removed or renewed.  

Gary B.
Waverly, NE

As much as I like the flags, I would say that is a good move, since the flags don't seem to be cleaned, maintained or refreshed, as all of us suspected would be the case all along, and now they are cutting shops and shop people so it will only get worse.. === === = === JLH
 

UP 4907 has been running around for a while with normal UP lettering but the shield and "Building America" lettering under the radiators:

https://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=160220

It's not a bad look.  I'd be okay if they went to something like this.

Nathan Beauheim
Loveland, CO

under psr wou will be surprised what a railroad will do to save money. at csx they only left 2 computers at each terminal for the train crews to use. 

This is the third freshly repainted unit I've seen recently that does not have the flag on the side.  I would say the rumor may be true.

---

Good idea IMO, and no better way to honor the flag then to not use it if you can't keep it clean. The repaint looks sharper in classic UNION PACIFIC on the hood.

I'm glad they're dropping the flag.  I love my country and the flag, but it looked so tacky on a RR engine, and espeically so when it got tattered or dirty.  Bad form on UP's part--be rid of them.  If they want to fly the flag, then buy some regular flags that fit into a post or something.  That way, they really look clean and truly wave in the wind.

Saw UP 5561 at Chemult on May 31st.

Tom Trent
Eugene, OR

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coach Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm glad they're dropping the flag.  I love my
> country and the flag, but it looked so tacky on a
> RR engine, and espeically so when it got tattered
> or dirty.  Bad form on UP's part--be rid of them.
>  If they want to fly the flag, then buy some
> regular flags that fit into a post or something.
>  That way, they really look clean and truly wave
> in the wind.

I agree.  And it's always bothered my when commercial interests use our flag for advertising.  Maybe I'm a cynic but that's the way I've a;ways seen it.

John

A friend of mine sent me a shot of UP 8679 without a flag. It looks fantastic in my opinion!
~wko

Posted from Android

That's what you get for merging with the SP-DRGW

If this is indeed true, then I will say "Bravo, Uncle Pete!"

Lance/199

The flag was not added for advertising purposes.  It was added to the paint scheme after 9/11 as rememberance.

Drop the flags on the units except for a few "American Heritage" units that can be properly maintained. Then start painting all trucks silver again, darnit! === === = === JLH

wko Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A friend of mine sent me a shot of UP 8679 without
> a flag. It looks fantastic in my opinion!
> ~wko
>
> Posted from Android

Well THAT'S something I need to see

Edit: Found picture, this is awesome. (source http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=5141256)

http://s3.amazonaws.com/rrpa_photos/132154/IMG_3554.JPG



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/15/19 18:20 by djd83.

My sentiments exactly. The flag on any outdoor use does NOT wear well. I despise the Amereican flag used for advertising, and  too often, shady organizations are behind it. My late father was a WWII Normandy survivor, and he hated commercializing the flag as well.

Korigaoka1811 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> coach Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I'm glad they're dropping the flag.  I love my
> > country and the flag, but it looked so tacky on
> a
> > RR engine, and espeically so when it got
> tattered
> > or dirty.  Bad form on UP's part--be rid of
> them.
> >  If they want to fly the flag, then buy some
> > regular flags that fit into a post or
> something.
> >  That way, they really look clean and truly
> wave
> > in the wind.
>
> I agree.  And it's always bothered my when
> commercial interests use our flag for
> advertising.  Maybe I'm a cynic but that's the
> way I've a;ways seen it.
>
> John

Yes to silver trucks. The crews said it is easier to inspect silver trucks.
highgreengraphics Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Drop the flags on the units except for a few
> "American Heritage" units that can be properly
> maintained. Then start painting all trucks silver
> again, darnit! === === = === JLH

I hope UP is in fact dropping the flag decals on locomotives.  It is true they look terrible when they get dirty or faded. When they first came out I was very excited by them.  I don’t think any of us at UP gave much thought how widespread their application would become or how poorly they would wear.  Some of us believed they would be limited to a special set of power.   I was aware of what the flag code said, but they were not intended as advertising.  Chairman Dick Davidson said he wanted to “do something” to show corporate patriotic support of the country as it waged war across the Middle East.

Our advertising and public relations firm, Bozell & Jacobs, directed by Robert W. Turner, Senior Vice President -Corporate Relations Union Pacific, reviewed several ideas that included red, white & blue locomotive paint schemes.  They were rejected as looking too much like the Bicentennial paint schemes that proliferated across the industry several years before.  When we saw the large flag idea we immediately endorsed it.

When we visited the EMD plant to watch the prototype decals applied I was startled to learn how expensive they were and time-consuming to apply over the doors, etc on the side of the hood.  As time went by Mike Iden, UP general director of car & locomotive engineering, trying to save the patriotic scheme, began buying more flag decals to replace the disgraced originals.  It was a losing battle.

Insofar as painting locomotive trucks silver, that is a non-starter.  The silver was discarded as a cost-saving measure to reduce the number of colors the company had to stock.

As far as washing locomotives I can’t see that happening.

And finally I personally hope the heritage units will soon be repainted in their UP colors.  I was very disappointed with the fan reaction of the interpretive paint schemes which seemed to generate more scorn than praise.   Most recently the latest special unit, the 1111 saluting employees, was jinxed by poor timing and is dead on arrival, killed by PC.  The cost of all this isn’t worth it.  

Let’s hope the traditional armour yellow scheme survives modern railroad economics.

JB - Omaha


 



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/16/19 10:48 by Copy19.