Western Railroad Discussion > The Union Pacific Licensing Situation.

I see once again that this subject has come up in the Model Railroad discussion board. Im not going to get into this subject but I want to repeat something I had told several years ago about the now defunct Pennsylvania Railroad.

As most people know, the old PRR was once considered to be the largest railroad in the world and at one time had the name of "Standard of the World". With that information in mind you also remember the notable symbol for the PRR was a Keystone symbol with the letters PRR contained within. Well, guess what, when that symbol became the PRR corporate nameplate, the largest railroad in the world forgot to have it copyrighted by the US Government. Now, the old PRR was around for a very long time. About ten years ago or maybe more, some smart, bright college student happened to stumble across some documents that led to him finding out that the PRR never submitted a request to the US Patent Office for a copyright notice for the Keystone symbol with the PRR contained in it. This bright student therefore filed a copyright request notice in his name and it was granted giving him sole posession of the PRR symbol rights, I dont know the outcome of this situation today but it does show a paralell to the current Union Pacific situation. The UP has a lot more to lose today than the PRR does. Food for thought.

Jim

I remember that this did go to court, and that the court ruled that the PRR Keystone herald was now in "public domain".

Trademark, not Copyright...

No question about who the owner is, it's how it's effecting the hobby, or whatever you call it, that's the stinker.

This may soon be coming to BNSF in some form.

Any number of reasons for it and might as well get used to it.