Model Railroading > UP's new Employee special unit coming to a layout near you

UP's new Employee Special unit is coming soon to a HO scale layout pre orders start today and is do into your local hobby shop or mail box on 1/2020 and it's being made by Athearn the price will be DCC/DC with sound is $339.98 and DCC ready is $249.98



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/07/19 14:02 by Dewman45.

Geez! WHERE was Athearn back in the good ole days when railroads actually fielded a locomotive model and paint scheme WORTH modeling?  The REAL 1111 would look much better with the tarp left ON it!

I'll be surpised if UP doesn't have to change at least some of the #1111 paint scheme...  

You mean before or after unhappy employees alter it?

MC6853 Wrote:
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> You mean before or after unhappy employees alter it?

Or if they decide to symbolically lay off one or more of the workers depicted on the engine.

The general public will only see a warm and fuzzy company that respects it's employees, not a cold, heartless company that could care less about it's people.

Posted from Android

needles_sub Wrote:
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> The general public will only see a warm and fuzzy
> company that respects it's employees, not a cold,a
> heartless company that could care less about it's
> people.

The reality is probably somewhere in between. Where the layoffs due to a down turn in business? If so would you expect them to keep paying idle employees? Yes, it sucks to be laid-off. I am not unsympathetic having gone through it myself.

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
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> needles_sub Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The general public will only see a warm and
> fuzzy
> > company that respects it's employees, not a
> cold,a
> > heartless company that could care less about
> it's
> > people.
>
> The reality is probably somewhere in between.
> Where the layoffs due to a down turn in business?
> If so would you expect them to keep paying idle
> employees? Yes, it sucks to be laid-off. I am
> not unsympathetic having gone through it myself.

Going by all the comments of people who say they are employed by the Union Pacific, the company is a horrible place to work that seems to only relish harrassing, bullying, and treating employees like mindless droids.
I keep thinking why they would stay with the company that treats them badly, but Im sure they have their reasons.

Posted from Android

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> needles_sub Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The general public will only see a warm and
> fuzzy
> > company that respects it's employees, not a
> cold,a
> > heartless company that could care less about
> it's
> > people.
>
> The reality is probably somewhere in between.
> Where the layoffs due to a down turn in business?
> If so would you expect them to keep paying idle
> employees? Yes, it sucks to be laid-off. I am
> not unsympathetic having gone through it myself.

Now now now, let's not cloud our emotional ramblings with rational thought.

Posted from Android

So with all of these comments about how bad UP is laying off people did they really have to for some reason? That seems to be the big question no one talks about or does anyone really know the reason?  I have heard of both companys having cars stored on sidings all over the system here in OR.  Dont know about BNSF engines but UP seems to have many stored so would think there is a reason they dont need them along with less employees too.  Just asking for facts not ramblings.
 

needles_sub Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Going by all the comments of people who say they
> are employed by the Union Pacific, the company is
> a horrible place to work that seems to only relish
> harrassing, bullying, and treating employees like
> mindless droids.
> I keep thinking why they would stay with the
> company that treats them badly, but Im sure they
> have their reasons.

I've read similar comments about one of the remaining east coast class 1's as well; can't remember which off hand.  Anyway, I have an IT co-worker where I work who is continually complaining here as well.  My feeling is, rather than complain, find a company and job who you like better rather than hang around and complain 24/7.  If UP is that bad, then turn-over would be high and maybe they would have to make improvements to retain employees.  AFAIK, the unemployment rate is low so there should be greener pastures.

Take any large employer and you will have those that complain and complain about anything and everything.   But those same employees will stay at said company their entire career.

I know quite a few UP employees that really like their paycheck.

They may gripe, but they aren’t going anywhere, at least not voluntarily.

Come to think of it,  my employees always griped about something, but none of them ever quit.
Why?  They were all well compensated for their time on the clock.

My last 15 years with AT&T weren't a whole lot of fun, the Boys from Texas who took over the place had no use for unions or employees with opinions.
But their paychecks and now retirement checks spend just fine.

.
>
> The reality is probably somewhere in between.
> Where the layoffs due to a down turn in business?
> If so would you expect them to keep paying idle
> employees? Yes, it sucks to be laid-off. I am
> not unsympathetic having gone through it myself.

The UP timing of this unit is suspect, they had just laid off another 1900 people the week before.   It was not a traffic downturn situation, apease wall street is what it was, plain and simple greed.   Several friends were caught up in this last round.

jpf94 Wrote:
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> The UP timing of this unit is suspect, they had
> just laid off another 1900 people the week before.
>   It was not a traffic downturn situation, apease
> wall street is what it was, plain and simple
> greed.   Several friends were caught up in this
> last round.

And none of them have painted some form of protest graffiti on the side said engine to express their sentiment to their former employer?

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
> And none of them have painted some form of protest
> graffiti on the side said engine to express their
> sentiment to their former employer?

As much as I hate graffiti I have to ask...  Why would those ex-employees want to improve the appearance?

CSX602 Wrote:
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> SPDRGWfan Wrote:
> > And none of them have painted some form of protest
> > graffiti on the side said engine to express their
> > sentiment to their former employer?
>
> As much as I hate graffiti I have to ask...  Why
> would those ex-employees want to improve the
> appearance?

I don't know, maybe to express thier displeasure?