Railroad Forums 

  • Why is SEPTA so stingy with their brand?

  • Discussion relating to Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (Philadelphia Metro Area). Official web site can be found here: www.septa.com. Also including discussion related to the PATCO Speedline rapid transit operated by Delaware River Port Authority. Official web site can be found here: http://www.ridepatco.org/.
Discussion relating to Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (Philadelphia Metro Area). Official web site can be found here: www.septa.com. Also including discussion related to the PATCO Speedline rapid transit operated by Delaware River Port Authority. Official web site can be found here: http://www.ridepatco.org/.

Moderator: AlexC

 #1508700  by JeffK
 
BuddCar711 wrote:
NorthPennLimited wrote:(and [disn't] 1/2 of SEPTA's regional rail network used to be Reading?).
Here's the breakdown. It's essentially half by line count, although I think RDG was a bit shorter by distance (excluding of course discontinued lines like Quakertown/Bethlehem)

Former RDG: CHE, Fox Chase, Lansdale/Doylestown, Manayunk/Norristown, Warminster, and West Trenton

Former PRR: CHW, Paoli/Thorndale, Cynwyd (formerly Ivy Ridge), Media/Elwyn, Wilmington/Newark, and Trenton

I left out the Airport Line because its prior ownership is somewhat contorted plus it didn't carry passengers until after SEPTA took over commuter service.
 #1508741  by Return to Reading Company Olney Sta
 
BuddCar711 wrote:I notice that too, in fact, those TrailPasses feature almost every other watermark, but they never have the Reading Diamond (and isn't 1/2 of SEPTA's regional rail network used to be Reading?).
Just speculation, but may be that the Reading Diamond symbol is actively used by the Reading and Northern.
 #1511016  by BuddCar711
 
It's not just SEPTA. The rock band Chicago was originally called The Chicago Transit Authority until the actual CTA threatened to sue them (though IMO it was a dick move on the CTA's part because nobody would actually confuse the transit system to the band), so they shortened the name.
 #1511061  by R36 Combine Coach
 
BuddCar711 wrote: Mon Jun 10, 2019 10:28 am It's not just SEPTA. The rock band Chicago was originally called The Chicago Transit Authority until the actual CTA threatened to sue them (though IMO it was a dick move on the CTA's part because nobody would actually confuse the transit system to the band), so they shortened the name.
Rumored that Mayor Daley was somehow involved. Either way, the self-titled album from 1969 is worth a listen.

And MTA can also get hard on trademarks, such as NYCT route symbols and bullet signs.
 #1511168  by jetfan
 
R36 Combine Coach wrote: Thu May 09, 2019 12:55 am Is Island Modelworks of Long Island an official licensed SEPTA product? They produce shells, which can be assembled and completed by the customer, including decals. I could see this as a way of bypassing trademark/brand licensing, as the company supplies the shell (kit) with no logos or decals and the customer does the rest.
We are licensed with SEPTA and have a great personal relationship with them. If you noticed on our decals, they all say "SEPTA licensed product" on them. With that being said, the cars themselves do not require a license as the designs are not protected. I was told this years ago from someone at Bombardier that this was due to the fact to do so, would require making the designs available to their competition (something along those lines)