03-31-2017, 05:12 PM
I am reposting a letter from the board of directors of the Anthracite Railroads Historical society about a dispute that we are having with a supplier called Big Dog Originals. I have received permission from Ed White to post this here to inform others of what is going on .
March 30, 2017
Dear ARHS Members and Friends,
Back in 2007-2008, as a fundraiser for the society, ARHS invested substantial time and resources in the development of an HO-Scale Baldwin DR-4-4-1500 “Babyface” model shell that could fit on a Life-Like Proto 2000 FA2 chassis. This involved researching the Babyface designs at the PA state archives in Harrisburg, PA, working with CAD designers to appropriately scale the shells, working with resin mold casters to alter the shells to “lock” on to a FA2 chassis, and procuring the necessary detail parts to accompany the shells (windshields, steps, horns, etc.) All of this time was invested by the Society to further our mission of historical preservation and to support the Society financially through sales of this model.
In January 2017, the ARHS was contacted by Mr. Bruce Gavin of Big Dawg Originals (BDO) (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.bigdawgoriginals.com/">https://www.bigdawgoriginals.com/</a><!-- m -->). Mr. Gavin informed the ARHS he was selling copies of the shells which he had made from a mold he had taken of one of our shells. To justify this piracy of our design, he alleged correctly that the design of the original locomotive was in the public domain, but incorrectly that the design of our HO scale model was also in the public domain. It is not. Mr. Gavin is presently promoting his pirated copies on BDO’s website (link above), via eBay here and here, and via Facebook here. Apparently sales have been substantial enough to justify a second run per BDO’s Facebook and web pages.
The ARHS takes the position that Mr. Gavin's actions constitute theft of our design. Apparently this is not the first time that Mr.Gavin has attempted to pirate someone else's work. Our claims of theft are echoed by reputable manufacturers (Athearn, Rapido, etc.), and have been posted or quoted in reputable online forums (i.e. Model Railroader here)
So where does that leave us? The ARHS has contacted Bruce Gavin of BDO directly stating our position and requesting he and his company cease from these illegal activities.
We are also asking for your help and cooperation by not patronizing this illegal activity, and spreading the word to other modelers of BDO's questionable reputation. Companies like BDO only have a market for their product if there are customers out there who support them. Margins in the model railroading industry have shrunk so much in recent years that the only manufacturers left are those that would not be in it except that they enjoy the hobby as much as the modeler does. As if the financial pressure on the industry from overseas manufacturing wasn’t enough, now we have issues from companies like BDO on the home front to deal with. Specific to the ARHS, it was our hope that the investment we had in the Babyface models years ago could be used to benefit the Society down the road with additional HO models, including double-enders, and possibly runs of the Babyface shells in additional scales. The actions of BDO have put these future opportunities at risk for the ARHS.
The ARHS board of directors requests your support in not patronizing companies such as BDO and encouraging your friends and family to do the same. There is nothing original about BDO. Their work is theft of another’s investment, design, and hard-earned ideas, plain and simple.
Warmest Regards,
The ARHS Board of Directors
Although I have no control over how people spend their money , I would like to ask the members here to not purchase our copied shells from Big Dog Originals. We are a nonprofit group that has spent a huge amount of funds and time on this project, for someone to copy them for profit is a real slap in the face.
Thanks for your time in reading this.
Steve Olear.
March 30, 2017
Dear ARHS Members and Friends,
Back in 2007-2008, as a fundraiser for the society, ARHS invested substantial time and resources in the development of an HO-Scale Baldwin DR-4-4-1500 “Babyface” model shell that could fit on a Life-Like Proto 2000 FA2 chassis. This involved researching the Babyface designs at the PA state archives in Harrisburg, PA, working with CAD designers to appropriately scale the shells, working with resin mold casters to alter the shells to “lock” on to a FA2 chassis, and procuring the necessary detail parts to accompany the shells (windshields, steps, horns, etc.) All of this time was invested by the Society to further our mission of historical preservation and to support the Society financially through sales of this model.
In January 2017, the ARHS was contacted by Mr. Bruce Gavin of Big Dawg Originals (BDO) (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.bigdawgoriginals.com/">https://www.bigdawgoriginals.com/</a><!-- m -->). Mr. Gavin informed the ARHS he was selling copies of the shells which he had made from a mold he had taken of one of our shells. To justify this piracy of our design, he alleged correctly that the design of the original locomotive was in the public domain, but incorrectly that the design of our HO scale model was also in the public domain. It is not. Mr. Gavin is presently promoting his pirated copies on BDO’s website (link above), via eBay here and here, and via Facebook here. Apparently sales have been substantial enough to justify a second run per BDO’s Facebook and web pages.
The ARHS takes the position that Mr. Gavin's actions constitute theft of our design. Apparently this is not the first time that Mr.Gavin has attempted to pirate someone else's work. Our claims of theft are echoed by reputable manufacturers (Athearn, Rapido, etc.), and have been posted or quoted in reputable online forums (i.e. Model Railroader here)
So where does that leave us? The ARHS has contacted Bruce Gavin of BDO directly stating our position and requesting he and his company cease from these illegal activities.
We are also asking for your help and cooperation by not patronizing this illegal activity, and spreading the word to other modelers of BDO's questionable reputation. Companies like BDO only have a market for their product if there are customers out there who support them. Margins in the model railroading industry have shrunk so much in recent years that the only manufacturers left are those that would not be in it except that they enjoy the hobby as much as the modeler does. As if the financial pressure on the industry from overseas manufacturing wasn’t enough, now we have issues from companies like BDO on the home front to deal with. Specific to the ARHS, it was our hope that the investment we had in the Babyface models years ago could be used to benefit the Society down the road with additional HO models, including double-enders, and possibly runs of the Babyface shells in additional scales. The actions of BDO have put these future opportunities at risk for the ARHS.
The ARHS board of directors requests your support in not patronizing companies such as BDO and encouraging your friends and family to do the same. There is nothing original about BDO. Their work is theft of another’s investment, design, and hard-earned ideas, plain and simple.
Warmest Regards,
The ARHS Board of Directors
Although I have no control over how people spend their money , I would like to ask the members here to not purchase our copied shells from Big Dog Originals. We are a nonprofit group that has spent a huge amount of funds and time on this project, for someone to copy them for profit is a real slap in the face.
Thanks for your time in reading this.
Steve Olear.
My other car is a locomotive, ARHS restoration crew