Bland Name Trains

[spacek531]

Most of the vanilla locomotives are named after real locomotives. What should their OpenGraphics names be?

I am only guessing at which of the European locomotives are named after their real counterparts, as I am not familiar with continental rolling stock compared to UK and US.

British Region

• 2-EPB Electric Multiple Unit
• 3F 'Jinty': Belpaire Tank
• APT Driving Carriage
• APT Passenger Carriage
• APT Power Car
• BR Standard Class 4MT
• Class 114 Diesel Multiple Unit
• Class 142 Diesel Railbus
• Class 158 Diesel Multiple Unit
• Class 20
• Class 37
• Class 47
• Class 508 Electric Multiple Unit
• Class 55 'Deltic'
• Class 58
• Class 67
• Class 71
• Class 86
• Class 90
• Fowler 4F: Belpaire Goods
• Gresley A3
• Gresley A4
• HST Power Car
• Mk1 Passenger Carriage
• Mk2 Passenger Carriage
• Mk3 Passenger Carriage
• Stanier Black 5
• Stanier Coronation Pacific
• Stanier Jubilee

Mountain Region

• AE 4/7
• Ce 6/8 Crocodile
• Class 656
• Deh 4/6
• Eb 3/5
• EW-IV Driving Carriage
• EW-IV Carriage
• Ge 4/4 II
• Ge 4/4 III
• Ge 6/6
• HGe 4/4
• HGe 4/4 II
• RBe 2/4 Railcar
• Re 4/4 I
• Re 4/4 II
• Re 460
• SLMC 3/3
• SLM C 5/6
• SLM HG2/3
• TGV Passenger Carriage
• TGV Power Car

American Region

• Baldwin 2-8-0
• Century (kinda, see below)
• Class E8
• Dash-7
• SD70

Locomotives that are already generically named

• Electra-Star
• Electric Multiple Unit
• Pacific
• Century (this is named after the Century series of locomotives produced by ALCO, not a specific locomotive)
• Special 2-4-2
• Stirling 8ft

[eldomtom2]

Most of these names are not trademarked and should not cause legal issues if used.

[LeftofZen]

Most of these names are not trademarked and should not cause legal issues if used.

@eldomtom2 I'm not a copyright lawyer, so would you be able to write up a document/list/spreadsheet of exactly which names are copyright and where, when they expire, and which ones are not copyrighted? It'll have to be accurate per-country as well.

Or, we can just come up with fantasy names and not have to worry about all that. We want to be certain, not just "maybe it's ok", and so its far easier just to stay clear of the issue entirely.

[eldomtom2]

Firstly, you can't copyright a name. You can trademark a name, but trademarks are very different to copyrights (for one, validity is based on use, not time since creation).

Secondly, I don't think a single trademark lawyer would guarantee that a name is free to use in all countries.

Thirdly, you appear not to understand that a "fantasy name" could also unintentionally violate a trademark.

[LeftofZen]

You are totally correct, I do not understand any of this stuff, nor do I want to. This is why I want to avoid the issue by making up our own names. This is what I mean by fantasy - user created.

If you are a copyright/trademark expert then that would be great to use your knowledge to know what we can and cannot do. For each of the vanilla names, would you be able to clarify if they're copyright/trademark and basically a yes/no on whether it's ok to use them for this project, or whether we should make our own? Just want to avoid any headaches here

[eldomtom2]

Sorry for taking a while to respond.
I'm afraid I really do have to reiterate the point that you are at just as much risk if you make up names than if you use the vanilla ones.