Please correct me in this if I am wrong on the facts. I remember reading in RMC years ago that advertising on RR cars was banned in such and such a year due to such and such a ban from the FRA or the AAR. Not sure what type of ads were banned or why. I also saw not to long ago in Railpace that Amtrak allowed the History Channel to apply several "decals" to the sides of one of its' trains advertising the show the History Channel was promoting. This was allowed and I'm not sure how. Is the ban on advertising this way still in effect? If Amtrak can do it, then why don't museums, train operators, private varnish owners, and the like not try and get corporate donors to help fund these worthwhile causes (our restoration efforts) and place a billboard type ad on their equipment? Yes it's not in the realm of preservation we would like to have, putting "PDQ's" ad on our equipment, but fundage is fundage. If "XYZ" boxcar is in our collection, and really not relavate to our mission, why not use it to help our cause by placing a few logos or ads on it? NASCAR teams do it every weekend when they race, and yes it's on TV and you have a much broader audience than old trains do, but it could still put funds in the old coffer, which we are all in need of.
And here is the second part of my question. Would it be wrong for a person who has a PV of their own to get corporate funds to aid in the restoration of said equipment and then advertise the corporation once the car is in service?
I maybe looney as I've had a tad bit too much sunshine this weekend. Thoughts and comments please. Not on me being looney, just my post.
Rob

The prohibition is an Association of American Railroads Interchange Rule that applies to railroad owned or controlled equipment interchanged with other railroads. The A.A.R. can't force railroads to follow the rules when they are not also government laws or regulations. Amtrak isn't interchanging with another operator, and if the did, both could agree to ignore the rule, to the A.A.R.'s dismay. It doesn't apply to owners' ads on private cars, just look at a circus train or private refrigerator car. The railroad's own slogan on its own car is probably also exempt. Ads on the cargo on a flat or gondola car, or temporary ads on flat car stakes are allowed under some conditions. That's probably how trailers and containers get away with it.

Since it is an AAR rule, which also limits the advertising on private freight cars to a logo and one slogan, it only applies to equipment in general interchange service, and originally took effect under the rules of the Interstate Commerce Commission in 1938.

As far as equipment used by tourist railroads, that would be strictly up to the owner and operator. As to private varnish used on the railroad network, I imagine only the car owner and Amtrak would have a say. Unless the car were in almost constant use, I doubt advertising would generate any significant revenue, though.