What do a baseball cap, teddy bear, mug, poster and shower curtain have in common? The answer isn't the punch line to a bad joke; the items are just a few of many that freight and passenger railroads brand with their logo and sell, both in company stores and online. Railroads' reasons for selling merchandise are as varied as the items they offer. For some, it's a way to promote the railroad. For others, a way to get rid of surplus promotional materials. But some railroads sell merchandise because customers, rail fans and employees actually want promotional items, as Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) officials discovered during the 1997 Loop Centennial Celebration.
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