Blue Flags? Are they in use on your railroad?


Old 97

Old 97

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The photo shared by KriegslokBR52 took me down a bit of a rabbit hole. :)

designbuildop.hansmanns.org

Blue Flags

A recent discussion in a Yahoo email group centered on using prototype elements to slow down the pace of model railroad operations. I had a Wheeling Freight Terminal operating session on the calend…
designbuildop.hansmanns.org
 
That was an interesting read! I never knew of the blue flags.

I recently seen a section of track being worked on that had a red flad that had derail printed on it. I assume it was to protect the workers from a train entering that area..

I thought it would be neat to have that removable flag on an industry track that's not widely used.
 
The actual blue flag rules only apply in two cases, when railroad mechanical department employees are working on, under or around equipment or when a tank car of hazmat is connected to load or unload. Those are the only times BY RULE that blue flags are required to be used.

However, since people know that railroad crews won't touch cars displaying a blue flag, industries have been using blue flags for all sorts of things other than what the rules require, for example an industry loading boxcars. There isn't a rule requiring blue flags, but some industries will put one up regardless and the railroad crews will respect it.
 
dave1905 said:
The actual blue flag rules only apply in two cases, when railroad mechanical department employees are working on, under or around equipment or when a tank car of hazmat is connected to load or unload. Those are the only times BY RULE that blue flags are required to be used.

However, since people know that railroad crews won't touch cars displaying a blue flag, industries have been using blue flags for all sorts of things other than what the rules require, for example an industry loading boxcars. There isn't a rule requiring blue flags, but some industries will put one up regardless and the railroad crews will respect it.
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That is what I saw too. Only thing I may add is. Only the same class of craft can remove a blue flag. Meaning a carman cannot remove a blue flag placed by a machinist or vice versa. I have seen trains held up because someone forgot to remove their blue flag. To the point of being called at home to come back and pull the flag.
Blue flag protections are about the most restrictive on the Railroad. Serious stuff.
 
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