Tag Archives: #white flags

White Flags—Extra 4731 East

Lost among my early slides was this classic image.

I’d admit that from a photographic perspective this isn’t one of my better photos. However, from an operations view point I captured a window in history.

In August of 1986, I photographed this Canadian Pacific extra freight working the yard at Brownville, Maine.

In 1986, CPR was still using the old Timetable and Train Order rules, where extra trains were required to display white flags (by day) and white class lights ( by night)—both are displayed here. Other elements of classic steam era railroading include the searchlight automatic block signals, the water tank, and track speeders (in the distance on left) for maintenance and inspection.

The MLW diesels were a bonus.

Exposed on Kodachrome 64.

Conway Extra—Monday June 15, 2020.

Yesterday, we ran an extra train to Conway.

‘Extra’ in the traditional sense:


Since this was not a scheduled train; its authority was granted using train orders and thus operated as a ‘extra’, which must display white flags.

I organized small banners on the short hood of the locomotive to advise observers of our opening date.

On Saturday, June 20th Conway Scenic will commence its Summer 2020 operating season.

Trains will board for Conway at 930am and 3pm; and for Bartlett at 1230pm.

Trains depart 30 minutes after boarding.

I exposed this photo with my Lumix LX7. To compensate for midday light I adjusted contrast, shadows, highlights and saturation using Lightroom.

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