Maintenance flags - 2
rules for specific railways. As an example, the UCOR were modi-
fied in 1940, 1951, and 1962. PDF links to some rule sites are
listed at the end of the article. Rules in other countries will vary,
and modelers outside North America are urged to consult local
operating rules. The diagrams referred to throughout the article
come from the CROR, and are used with the kind permission of
the Railway Association of Canada. I must also note at this time
that rules 840.1 and 843 are going to change sometime in the
near future according to the Railway Association of Canada.
Regardless of the era you model, flags are made of cloth or
metal, and can be different sizes. The type of cloth used in the
various eras is irrelevant, as we will be using modeling materi-
als to simulate the flags. The size of the flags depends upon
the railway, or railway contractors, rules and whether or not
the flags are made in-house, or are purchased from an equip-
ment supplier. Blue flags, for instance, must be a minimum of
18” x 12” according to the American Railway Engineering and
Maintenance of Way Association, but can be larger. Modelers
who want to be true to a specific prototype, or era will have to
research their favorite railway and the operating rules in force
during their era to determine the size and how the various flags
are, or were mounted.
The red, yellow, yellow-over-red, and green flags I measured
at Southern Railway of Vancouver Island varied in size, even
though it appeared that they were made by the same company
or person. Overall measurement of the yellow-over-red flag
was 24” x 27” while the red, yellow and green flags measured
22” x 29”. Metal flags are mounted on a metal pole which can
be anchored to the rail by various types of mechanisms that
support the flag staff, modern magnetic supports that sit on
top of the rail, anchored to a tie, or can be driven into the
ballast on the side of the track. The height of the staff varies
MRH-Dec 2014
