NKP 765 - flag box

It is funny that you would ask because a replacement is being made this year.  The original one was all rusted out and all mashed and distorted and scrapped during the 1979 shopping.  Flags (wood shaft with painted sheet metal) were left upside-down in the box and then crew members would step on the hinged lid to reach something up high and the lid was all bent up.  Most of the surviving Berks probably still have theirs.

Look for the "curve tail R" on the tender sides to be removed this year.  That style was only used in the first couple of years of the 765's NKP career and the more common style will go on shortly.

thanks for the info.  will be nice to see that detail back.  at least i can stop looking for a picture of it for a while.  and also appreciate the confirmation that the "flags" were indeed metal; a bit of trivia i didn't know until just recently.

by the way, i know that the class flags were flown up near the top of the boiler in back of the class lights, but were (or are) the pilot mounted stanchions ever used for anything?

Fix the Mars light and put it back on...

The pilot mounted stanchions were not used by the NKP for anything, that I ever heard of or have seen in any photos.   However, they work great for American Flags and NS company flags in 2012.  Somebody sneaked a green and white flag on while we were crossing Michigan on the Great Lakes Central.

steam fan posted:

Fix the Mars light and put it back on...

No! No!

Please...not that!

OGR Webmaster posted:

steam fan posted:

Fix the Mars light and put it back on...

No! No!

Please...not that!

Rich we hear the same type requests for the flying numberboards on 1225. 

Glad to hear others dislike the Mars light like myself. 

i wasn't going to bring it up, but, re: Mars light, personally, the more going on, the better i like it...

my straw poll vote is yea.

note: it's obvious #753 had its flag box intact for this photo.
cheers...gary

I've always liked the Mars Light look too.

I like the Mars light too.

NKP779 posted:

It is funny that you would ask because a replacement is being made this year.  ...

how is yours coming? ...

cheers...gary

The Mars light gave the NKP Berkshires a serious, all-business look. Perhaps it is also the look that many of us mid-range oldsters (me: 71) saw when first introduced to this class of locomotives, which in the 50's were still holding diesels at bay,  with performance hustling hotshots that diesels could only approximate........"all business"  !!

I love the MARS light. Gives a classy look.

I'm glad to see it's back on! Can't wait for June!

I always liked the Mars light, it just looks right.

from Jim Kreider, a great picture of the flag box attached to a NKP Berkshire headlight step (which i have apparently been mistaken up until now in calling it the pilot step) for the detail modelers ...

though i now also see that i need to add a 3/16" rad on the flag corners...

fun stuff...!
cheers...gary

That Mars light looks worse than a big mole on a witch's nose!

Big Jim posted:

That Mars light looks worse than a big mole on a witch's nose!

with both having the intrinsic ability to scare kids away, i'd say well done in either case.

please direct any further comments on the Mars light to the Mars light string (when it gets created).

thanks...gary

Thanks for the question and replies on the flag box.  I've always thought that NKP's metal flags were interesting.

Number 90 posted:

Thanks for the question and replies on the flag box.  I've always thought that NKP's metal flags were interesting.

Yes , I wonder if they were bolted  on...I'm sure we all remember the wooden ones  occasionally flying  off.

(Looks like 2 white and 2 green.)

Grand Trunk Western used metal flags, too.  Any other roads?