Blue signals to protect workers

Make operations on your railroad more realistic with commercial and scratchbuilt flags

Make operations on your railroad more realistic with commercial and scratchbuilt flags

When you talk about signals with model railroaders, green, yellow, or red are likely the first colors that will be mentioned. But there’s an equally important signal, and it’s blue. Per the 1980 edition of The Consolidated Code of Operating Rules, “A blue signal signifies that workmen are on, under, or between rolling equipment and that the equipment must not be coupled to or moved.” Having blue signals that are prototypical in appearance and placement can add to the realism of our model railroads.

Five pages in the Consolidated Code are devoted to blue signals, covering topics like authorized types of signs (a blue flag or light during the day and a blue light at night); who can display and remove blue signals; and how the signals are to be placed on locomotives, freight cars, and track.

Commercial blue signals are available from Details West (HO scale) and NJ International (HO and O). I’ve also scratchbuilt signals for my HO scale Conrail layout using common modeling materials. If you plan to use the signals during operating sessions, build them to withstand regular handling. Some commercial signals are made of soft metal that can easily be bent or broken.

Blue signals can be found on railroads large and small. Build one or more of the signals shown here and add them to your next operating session.

M.R. Snell is a regular contributor to Model Railroader magazine. He models Conrail in HO scale.

Photos by the author A Conrail carman protects his work area with a clamp-style blue signal before starting work on a bad-order boxcar. M.R. Snell shares how he scratchbuilt three styles of blue signals for his HO scale model railroad.