Steam & Excursion > 3751 flying Jolly Roger out of San Bernardino 4-13-14

4-13-2014
Does anyone know why 3751 was flying the Jolly Roger this afternoon? Nobody there knew.

Because it's cool.

Because Ed was on board....

Because the crew are big believers in historical accuracy!

I'd say because it makes people like Keystone furious!

Hey TimBo611...you know I'm right.

DBen Wrote:
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> 4-13-2014
> Does anyone know why 3751 was flying the Jolly
> Roger this afternoon? Nobody there knew.

If I recall, it goes back to the 1991 Sacramento Railfair at the CSRM.

HotWater Wrote:
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> DBen Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > 4-13-2014
> > Does anyone know why 3751 was flying the Jolly
> > Roger this afternoon? Nobody there knew.
>
> If I recall, it goes back to the 1991 Sacramento
> Railfair at the CSRM.

Yes, Jack and I remember all that went on at the 1991 Railfair in Sacramento and the "Jolley Roger" was a major player then. That was also the trip where the 3985 was depicted as being fueled by nuclear radioactive materials and the Irrigation District Tank engine sported a Lipton tea bag tag out the top also.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Funny thing about the Jolly Roger flags at Railfair in 1991.

There were only two of them. And I supplied them. A pair of flags from a flag store at San Francisco's Pier 39. Screw mounted on a couple of old flag sticks. We had used them at Rio Vista Jct. While RVJ had intially been invited to the party with the Western Pacific ten-wheeler 94, powers that be had instead decided to concentrate efforts on a 3 car interurban train to attend instead of steam.

That effort failed in a number of ways. Most notably, Central California Traction Company freight motor had failed inspection of axles/bearings by the SP and stayed home during the party. In it's place, BAERA sent Key System shop switcher 1215 to Sacramento, thanks in large part to a friendly trucker who moved it to and from RVJ. It spent the time at Railfair inside the CP station on stationary display.

I recall I had the flags in the trunk of my car and loaned them to the crew of the Sierra 3. Since they had kind of snuck into town along with the ATSF business train, their arrival was under the radar to some. The flags flew on the locomotive during a pageant performance. From there, the flags made the rounds, appearing on a number of locomotives. Somewhere I still may have them.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/16/14 11:43 by Pullman.

Bob3985 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> HotWater Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > DBen Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > 4-13-2014
> > > Does anyone know why 3751 was flying the
> Jolly
> > > Roger this afternoon? Nobody there knew.
> >
> > If I recall, it goes back to the 1991
> Sacramento
> > Railfair at the CSRM.
>
> Yes, Jack and I remember all that went on at the
> 1991 Railfair in Sacramento and the "Jolley Roger"
> was a major player then. That was also the trip
> where the 3985 was depicted as being fueled by
> nuclear radioactive materials and the Irrigation
> District Tank engine sported a Lipton tea bag tag
> out the top also.

IID #151 also had Varney painted on one side…..thanks to Africansteam.
Chris

4-16-2014
Thanks to all for your fascinating answers! (Although, I don't understand what having "Ed on board" has to do with the flags, ut-1.)

I wonder if the flag was from the 1991 Rail Fair? It's certainly an interesting and humorous story!

Will anyone "fess up" about mounting the flag in San Bernardino?

Also interesting: The Jolly Roger and the other flag were replaced by the time other posted videos showed 3751 farther down the line towards LA. Curious minds want to know: "Who was it/them, and when/how did they do it?" :-)

I used to have to really push to get a shot of 844 or 3985 on the Union Pacific calendar. I wouldn't dare showing the senior staff of a locomotive flying a pirate flag for the calendar. Discarded more than one of them,
JB

4-16-2014
"Copy19": Your cautionary tale is well put. Hopefully this flag discussion won't result in "The Law of Unintended Consequences"!

Flying the Jolly Roger on locomotives for special events is a time honored tradition. I know a certain conductor who used to put them on our ex-SP RS-32, 4009 at the Fillmore & Western back in the 90's.

Always good for a question or three.

Those of you that did not experience the "inner workings" of the California State Railroad Museum, and the subsequent "goings on" involved with Railfair '91, obviously will not understand the significance of those "pirate flags".

2-16-2014
Even though I'll never be privy to the aforementioned "inner workings", I still think its a hoot! It's nice to know there is still a sense of humor which hasn't been eradicated by "corporate-speak". :-)

It's because the crew are fans of the TV show "The Deadliest Catch" and especially the boat F/V Time Bandit!

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Those of you that did not experience the "inner
> workings" of the California State Railroad Museum,
> and the subsequent "goings on" involved with
> Railfair '91, obviously will not understand the
> significance of those "pirate flags".


It's been nearly a quarter century, & must be a good story. Do tell...:)

DBen Wrote:
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> 2-16-2014
> Even though I'll never be privy to the
> aforementioned "inner workings", I still think its
> a hoot! It's nice to know there is still a sense
> of humor which hasn't been eradicated by
> "corporate-speak". :-)

Amen. We could use a bit more humor here on TO from time to time.

Ask Fred ;-)


Have fun, be safe,
Bruce "Doc" Jones, Sierra Madre CA