International Railroad Discussion > Helsinki to Vladivostok-Part 41

The end of the rail journey. Time to stagger off.
Picture 1 - An inlet from the Pacific Ocean in the morning before arriving in Vladivostok at midnight railway time - 8 in the morning daylight time.
Picture 2 - Getting off in Vladivostok.
Picture 3 - A shaky picture, but a story. The stripes on the tender were often seen from the time we arrived in Russia. Often people would be wearing a ribbon with the colours. At first I thought it was something to do with Victory Day. After asking around, I finally found that these are the colours of President Putin's political party! Here in Canada the Liberals use Red, the Conservatives Blue, and the NDP(Labour) Orange, but I doubt that any locomotive ever sported the political colour??

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Like you interesting photos.
Your trip must be the longest rail journey under wire in the world.
ALLEN

Isn't that 2-10-0 a US built loco from the 1944-47 era ? I can't quite read the class: Ea [ Yea ] ??

Fascinating series.
I have only been to St Petersburg and found it very clean and tidy. I was told not to judge Russia but what was seen there.
Your photos however seem to leave the same impression. Curious about your thoughts.

CNStratford Wrote:
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> Picture 3 - A shaky picture, but a story. The
> stripes on the tender were often seen from the
> time we arrived in Russia. Often people would be
> wearing a ribbon with the colours. At first I
> thought it was something to do with Victory Day.
> After asking around, I finally found that these
> are the colours of President Putin's political
> party! Here in Canada the Liberals use Red, the
> Conservatives Blue, and the NDP(Labour) Orange,
> but I doubt that any locomotive ever sported the
> political colour??

I think you seriously misunderstood what they were telling you about the orange and black ribbons. Those have absolutely nothing to do with Putin's political party. The orange and black ribbon is called the 'Ribbon of Saint George' and is used nowadays as a patriotic symbol in memorial of the Soviet victory in WWII. It has recently become a political hot-point, and has even been banned in Ukraine as it is seen as a pro-Russian symbol there. Ironic, considering that when I was living in Ukraine in 2012, almost everyone all over the country was wearing Saint George's ribbon on Victory Day.