Submitted by Gary Ostlund – After Pearl Harbor and the start of World War II, the railroads quickly took measures to protect themselves. Note the hoods over the locomotive headlight and marker lights. Even the small classification lights on the locomotive’s smokebox are hooded.
Not long after the December 7th attack the Japanese gained a foothold far out on the Aleutian Islands. With the threat of further air attacks railroads took these precautions along with shielded fireboxes, and blackened windows on passenger equipment.
On the civilian side, city street lights and windows were darkened. American and Canadian military forces building the ALCAN Highway deliberately built curves in the road to hinder the ability of enemy aircraft strafing convoys. Some of those curves were still visible in 1973.
Credits: NP 2604 at Tacoma – Jim Fredrickson, SP 2470 headlight – Jack Delano, Caboose marker light – Southern Pacific Lines.
