Trackside Billboards displaying the National Flag

[peterhayes]

Not having visited the States for a couple of decades I have a general question.
On the NEC route many of the trackside buildings have a billboard on top on which is just comprised of the National flag of the USA (The stars and Stripes) and I also noticed yesterday a trackside billboard in Donner with the USA flag on it. Is there any significance to these billboards?
Just curious!
PeterH

[NDORFN]

I think it's just a show of Patriotism.

[peterhayes]

Thanks for the info.
pH

[NDORFN]

Don't quote me on that. I'm from New Zealand. There might be more to it that I don't know about.

[peterhayes]

Gosh a kiwi advising an ex-kiwi now an ozzie.
Thanks anyway.
pH

[dejoh]

The bulletins (Billboards) created by RW are pretty plain Jane, without much thought to their content.
The odd positions around the certain routes make them look like they were plopped down at random.
I add some boards that were offered a few years ago ( I forgot the author).



I've asked before, can someone offer a good lighted 10Ft.by 40Ft single pole, maybe double face outdoor sign?
unfortunatly I don't have the knowhow or talent for this "YET".

Oh, and the American flag was just an easy sign to do. Don't think I ever saw a prototype billboard like that.
And I've seen them all.

[dejoh]

Sorry, I stand corrected.

This one has a little more Pizzazz in it.

[NDORFN]

peterhayes where in NZ were you from? I guess tourists to NZ wonder why we have Tui billboards all over the place.

[peterhayes]

ND
All over - started in New Plymouth, then Greymouth, Auckland, Whanganui and finally Dunedin before coming to OZ.

To dejoh - there are several of these flag billboards (interspersed with others) on the NEC route - I just wondered if they had a special purpose?

Regards
pH

[OldProf]

I wouldn't even quote myself on this matter, but I seem to recall that American workers (perhaps through their unions???) had those billboards put up as a protest against the "invasion" of foreign exports that they felt were destroying American businesses and thus American jobs. They apparently didn't take into account or were ignorant of the fact that several federal administrations (I won't mention a party, but think trunk) had actively encouraged American businesses to send manufacturing jobs overseas. Not living in that part of the country, I'm not sure whether the billboards depicted in the NEC route still exist, but large American flags are frequently displayed at construction sites all over the country ... as though a great deal of the work weren't being done by recent (and possibly illegal) immigrants.

What I've already written should get me into enough doo-doo to last a while, so I'll shut up now. No--one last comment: we Americans do seem much more likely to display our national flag than do the citizens of other countries. In Italy, for example, where I also live, the national flag can be seen flying on some government buildings, but is not typically displayed by homeowners, businesses, local governments, etc.

[peterhayes]

Tom
Thanks for the comments - obviously the person(s) who developed the NEC depicted the flags as they saw them from that route and as I say there is a lone one in Sherman Hill. If there is anyone that lives near or travels on the NEC can they confirm that the flag billboards do indeed exist?
Regards
pH

[Rich_S]

I wouldn't even quote myself on this matter, but I seem to recall that American workers (perhaps through their unions???) had those billboards put up as a protest against the "invasion" of foreign exports that they felt were destroying American businesses and thus American jobs. They apparently didn't take into account or were ignorant of the fact that several federal administrations (I won't mention a party, but think trunk) had actively encouraged American businesses to send manufacturing jobs overseas. Not living in that part of the country, I'm not sure whether the billboards depicted in the NEC route still exist, but large American flags are frequently displayed at construction sites all over the country ... as though a great deal of the work weren't being done by recent (and possibly illegal) immigrants.

What I've already written should get me into enough doo-doo to last a while, so I'll shut up now. No--one last comment: we Americans do seem much more likely to display our national flag than do the citizens of other countries. In Italy, for example, where I also live, the national flag can be seen flying on some government buildings, but is not typically displayed by homeowners, businesses, local governments, etc.

Tom, I believe you are thinking of the "Buy American" billboards that were popular during the 1980's, when the US Steel industry was in decline. Some say Big steel was sacrificed to allow Argentina to repay it's debt to the world banks, other argue that big steel could not compete with the Mini-mills, either way, we're getting off topic now. Since RSC tends to create routes that are relativity modern with a few exceptions, I believe the Nation Flag billboards seen along the NEC were a response of national pride that occurred after the NYC attack that happened on 9/11. Since I don't live on the East Coast and have never ridden on the NEC I cannot confirm if the billboards actually existed. I guess only the person or persons at RSC who created the route, could tell us the true meaning behind the flag billboards and thus far they are remaining silent

Regards,
Rich S.

[dejoh]

They are also posted on locations on the Sherman Hill Route.

[MattW]

I believe there are several along the real NEC as well.