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Lantern & Globe Surveys: Armspear Lanterns

This is a list of markings found on lanterns made by the Armspear Manufacturing Company. It has not been previously published in any magazine and is presented here for the first time. The sources for these markings are reliable but not necessarily perfect, so this list may contain errors. We cordially invite additions and corrections. To contribute markings, please see E-mail information below as well as other footnotes at the bottom of the page.

Our thanks to everyone who has sent in markings! We welcome new markings. See Contact Us page.

The list presents the railroad company names in bold type, with associated markings on separate lines below. The following abbreviations are used to identify different lantern frame features: FV = Flat Verticals; RV = Round Verticals; 1H = 1 Horizontal; 2H = 2 Horizontals; TO = Twist off Fount; IF = Insert Fount; BB = Bellbottom base. Since patent dates are frequently used by collectors to refer to different Armspear models, these are also presented (year only) next to the frame features. These years indicate the latest patent date found on the lantern frame. When multiple years are listed, e.g., "1897, 1913", this means that lanterns with the same features exist but with different patent dates.

Tall Frame Lanterns

Androscoggin & Kennebec
A. & K. RY. FV, 2H, IF 1889 (with light bracket)

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe
A.T.& S.F. RY. RV, 1H, IF 1913

Bangor & Aroostook or Boston & Albany (see fourth note below)
B.& A.R.R. 2H, IF, BB 1905
B.& A.R.R. 1H, IF, BB 1913

Bay State Street Railway
B.S.ST.RY. RW, 2H, IF 1913

Boston & Maine
   B.&.M.R.R.   FV, 2H, TO   1897, 1910,1913, PAT APPLD FOR
   B.& M.R.R.   FV, 1H, TO   1897
   B.& M.R.R.   FV, 2H, IF     1895

Boston & Northern Street Ry
B.N. St. Ry. FV, 2H, TO (may have ampersand between letters)

Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn
B.R.B.& L.R.R. FV, 2H, TO 1913

Butte, Anaconda & Pacific
B.A.& P. Ry FV, 2H, TO 1897

Chicago & Northwestern
C.& N.W.RY. FV,2H,TO 1897

Chesapeake & Ohio
C.& O.RY. FV, 2H, IF 1895, 1913
C.& O.RY. FV, 2H, TO 1895, 1905, 1913

Chesapeake & Ohio of Indiana
C.& O.RY.OF I. FV, 2H, TO 1913

Central New England
C.N.E.RY. FV, 2H, TO 1897, 1905

Central Railroad of New Jersey
C.R.R.OF N.J. FV, 2H, TO 1905, 1913

Central Vermont
C.V.RY. RV, 1H, IF 1913

Chicago Great Western
C.G.W. FV,2H,TO 1897

Chicago, Milwaukee, & St. Paul
C.M.& St.P.RY. RV, 1H, IF 1913

Colorado Springs & Cripple Creek District
C.S & C.C.D. FV, 2H, TO 1897 (likely)

Cumberland County Power & Light Co.
C.C.P.& L.CO. FV, 2H, TO 1913

Delaware, Lackawanna & Western
   D.L.& W.R.R.   FV, 1H, IF   1905
   D.L.& W.R.R.   FV, 2H, IF   1895, 1905
   D.L.& W.R.R.   RV, 2H, IF   1905, 1913
   D.L.& W.R.R.   RV, 1H, IF   1913

Duluth & Iron Range
D.& I.R. RY. RV, 2H, IF 1905

Duluth, Missabe & Northern
D.M.& N. RY. RV, 1H, BB (IF) 1913

Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway
E.M.ST.RY. FV, 2H, IF 1913

Erie
Erie FV, 1H, IF 1913
Erie RV, 1H, IF 1910, 1913

Grand Trunk
G.T.RY. RV, BB, IF 1909

Great Northern
G.N.RY. RV, 1H, IF 1913

GRR
G.R.R. RV, 1H, IF 1895

Ferocarril Nacionale de Mexico
FC N DE M FV, 2H, IF 1905

Hocking Valley
H.V.R.R. FV, 2H, TO 1913

Kentucky & Indiana Bridge Co.
K.& I. RV, 1H, IF 1913

Illinois Central (??)
I.C.R.R. FV, 2H, TO 1897

Iowa Central
I.C.RY. FV, 2H, TO 1895, 1913

Lackawanna & Wyoming Valley
L.& W.V. FV, 2H, TO 1913

Lehigh & Hudson River
L.& H.R. RY. FV, 2H, TO

Lewiston, Augusta & Waterville Street Railway
L.A.& W.ST.RY. FV, 2H, IF

Louisville & Nashville
   L.& N.R.R.   FV, 2H, TO   1897, 1905, 1910, 1913
L.& N.R.R.   RV, 2H, IF     1905
   L.& N.R.R.   RV, 1H, IF     1913

Long Island
L.I.R.R. FV, 2H, TO 1913

Lehigh & Wilkes-Barre Coal Co
L&WB C CO FV, 2H, TO 1913

Lehigh Valley
L.V.R.R. FV, 2H, TO 1889, 1895, 1910, 1913
L.V.R.R. FV, 2H, IF 1913

Maryland & Pennsylvania
M.& P. R.R. FV, 2H, IF 1913

Minneapolis & St. Louis
   M.& ST.L.R.R.   FV, 2H, TO   1897, 1910, 1913
   M.& ST.L.R.R.   RV, 1H, IF     1913
   M.& ST.L.R.R.   RV, 2H, IF     1913

Minnesota & International Railway
M&I RY FV, 2H, IF 1913

Michigan Central or Maine Central or (??)
M.C.R.R. RV, 2H, IF 1895, 1905
M.C.R.R. RV, 1H, IF 1913

Monon
MONON RV, 1H, IF 1913

Montpelier & Wells River
M.& W.R. R.R. FV, 2H, TO 1913

Norfolk & Western
N.& W.RY. FV, 2H, TO 1897
N.& W.RY. FV, 2H, IF 1905, 1913

Northern Central
N.C.RY. FV, 2H, TO 1897, 1905

Northern Pacific
N.P.RY. FV, 2H, TO 1886, 1895, 1897, 1910, 1913
N.P.RY. FV, 1H, IF 1905

New York, New Haven & Hartford
N.Y.N.H.& H.R.R. RV, 1H, IF 1913
N.Y.N.H.& H.R.R. RV, 2H, IF 1913

New York & Ottawa
N.Y.& O.R.R. FV, 2H,TO 1897

O&Q Ry
O.& Q Ry FV, 1H, TO 1913

Pennsylvania
   P.R.R.   BB   (no patent date)
   P.R.R.   FV, 1H, TO   1897, 1905
   P.R.R.   RV, 1H, IF    1913

Pennsylvania Coal Company
P C CO FV, 2H, TO 1913

Philadelphia & Reading
   P.& R.R.R.   FV, 2H, TO   1886, 1895, 1905, 1909, 1913
   P.& R.R.R.   FV, 2H, IF     1913
   P.& R.RY.    FV, 2H, TO   1910, 1913

Philadelphia & Reading Coal Iron Co
P&RCI Co. FV, 2H, TO 1897

Philadelphia, Baltimore & Washington
P.B.& W.R.R. FV, 1H, TO 1895, 1897

Portland & Rumford Falls
P&RF RR. FV, 2H, TO

Richmond, Fredricksburg & Potomac
R.F.& P.R.R. RV, 1H, IF 1913

Rutland
RUTLAND RY. BB

Shore Line Electric
S.L.E.RY. FV, 2H, TO 1889

Spokane International
S.I.RY. RV, 1H, IF 1913
S.I.RY. FV, 2H, TO 1889

Southern
S.RY. FV, 2H, TO 1895, 1897, 1905, 1913

Soo Line
   SOO LINE   FV, 2H, TO    1895, 1905, 1913
   SOO LINE   RV, 1H, TO   1913
   SOO LINE   RV, 2H, TO   1905
   SOO LINE   RV, 1H, IF     1913
   SOO LINE   RV, 2H, IF     1913

St. Johnsbury & Lake Champlain
ST.J. & L.C. RR. FV, 2H, IF 1905

St. Paul Bridge & Terminal Railway
ST.P.B.& T. RY. RV, 2H, IF 1913

Texas Mexican Railway
T. M. R Y. FV, 2H, TO 1913

Toledo, St. Louis & Western
T.St.L.& W. R.R. RV, 2H, IF 1913

Tonapah & Goldfield
T.& G.R.R. FV,2H,TO 1897

US&S Co
   U.S. & S. Co.    FV,2H,TO   ??

USRR
   U.S.R.R.    FV,2H, IF   1886
   U.S.R.R.    FV, 2H, IF   1913

Western Maryland
W.M. RY. FV,2H,TO

WJ&SS
W.J. & S.S. RV, 2H, TO 1895

Short Frame Lanterns - the "1925" Model

Atlantic Coast Line
ACL

Baltimore & Ohio
B.&.O.R.R
B.&.O.RY. ("misprint")

Canadian National
C.N.RY.

Central of Georgia Railway
C. OF G. RY.

Central Railroad of New Jersey
CRRofNJ

Chesapeake Beach Railway
C.B.RY

Chicago, St.Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha
C.ST.P.M.& O.R.R.

Erie
Erie Diamond logo

Great Northern
G.N.RY.

Illinois Central
I.C.R.R.

Lancaster & Chester
L&C

Lehigh & New England
L.& N.E. R.R. CO.

Lehigh Valley
L.V.R.R

Long Island
LI RR

Lackawanna & Wyoming Valley
L&WVRR

Louisville & Nashville
L.& N.R.R.
L&N RR

Nationale De Mexico
N.DE M.

Norfolk & Western
N&W. RY

Northern Pacific
N.P. RY.

Maryland & Pennsylvania
M & P RR

Newburg & South Shore
N. & S.S. RY.

New York, New Haven & Hudson Railroad
N.Y.N.H. & H.R.R.

Pennsylvania
PRR (Keystone)

Reading
Reading

Seaboard
   S.A.L.RY.
   SAL
   Seaboard
   S.A.L.R.R.

Southern
S.RY.

Trinity & Brazos Valley Railway Co.
T.& B.V. Ry.

Washington Terminal
W.T.CO.

Footnotes:

Although reliable sources have been used for markings, this list may contain errors. No guarantee is given with regard to accuracy. Also, markings have been reported with and without periods in the railroad initials, so there may be inaccuracies in the use of periods.
Special thanks to Joel Shaw for allowing the use of his extensive "stash" of Scott Arden's Auction Lists to be used as a source of information.
All markings that are contributed are confidential, and ownership information will not be disclosed under any circumstances.
There is a longstanding controversy about whether a given lantern marking stands for "Boston & Albany" or "Bangor & Aroostook". A collector emailed us to point out that the former was under the control of the New York Central Railroad, which appeared to avoid Armpsear lanterns on their system. Therefore this marking may stand for "Bangor & Aroostook".