Lantern & Globe Surveys: 4 1/4" Marked Globes

Following are known markings of 4 1/4" globes, which were used exclusively in the "Vesta" lantern manufactured by the R.E. Dietz Company. We also include other size globes (explicitly noted below) that were made exclusively for Dietz Vesta lanterns.

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

Markings are grouped by railroad. Under each railroad are markings, followed by letter pairs in brackets. The first of each letter pair indicates color (C = clear; R =red; B = blue; G = green; Y = yellow or amber) and the second indicates type of marking (C = cast, E = etched). For example, CC = "clear cast" and BE = "blue etched". Logo globes are those globes which have, as part of the marking, artwork which was a trademark of the railroad, e.g., the B&O Capitol Dome.

Bessemer & Lake Erie RR
   B&LERR {CE,YE}

Boston & Albany
   B&A {CC,RC}
   B&A {YE}

Boston & Maine RR
   B&M {CE,RE,YE}
   B&MRR {CE,RE}
   B&MRR {CC}

Boston Elevated Railway Co.
   BERyCo {CC,RC}

Buffalo & Susquehanna RR
   B&SRR {CC,RC,BC}

Buffalo. Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway
   BR&PRy {CE,RE}

Cambria (Cambria Iron Co, in-house private RR?)
   CAMBRIA {CE,CC,RC,BC}

Central of Georgia Railway
   CofGARy {CE}
   CRyofGA {CE}

Central RR of New Jersey
   CRRofNJ {CE,RE,YE,GE,BE}
C.N.J. {YE,RE}

Central Vermont Railway
   CVRwy {RE}
   CVRy {RE}

Chicago Great Western Railway
   CGW Ry {CE}

Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & Saint Louis
   CCC&STL {CE}

Conemaugh & Black Lick
   C&BL {CE,BE}

Cumberland Valley RR
   CVRR {CE, BE}

Delaware, Lackawanna & Western RR
   DL&WRR {CE,RE,BE}
   DL&W {RE}

Denver & Salt Lake RR (possibly)
    D&StL {CC,RC,YC,GC,BC}

Illinois Central
   ICRR {RE}

Lake Erie & Eastern RR
   LE&ERR {CE}

Lehigh Valley RR
   LVRR {CC, RC, YC, AC}
   LVRR {CE, RE, BE, AE}
   LVRRCo {CC}

Long Island RR
   LIRR {CC,RC,BC}

Maine Central RR
   MCRR {CE}

Missouri Pacific
   MISSOURI PACIFIC (Buzzsaw logo) {CC}

Montour RR (or early Monongahela RR - pre 1915)
   MRR {CE}

Monongahela Ry
   MRyCo {CE, AE}

New York Central
   NYC LINES {CC,RC,YC,GC}
   NYC LINES {CE , AE, GE, BE}
   NYCS {CC,RC,BC}
   NYCS {CE,RE,YE,GE,BE}
   NEW YORK CENTRAL {CC,RC,YC,GC,AE}
   NEW YORK CENTRAL {RE - Flashed - made by MEG }
   NYCRR {CC,RC}

New York New Haven & Hartford
   NYNH&H {CC,RC,RE,AE}
   NYNH&HRR {CE,RE,YE,GE,CC,RC}
   NHRR {CC,CE}

New York Ontario & Western Railway
   NYO&WRy {CE,YE, RE,AE}
   NYO&W {CE,BE}
   NYO&WRR {RE}
Cast globes: See note (last one) below

New York Susquehanna & Western
   S(in circle) {CC,RC,BC}
Oregon Short Line
   OSL {CE}

Philadelphia & Reading
   P&R {CC, RC}
   P&RRy {CC,CE,RE}
Pittsburgh & Lake Erie RR
   P&LE RR {CC,RC,CE,AE}

Pittsburgh & West Virginia RR
   P&WV {CE}

Reading Co.
   RDGCo {CE,RE,YE,BE}
   RCo {CC,AE,RE,CE}

Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac RR
   RF&P {CE}

Saint Louis-San Francisco
   FRISCO SYSTEM {CE}

Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes RR
   SR&RLRR {CC}

Seaboard Air Line
   SAL (below heart) {CC}

United States Army (railway battalion units)
   US {CC,RC}
   USA {CC,GC}

United States Railway Administration
   USRA {CC,RC,BC}

Virginia & Truckee RR
   V&TRR {CC,RC}

Wabash
   WABASH {CE}
   "Follow the Flag logo {RE} {AE}
Cast globes: See note (last one) below

Western Maryland Ry.
   WMRy {CE, GE, RE}
   WMRR {RC, GC, CC}
West Virginia Central & Pittsburg
W.Va.C.& P.Ry {RE - measures 4 5/8"; etched "Dietz Vesta"}

Footnotes:

All markings are reported as collectors have identified them. No attempt has been made to verify authenticity of any marking. The accuracy of this material is not guaranteed.

No ownership information is maintained with the survey listings. All new markings sent in for addition to the list are treated anonymously, and no ownership information will be disclosed.

Some markings are shown as published in "Key, Lock and Lantern" (#87, Spring, 1988, p. 1679) which presumably means the specific lettering that was found on the lanterns; however, periods and spaces are omitted. In the case where initials are given, matching them with a specific railroad can usually be done by consulting one of the railroad name references by Edson or Gross. However, sometimes there is ambiguity due to the fact that the same initials (e.g. B&A RR) may stand for more than one railroad (e.g., Boston & Albany Railroad or Bangor & Aroostook Railroad). Thanks to Dave Kings for corrections.

Reproduction cast globes (fakes) marked for the NYO&W Ry and Wabash were made in the 1980's.