Lanterns of the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad

The Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad (P&LE) was known as the "Little Giant" because the amount of tonnage that it moved was dramatically out of proportion to its actual number of route miles. While it operated around one tenth of one percent of the nation's railroad miles, it hauled around one percent of its tonnage. This was largely due to the fact that the P&LE served the steel mills of the greater Pittsburgh area, and this industry consumed and shipped vast amounts of material.

For most of its corporate life, the P&LE was part of the New York Central System, which had a strong influence on the type and design of equipment used. Take lanterns for example. By far the most common lantern used by the P&LE was the Dietz "Vesta" Model, which was also used in great quantities by the New York Central (NYC) system. In today's railroadiana market, the NYC Vesta is probably the most common lantern to be found. However, the P&LE also exercised a fair amount of independence during its corporate life, and some lanterns marked for this road are quite different that those used by the New York Central.

This page shows most of the lanterns that are known to have been used by the P&LE. For definitions of some of the terms used to describe different features, see our lantern terminology page. Special thanks to those who have provided information and/or images from their collections for this page.


Above Left: Star Headlight & Lantern tall-globe wire-bottom lantern marked "P&LE RR" with a red cast, extended-base globe and a twist-off fount. Above Center: A tall-globe lantern marked "P.& L.E.R.R." with a red-etched, extended-base globe. The top of the smoke dome is stamped "The Dressel Railway Lamp Works N.Y." and the frame had single-wire verticals. The fuel fount has an 1898 patent date. Above Right: A tall-globe lantern marked "P.& L.E.R.R." with a clear-etched, extended-base globe. The top of the smoke dome is also stamped "Dressel Railway Lamp Works," but note the double-wire verticals, an exclusive design feature of the C.T. Ham Company. The fuel fount also has an 1898 patent date.

Above Left:Star Headlight & Lantern tall-globe, wire-bottom lantern marked "P&LE RR" with a two-color, extended-base, etched globe and an insert fount. Above Center: Adams & Westlake tall-globe, bellbottom lantern marked "P. & L.E. R.R." with a green-etched, extended-base globe. The frame does not have a patent date on it. Above Right: Adams & Westlake tall-globe, drop-fount lantern marked "P. & L.E. R.R." with a clear cast, extended base globe. The frame has a patent date of May 28, 1895.

Above Left: A "hi-top" Dietz Vesta marked "P.& L.E. R.R." with a red cast globe, last patent date of 12/13/10. Above Center: A "lo-top" Dietz Vesta marked "P.& L.E. R.R." with a red cast globe, production date of S-2-51. Above Right: A "hi-top" Dietz Vesta marked "P.& L.E. R.R." for the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad with a red cast globe, production date of 2/24. Note that this model has a base similar to the lo-top model in the middle.

Above Left: Handlan tall lantern marked "P. & L.E. R.R." with a red cast, Corning-style globe and a twist-off casing containing an insert fount. Above Center: Handlan tall-globe lantern marked "P. & L.E. R.R." with a clear etched, extended-base globe, an insert-fount, and a fixed (non-removable) bellbottom. Above Right: Adams & Westlake #11 Wire Guard "Reliable" (1913 patent date) lantern marked "P.& L.E. R.R." with a "one piece top" and a clear cast, extended-base globe (although a Corning-style globe is more appropriate for this model).

Above Left: Adams & Westlake "1909" model marked "P. & L.E. R.R." with a blue etched, Corning-style globe. Above Center: Adams & Westlake "The Adams" model also with a 1909 (latest) patent date with a clear-cast, Corning-style globe. Above Right: Adams & Westlake #250 "Kero" model with an unmarked red globe and a rigid, wooden bail. Generally these rigid bails were used by switchmen.

Above Left: Dressel "Heavy Duty" short-globe lantern marked "P.& L.E. R.R." with an unmarked, clear globe. Many (if not all) examples of this model have a patent number of 2157081 on the bottom, which corresponds to a period of 1939-1940. Above Center: Dietz "999" short-globe lantern marked "P. & L. E. R.R." with a red unmarked globe. This lantern was painted blue ("japanned") at the factory. Above Right: A Dietz "Acme" inspectors' lantern marked "P.& L.E. R.R." on the frame with a matching etched globe.

Above: Various views of a very rare brass-top bellbottom lantern marked "P. & L. E. R.R." with a red etched globe. The manufacturer is unknown but may be Kelly. Click on any of these images for a larger view.

Note: Thanks to those collectors who contributed to this page.