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A Search for questions in the category "RR Lighting" found the following results. Questions are sorted beginning with the most recent. The next most recent 20 questions and answers are shown below beginning with the 231st.

Q3609 Round Top Adlake Lamp ID? Bought this Adlake lamp last year. Was thinking it's an earlier version of a 270 marker lamp. The bottom looks like it’s been cut off exposing the bottom of the fount. There's a hole that's been enlarged on the side. Was thinking the bracket with the pin that can attach or release the lamp from the bracket was mounted on it. Not sure what bottom could have been riveted to this unit. The sight glass bezel which is brass screws onto the side of the lamp. A woman I got this from on ebay said her grandfather owned it and he worked for some railroad in the San Francisco Bay Area. Any ideas on what model this might have been? Was also thinking this was a #52 Gate lamp. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Monday, March 25, 2019 by JL Post a Reply Email a reply

Q3607 Adlake Switch Lantern Targets I was given several Adlake square top switch lanterns and boxes of parts. After reading through the Q & A section of this site which had a wealth of information that was very helpful I still have a question. The day targets of these lanterns come in red, green, yellow and white. What was the white targets meaning? Thanks. Posted Saturday, March 23, 2019 by Harry Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Prior to about 1920 white (meaning no additional color to what was usually kerosene flame illumination) was the 'safe' color rather than green, and the white day targets and also metal vane switch indicators matched the 'white' illumination color. When green lights became the 'safe' indication, most RR's discovered that a green day target blended with backgrounds and vegetation to the extent there was no point in having the green day target -- it couldn't be seen anyway. So they left them white instead, when a green lens was in use for the illuminated color. Also put 'day targets' in the search by word or phrase box (no quotes) to see lots of prior discussion on this topic here on the Q&A Site. Posted Sunday, March 24, 2019 by RJMc

Q3606 Lamp Inof? Looking to find some info on this Adlake Non Sweating Lamp. Was told it was used on the Erie canal. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Friday, March 22, 2019 by Paul B Post a Reply Email a reply

A. A Google search I did found a similar lamp that is "engraved" NEW YORK STATE CANALS on the side. See Link 1. Most definitely a shipboard or barge type of lamp with the water shield around the vent and the tie down rings on the base. Link 1 Posted Saturday, March 23, 2019 by JEM

Q3605 RR Candle Lantern? I have this candle railroad lantern. I do not know any of the history of this lantern. My family has been associated with the railroad for a long time, several generations. We have a number of other old railroad lanterns. I thought this lantern might have a railroad connection for the following reason: On both sides of the lantern are hinged panels. Behind one is a red colored somewhat transparent panel and behind the other one is a green panel. My thought is that it may have used the red panel to indicate a warning and the green one to indicate clear. I would appreciate receiving any insight you may have, including the time period this used. Thank you. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, March 21, 2019 by WJ Post a Reply Email a reply

A. This may be a darkroom lantern, the role now filled with 'safelights'. Enter "darkroom" in the word or phrase search box (without the quotes) to see many prior Q's with pix about that kind of lantern, which was used on both glass plates and early film types. Different black and white films and printing papers, not to mention processes like Daguerrotyping, all had differing sensitivities to red light and probably green light as well. With the proper filter(s) in place, the lantern could stay lit in the darkroom even as the processing proceeded. Posted Thursday, March 21, 2019 by RJMc

A. This, at least to me, does not appear to be a railroad lantern. Even with such a strongly railroad family, it is definitely interesting and may have appealed to someone just because of that. It may also have been a gift, kept and treasured. I don't know how the panels work, but marine lanterns also used red and green . Red means left (port) and Green is for right (starboard). If the candle light shows through both sides at once, it could have been placed in the prow of a small boat, red side to the left, green to the right. Lights like this help increase visibility for boats approaching from the front or side. Posted Friday, March 22, 2019 by JMS

A. Here are a couple more photos. Link 1 Posted Friday, March 22, 2019 by WJ

A. A couple more comments on this: As to time periods, in general, square tin lamp bodies went out of use about 1900, at least on North American railroads, and by then oil burners were almost exclusively used for signal-type lamps. The clear, unshaded front pane on this lamp makes the darkroom application unlikely. And I agree that nautical uses are also a good possibility. I was already wondering about possible canal boat uses of this lamp when the following question came in, mentioning the NY State Canal system. The various lamp manufacturers made lamps for all kinds of uses, often using the same basic designs and tooling, making definite determinations on things like this very difficult. The U-shaped cover over the chimney outlet looks more foreign, although the Piper Co's of Canada made a lot of lamps, including for RR's, that had that style of cover. One of the earlier answers on the site here mentions that wooden handles were also more typical of foreign practice. Posted Saturday, March 23, 2019 by RJMc

Q3604 Railway Lamps I have 2 railway lamps, and I am really struggling to identify them (been looking for weeks. They are 4 glasses 2 red and 2 white. I think they were paraffin but converted to electric at some point. I am in Hawick, Scotland. Any advice or pointing me in the right direction would be great. cheers! [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Monday, March 18, 2019 by Roddy M Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Possibly a form of fixed rail crossing guard lamp [(informative) white for trains, (absolute) red for autos]? Hawick was cut off in 1969, but there seems to be a rail preservation group nearby along the old route. Looked at a number of British rail books and saw nothing to help. Posted Friday, April 12, 2019 by ShastaRoute

A. An established auction site [Talisman] dealing in British Railwayana with photo records of past listings (Link 1) which might help in research. Link 1 Posted Sunday, May 23, 2021 by ShastaRoute

Q3603 Lens Purpose? My husband and I recently purchased a glass lot that included this large lens(?). We are looking for any information available on it. Is it, indeed, a lens? Railroad? signal? train? nautical? Manufacturer? Any and all assistance will be greatly appreciated, [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Monday, March 18, 2019 by Debbie Post a Reply Email a reply

A. I don't recognize it as anything RR-related. All RR lenses, and all other transportation-related lenses used for safety functions, have some kind of ID info, usually cast into the glass. Does this item have any lettering at all? The changes in color across the item suggest to me it may be art glass rather than a lens. I am not sure the ridges in this item have the correct contours to work as a Fresnel lens. You might try projecting light thru it to see if it provides any focusing or beam-forming action. I would suggest a car headlight as a readily available wide-beam light source for the tests. Posted Tuesday, March 19, 2019 by RJMc

Q3600 Unusual Marker Lamp I recently came across a picture of a business car with a type of marker lamp I had never seen before. The picture was in the PRR Ft. Wayne Division album on the Barriger Library flickr website. The marker was on a Long Island business car, and has two rows of lenses. I’m guessing the lens colors were arranged so that the indication could be changed by illuminating one row or the other, instead of having to rotate the usual type of marker lamp mounted in a ring. I have attended railroadiana shows for 40 years, and have viewed thousands of railroad photos online, and have never seen a lamp like this before. This has got to be really rare. Were they standard on the LIRR? [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, March 14, 2019 by Joe Post a Reply Email a reply

A. See Link for a pic of a B&O obs also with 'stacked markers' similar to this -- but made of more ocnventional marker bodies. Herb Harwood's book Royal Blue Line, on pg. 138 has a going-away pic of the obs of the "Columbian" in 1936 with those "stacked" markers. Most of the book is about how the B&O fought to get into the New York metropolitan area passenger market. The B&O's own line ended at Philadelphia. Above Philly they had to run every day on the Reading, the CNJ, and during USRA even on the LV and the PRR into Penn Station. At a time when schedules were intensely competitive, the 'stacked' markers probably allowed them to meet differing marker color requirements for the different RR's, and/or mulitple track color marker color indications, without delaying the train to change anything other than inside switches. An LIRR office car, particularly, might have been set up the same way since it would likely 'wander' aound the New York railroad landscape much more than LIRR commuter cars would, and often as the rear car of a train. Link 1 Posted Friday, March 15, 2019 by RJMc

A. David Dreimiller's book Signal Lights on pg. 53 has an Armspear ad from 1950 for a "Duplex Marker Lamp" much like the one on the B&O car above. The ad text says "Designed for special trains and private cars" and the text and cutaway drawing confirm all the above discussion about two switchable lamps to display different color combinations. Posted Friday, March 15, 2019 by RJMc

A. Didn't happen to run these by Grover's Mills in 1938 did they? Might explain those UFO sightings! Posted Saturday, March 16, 2019 by ShastaRoute

A. The Encyclopedia of RR Lights, Vol. 2, in the Handlan section shows a 'Watts Caboose Marker' with this same idea only lit by a small kerosene burner, movable from top to bottom section, from inside the cupola of a caboose. The one they illustrate was marked "PRR" and the displayed color was either 'red for danger' or 'yellow for caution.' No date(s) was given for the Watts Marker. PRR and LIRR were always closely related, so maybe this is a PRR thing. Posted Sunday, March 17, 2019 by RJMc

A. As an added reference to "caboose marker", see Model Railroader Volume 25 Number 4 April 1958 page 60 under Bull Session by Ray L. Rhodes "Third marker light..." for a discussion of information they collected on cupola markers (or "deck light") as used by different railroads. Signal useage/aspects and lens colors are covered. Posted Sunday, September 22, 2019 by ShastaRoute

Q3596 Quadruple Bracket Lantern I recently purchased an unusual marker lamp made by Handlan for the B&O. It features a cast ring with four mounting brackets, which means the lamp does not turn in the bracket. Has anyone else come across this style of Handlan marker lamp before? Any idea of a time period when this bracket style was produced by Handlan? Thanks for any and all help! [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Tuesday, March 5, 2019 by Colin Post a Reply Email a reply

A. I note that the bracket position (45 degrees) compared to the axis of the lenses means this had to hang on a corner bracket, or at least a bracket with a 45 deg. slot. That should make it fairly easy to spot in photos, but I haven't found any such pix yet. Otherwise it seems to be a fairly standard lamp for Handlan, meaning made anywhere from 1920 to the 1950's or even later. The lamp mgfr's were into 'modular' items long before the word became popular; the brackets were kind of accessories that any customer could swap around to suit. So far looking in Barrett's Illustrated Encyc. Vol 2, and Dreimuller's RR Signal Lamp, and Hobson's Lanterns that Lit Our World, and all the B&O pix I have come across, nothing turns up to enlighten us on this. Any idea where this was used? "B&O" included the main line(s), the BR&P, the Chicago Term, the Staten Island R.T., and maybe other subsidiaries which might have had their own practices for markers, and that might help to concentrate the hunt for pix or recollections. Posted Saturday, March 9, 2019 by RJMc

A. RJMc, you are correct that these were indeed produced for brackets with 45 degree slots. All the B&O stamped brackets on my B&O caboose feature 45 degree slots. I have also been hunting for pictures that may have caught one of the lamps in use but have not had any luck thus far. Not sure where exactly the lamp was used. The antique dealer I purchased it from was only able to tell me he bought it from someone in Ohio. Thanks for your info and ideas! Posted Saturday, March 9, 2019 by Colin

A. I found a good pic of a C&O combine passenger car running as a one-car train in Michigan on the former Pere Marquette, in 1971 (that's SEVENTY-one -- just before Amtrak!) with what looks like a pair of these markers hanging on the trailing baggage end. The pic and a similar one with a baggage car are in the Stegmaier book "C&O Passenger Cars in Color." Note that C&O and B&O had already been running as basically one consolidated RR for about 10 years at that time, and cars moved back and forth between the two RR's pretty freely. Most of the C&O psgr. cars in the book also have the 45-deg. corner brackets and very few seem to have the accessory outlets to use electric markers -- or they would have gotten the much smaller, more convenient 'cat's eye' type. I think the need to turn the markers basically went away when single track RR running timetable and train order went away, meaning the 1940's or earlier on most major RR's, so these fixed markers made sense and were probably cheaper to buy than ones with the rotating selector mechanism. Nobody went out on that one-car C&O train to turn the markers around when they went in a siding -- they were protected by signals. I am sure the markers got hung at the original terminal and left alone until taken down at the destination. Posted Sunday, March 10, 2019 by RJMc

Q3594 Keros with Missing Stand? I have 2 Adams & Westlake Co lanterns, both are the same with red 3 1/4 inch globes with ADLAKE KERO on the globe. They have The Adams & Westlake Co on the brim of the lantern. Inside is at the bottom around the wick it says LONG TIME BURNING OIL ONLY no 300. My main question is they don’t have a stand. They look like they were meant to hang only. Were some made to hang only or are they missing the stand? Posted Monday, March 4, 2019 by CS Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Please provide a picture or pictures of these lanterns. Thanks. Posted Monday, March 4, 2019 by JEM

Q3593 'Engine' Lantern I was cleaning out my grandma's house and found a Dietz No. 39 railroad lantern. It's stamped B.R. & P Ry on top. I did a little research and read about the railroad. This particular lantern is stamped with engine on top. Does this mean the lantern was used on the engine? In addition, the globe has the letter E etched into it [See picture]. Any Idea what this means? Thanks in advance for your time. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, February 28, 2019 by Brian H Post a Reply Email a reply

A. The "E" etched on the globe also stands for ENGINE. Probably over 1/3 of the BR&P Engine lanterns that I've seen also had the marked globe with the etched "E". Posted Thursday, February 28, 2019 by GLM

A. Yes, the 'ENGINE' marking means this lantern was assigned to stay on a locomotive as part of the assigned equipment for the engine. Most RR's had 'engine' or 'loco' marked lanterns such as this; some of those also had heavy bases. Prior Q's 3001 and 731 talk about such lanterns. They were marked that way to try to keep train crewmen from carrying them off -- which would likely happen when the crewman's own assigned lantern got lost or broken during a shift. The etched letter marked on the globe is harder to explain. On first glance it looks to me more like an 'H' or maybe an '11' but it could be an 'E' for which someone made up their own mask to etch the globe. This is probably something local to the BR&P. The Link at the bottom of the page has a list of equipment carried on the steam engines of one RR, listing not only 4 kerosene lanterns but two spare globes, one clear, one red. They might have been etched to mark them as engine equipment, as well. Link 1 Posted Thursday, February 28, 2019 by RJMc

A. Some BR&P globes have an embossed "E" on the back for Engine. Some lanterns also have engine on the lid and the bell both. Many variations are available in BR&P lanterns and globes. Enjoy collecting the variations. Posted Friday, March 1, 2019 by COD

Q3586 PRR Gas Lamp Base I work for a charity, and we received this gas lamp in our donations. I tried to research the lamp but came up with no answers. I am curious as to the era this Lamp would have been used, what type of train this lamp would have been found in and also where in the train the lamp would have been placed? This lamp stands about 9 inches tall (excluding the gas element) and 5 inches wide at the base. It is marked on the bottom 'PRR' in cursive and then 'International Silver Co.' 'Silver Soldered' '0250'. Any help you can give would be appreciated. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Monday, February 4, 2019 by LT Post a Reply Email a reply

A. A fascinating piece; quite likely a reading lamp to sit on a side table. A couple of possibilities: it might not have been on the train; PRR had several very elegant stations at Penn in NYC, in New Jersey, at Broad Street in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC and points west. Any one of the older ones of these might have had gas light in the 1880 time period. As to onboard, a lamp this fancy would have probably been on a diner, lounge car, private car or company office car. Well before 1900 some passenger and mail cars were lit with the Pintsch compressed gas system. Usually that system used ceiling-mounted light fixtures with hard-piped gas connections. Your lamp would have probably required a flexible hose. A very complete explanation of the Pintsch system as used in Canada is in Link 1. It has lots of pix of car interiors, but none with a gas table lamp. Link 1 Posted Thursday, February 7, 2019 by RJMc

A. The links below shows 'Gas Desk Lamps' in use ca. 1900 - 1910 (in Europe, and not on a RR.). Link 1 Link 2 Posted Thursday, February 7, 2019 by RJMc

A. Hi LT, Take a look at the bottom data marks on your table lamp carefully.International Silver Company date coded their silverplated items with a small square box with 2 number digits,which was the manufacturing year.Take a careful look for this little square box mark possibly hidden in the old tarnish.I have found date codes back to 1913 on ISCO items in my collection of diner silver. Let us know what you find.DJB Posted Thursday, February 7, 2019 by DJB

A. In the Reed & Barton catalog a similar piece is called an electric candlestick. This one may have parts missing or it may have been refitted for gas. Posted Friday, February 8, 2019 by Ex Sou Ry

A. See the Link for an outstanding series of highly detailed and well documented photos taken by photographer William Rau of the exteriors and interiors of a bank in downtown Philadelphia. Tha offices of the bank by 1910 all have electric overhead light and electric desk lamps, but some gas fixtures are still on the walls and are noted and shown in the pix. Even better, the website notes that Rau was the official photographer of the PRR and the LV RR's in the 1880's and 90's and gives some references to find those pix. It will require some more searching. It is fairly certain there will be both station interior and train interior pix where we can look for your 'candlestick' either in electric or gas mode. (The large-format cameras used by Rau provide so much resolution you can read the dates of calendars on the wall, making an exceptionally well-documented reference source for all kinds of queries!) Link 1 Posted Sunday, February 10, 2019 by RJMc

A. A few basics for dating. International Silver does not exist as an entity until 1898...so no earlier than this. A major contract with the Harriman Lines in 1908 sets ISCo. as the big supplier for transportation firms, but many of the component firms/plants were already providing wares. In 1914, the "Hotel Division" is formed...some researchers held in the past that International Silver used the marks of the subsidiaries until the late '20's before replacing them with the conglomerate name. However, this does not seem to hold true where commercial customers came into play (hotel supply)...examples of datable items with the International Silver Co. mark do surface. Because of the lead time for stocking a planned service, date codes can be slightly earlier than actual implementation of the items...a bigger problem in china services than in silverwares, but things like lamps could be taken from shelf stock when a replacement order is filled. All of which is the nightmare we struggle with to date items. It might help here to look at the various china and silver flatware items with the cursive/script PRR logo to determine the likely period this item was ordered...a very complicated task if anyone is dying to undertake this. It may also be a good idea to double-list this inquiry over at 925-1000 site (photos required) in case someone has access to information on the 0250 lamp base. (0 and 00 are probably not numbers, but cyphers/codes that began with Meridan Britannia and were kept in use by International Silver...so this is really the #250 which could be a model, pattern, catalogue number or something yet to be determined.) Posted Sunday, February 10, 2019 by ShastaRoute

A. An example of just how ornate an 1891 PRR dining car could be is at the Link. At least 30 light fixtures are visible in this pic of only one-half or so of the dining room interior, including a fixture at teach table, but hard to tell if they are electric or other, and what the 'other' might be. Link 1 Posted Sunday, February 10, 2019 by RJMc

A. This is proving to be a very daunting task for someone who is not versed in the antique world. More specifically, antique gas lamps with a probable association with the PRR. The lamp was donated in Altoona, PA; a major railroad town. It literally could have come from Penn Station, Philadelphia, or any number of rail cars. Every one of your replies is appreciated and gives me a bit more knowledge than I had before. Some things I have learned: I understand that ISC didn’t exist until 1898 also I checked the bottom of the lamp for a date code in a box and found nothing. Because I do work for a charity and our ultimate goal is to sell this item, I am still unable to determine much from this Lamp. I have found no comparable items to justify value. Furthermore, I do understand this site does not assess value. I was hoping to find some specifics on the lamp in order to research compatible item value. Unsure if this should be sold for $5 or $500 because I can’t seem to pinpoint the association with this lamp. Please, if you can, continue to help. With every response I learn a bit more. Posted Sunday, February 10, 2019 by LT

A. PRR opened Penn Station in New York City in 1910. Because of the multiple long tunnels and the underground station, they had a huge initiative in the 1910 time period to eliminate all wooden-bodied cars, all non-steam heating systems on cars, and all open-flame-type lights on cars that might operate into Penn, because of the fire risks associated with all of those previously-common features on passenger trains. But those same issues would not have applied to station or office interiors around the system which could have had gas lighting -- but electric light and electric service had been available for interiors for quite a while by then. One detailto check: the compression fitting on the bottom of the lamp looks original: is that for hose or electric wire? Posted Monday, February 11, 2019 by RJMc

A. The fitting on the bottom of the lamp (and the top) look original and does not look like it has been modified in any way for electric lighting. LT Posted Monday, February 11, 2019 by LT

A. Bottom marks, however styled, are for ownership identification not for show. It was a regular railroad practice as was ordering in vast quantities. The Altoona complex was massive and probably had places where this could be put to use. Loco bells aside, logic dictates bigger and bulkier tends to stay close to home, and things that travel too far tend to sustain damage over time. I would guess there's a very good likelyhood of this being a local stash which has somehow escaped the eye of collectors. Such things often went right into the hands of railroad families and then were stored, only to surface after many decades. Of course, if it did get loose, there were guys who hoarded rail stuff en-masse without ever tagging the items. Years later the family members are confused about what it all is and may sell it cheap or give it away..I just saw this happen a few years ago with one guy's stuff that went back to the thirties era. You'd think he'd found a Southern Pacific warehouse and stuffed it in a barn! Posted Monday, February 11, 2019 by ShastaRoute

Q3584 Age of Adlake Lantern? About what year is an Adlake 31-B electric lantern? Posted Saturday, February 2, 2019 by Daniel A Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Slight correction: the Piper 1953 catalog listing in Barrett is for a Model 31-B. It gives a very complete description of the lantern with specs. The Adlake section shows only a picture of a Model 31-g, and without any date info. The Armspear section shows what appears to be a Model 31 and mentions two patent numbers: 1,893,293 and 2,255,291. The first was issued in 1933, the second in 1941. Zeroing in any closer would probably require contacting Adlake; they may still retain production records. Posted Sunday, February 3, 2019 by RJMc

A. Barrett's Illustrated Encyc. of RR Lighting, Vol. 1, shows an "Adlake Model 31-g" being marketed by the Piper Co. in 1953. Piper had rights to either sell Adlake-made lanterns, or to manufacture their own to Adlake patterns, in Canada. Adlake was probably marketing them at the same time in the U.S., as well as making them available to other mfrs/sellers such as Armspear. The Model 31 is the very common type of trainman's electric hand lantern using a 6-volt rectangular lantern battery with two bulbs; this style was made by several manufacturers over decades, with fairly small changes between the mfrs. and details of the lanterns. Sale of this kind of lantern, along with a spate of patent activity, actually began in 1918, got intense in the 1930's, and continued up thru the 1970's, when the housings began to be made from rectangular plastic instead of round metal. This huge variety and long timespan makes it hard to be more specific about when a particular model of lantern was being produced and sold. Posted Sunday, February 3, 2019 by RJMc

Q3583 More Lamp Information? I recently restored an Adlake 1112 non sweating switch lamp marked PRR. I was the one who asked the question about repainting the lamp and fixing the bottom as it was rusted out. I put a new bottom on it, repainted the lamp as per your suggestion. Someone had already stripped the original paint. The base is gone, and I am not too worried about that. I would like to hang it in my train room rather then put it on a shelf. My question is: Do you know if they ever made a wall bracket to go around this lantern or [could you] suggest something that would work and look original to the piece? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Posted Friday, February 1, 2019 by splumber Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Maybe a Caboose marker lantern bracket might fit. They come up every once in a while on the auction site. Maybe a large plant pot "L" shaped bracket found in the garden section would work and hang the lamp from its bail handle. Another possibility would be to drill a small hole thru the top and insert a ring bolt so as to hang it by a chain from the ceiling. Could even wire it as a hanging lamp with a 4 watt night light bulb in it. I think there's endless ways to do it with some brain storming and a walk thru Home Depot or Lowes. Posted Saturday, February 2, 2019 by LC

A. My immediate thought on this problem, if I had it: I would head down to my nearby well-stocked Thrift Shop and look for a used steel saucepan -- they came in all diameters, the used ones are inexpensive, and with luck you may be able to replace the bottom of the lamp with one. Turn the pan over, and you could insert it up inside the lamp body and Pop-Rivet it in, or use sheet metal screws. The attached handle on the pan might even work out as the mounting bracket, or you can go with a pipe flange and pipe fittings. (And as to being 'prototype', don't worry, RR's and railroaders did stuff like this all the time to 'make it work' when budgets were tight.) Posted Thursday, February 7, 2019 by RJMc

Q3582 RR Lights Wondering if i could get some info on these. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Saturday, January 26, 2019 by NM Post a Reply Email a reply

A. BTW...has that all been drilled out and re-rigged for wiring up a bulb? Posted Saturday, January 26, 2019 by ShastaRoute

A. These are candle-powered lights which were used as backup/emergency lights 'til fairly recent times in Railway Post Office cars and much earlier in Pullman and RR sleeping cars. Because there were several on every car, and very attractive and portable, they are fairly common. Start with prior Q 2877 and there are many references back from there. Posted Saturday, January 26, 2019 by RJMc

A. Here's all the prior Q's : 16, 409, 413, 1315, 2299, 2877 (as noted above). At the Kirkman site, the candle lamp brackets are under CLB-F (old style) and CLB-M (new style). The candle lamp chimney is under 31-CL-550. [Provided for research..not a commercial endorsement.] Posted Saturday, January 26, 2019 by ShastaRoute

A. While you wait for an answer, look at Q. 567. Please note...do you have a rope-like wick or a flat lamp/latern wick? Is there an inside cap for a wick to pass through? With no wick adjuster, you are probably in the general world of torches, and likely a tool for inspection purposes. And since the fuel source would be limited, it would not work well for a lamp beyond a short time. [Notice a basic similarity to core components of old ceiling mounted lamps for car lighting, which have an external fuel tank.] Is that a PYREX seal-mark on the glass? Acid etched? Printed? Any numbers/codes? That said, someone has rigged the second one for wall mounting and carry away, but does the handle securely lock in place...not very good for engine or caboose if it does not. (A snap-in bracket like circlips or tongs would make sense for a basic tube..someone, possibly in the shops, was building a better mouse-trap.) Perhaps some measurements in inches? Posted Saturday, January 26, 2019 by ShastaRoute

A. RJMc is right on target. These are RPO lamps that were wall mounted. NYCS stands for New York Central Systems, and can be dated from 1935 when NYCS was used - 1968. Yes the Pyrex chimney is correct - you should be able to find another on ebay where they are listed occasionally. There should be a spring in the body, to keep the candle moving up as it burns. We have plain "emergency candles" that work just fine. You are fortunate to have the wall mount as these are missing more often than not. Replacement wall mounts (and I think globes?) are available on the Kirkman lantern website (I hope it is OK to post a link to that). Link 1 Posted Saturday, January 26, 2019 by JMS

Q3579 Lamp ID? We have been trying to identify this piece for a while. It was given to my wife years ago by her uncle who worked for the Southern Railroad Company for years. He operated the 'Best Friend of Charleston' for a while as part of the company's public relations. He collected railroad memorabilia and would share much of it with family. This piece stands about 30 inches tall and about 12 inches wide. It has a large curved glass globe with 'Dressel No. 57' raised letters on the glass. These are the only words we could identify on the piece. We did not know if this is a street lamp, train light or what. If any of your members could help us identify this piece and its original use it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, January 20, 2019 by Don D Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Prior Q 2676 here on the Q&A site has a pic of an almost identical lamp, and a pic with it fully (and beautifully) restored. It ID's it as a "Dressel No. 57 Belgian railroad platform lamp." Prior Q 1938 talks about the similar Dietz lamps which were used both by RR's for platform and station lamps, and by towns for street lamps. These were quite common at smaller stations and in smaller towns where electricity didn't become commonly available until well into the 20th century. Posted Sunday, January 20, 2019 by RJMc

A. Although use of lamps like this was probably very common, today photographs of them in use are NOT common, and they can be hard to spot in the photos that do exist. But Link 1 shows the depot at Syosset (presumably Long Island) with two of these lights, mounted on about 8-foot-high poles, on the platform at each end of the depot building. That seems to have been a typical way to use them. I am sure that one reason they all went away is the hassle it must have been to keep them fueled, the wicks trimmed, etc etc with the lamp that large and 8 feet or so up in the air!! I'm sure the station agents found electric lamps a GREAT relief compared to these. Link 1 Posted Monday, January 21, 2019 by RJMc

A. The OysterBaytown.com town website which provided the pic in Link 1 above dates it to circa 1911. Posted Monday, January 21, 2019 by RJMc

A. The 1894 edition of the Illustrated Catalogue of Ry and Machinists' Tools and Supplies of the distributors Manning, Maxwell & Moore, Inc., (over 1100 pages (!)) which was scanned and made available (free) online by Google books shows a very similar "Round Street Lamp" on page 1001 at $3.50 each in japanned tin and $5.00 each in the all brass version. Posted Wednesday, January 23, 2019 by RJMc

A. As background info, Anthony Hobson's book Lanterns That Lit Our World shows that the Dietz Co. marketed large round 'street lamps' similar to this one beginning in 1880 all the way up to 1944. Unfortunately Dressel's production history is almost undocumented. Posted Sunday, January 27, 2019 by RJMc

Q3576 Authentic B&O Globe? I was hoping to get some info and opinion on a globe that turned up at auction recently at a grange hall in B&O territory. It was in an older unknown maker bell bottom, possibly Ohio Lantern Co. I had some initial reservations about the globe because of the slanted panel ends, but I have a similar clear B&O globe with the same angle ends. The letters on the clear globe are slightly different, however. Note the pear shape and long extended base (about 1/2 inches), which seem typical for B&O. The glass is of normal thickness and normal cobalt color, the globe ends are ground normally, there are slight signs of wear, and there is a bubble on the first 'R'. Has anyone seen a similar globe that is known to be original? Thanks! [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Tuesday, January 15, 2019 by MP92 Post a Reply Email a reply

A. I am by no means an expert on B&O globes but wanted to give you some leads. Check out Link 2 for great info on fakes from this very website. The slanted ends in your picture did not look too very slanted - we had a LV globe very similar that was genuine. Indeed we've encountered fakes but they usually have not had an extended base. You didn't say how tall your globe is, but Link 1 will take you to Key Lock & Lantern, a terrific group with a main focus on lanterns. Scroll down to the section titled "KL&L Lantern Surveys" and take a look at the entries for B&O globes that have been documented. I found none for BC (Blue Cast), but that does not automatically mean yours is a fake. Finding any questionable globe in its home territory, complete with a maker-unknown frame (have you checked to compare with pictures in Barrett's book?), could be that you've found a previously undocumented but authentic lantern! Hope you will pursue the research and end up with a great find. Link 1 Link 2 Posted Wednesday, January 16, 2019 by JMS

A. Sorry about that, the Link1 goes directly to the survey, not the KL&L group itself - see Link 1 on THIS post for their home page. It's a great group that has been seriously expanding. Link 1 Posted Wednesday, January 16, 2019 by JMS

A. Your globe is the real thing, not a "fake" or reproduction. The proof is in several things. The quality of the glass is very evident, nice and clear, no distortions or unusual looking glass. Reproduction globes have a certain "look" to them and once you have seen a few, they are easy to spot. The cast letters on a reproduction globe are often just crappy looking, where yours looks very smooth. The "pear" shape of this type globe is pretty exclusive to the B&O. The trapezoidal shape of the box is authentic, I have several globes that are not a perfect rectangle. The long extended base is not exclusive to B&O globes, but for this type of globe, is very common, some near 3/4 of an inch. And just because it is not listed in the survey, has no bearing on it being real or not. Lantern collectors either want everybody to know what they have, or they tell almost no one. I think the way you took the picture makes the globe look several shades lighter than it is. A true cobalt colored globe is usually pretty dark. I would hope that you bought this, as it would make a B&O collector very happy!! Congrats!! Posted Tuesday, January 29, 2019 by GAR

Q3568 Lantern ID? Another lantern site suggested I ask you about this old lantern I have had for awhile. It's a spring loaded autofeed candle lantern that actually works and I have used it. And it does have some Chinese script scratched into the paint that I had translated reading Team 2? [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, January 3, 2019 by Will F Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Light the candle, close the door on the lamp and place this in a darkened room. If no light escapes from around the blackout door of the lamp you may have your answer which is that it is a photographer's darkroom lantern. The only means that I see to hang this up is the chain which is on it and that would not be good swinging around on a piece of moving equipment. Enter darkroom in the word search for the Archives and you will find quite a few other examples of darkroom lanterns. Posted Monday, January 14, 2019 by KM

Q3567 Stuck Fount I have tried to get this fount out of my Uncles Railroad 1909 Adams & Westlake lantern and have had no luck including boiling the lantern base for two hours and soaking it in WD40. I also tried break free oil. The Lantern spent many years in his garage an Attic in New York. The fount looks like it needs to be replaced, the burner looks fine. Should I just leave it along or what? Looks like it may have been painted at one time NYC gray also? I believe this was used by my Grandfather back in the early 1900's. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, January 3, 2019 by Sal Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Sounds like fount has rusted to lantern body, I've had this problem myself, but not to this extent. I guess it all depends what you want to do with the lantern. Display or use it, if you only want to display it let it be. If not the key is patience let if soak for a couple of weeks in PB Buster, or some other penitrating oil, not wd-40. What has also worked for me is a plumbers torch, heat the lantern base evenly and slowly around the fount area, careful not to the torch in one area for to long. If you choose to use this method make sure you rid the lantern of all oils as to prevent a fire. Also wear gloves to prevent burning yourself. Note the reason why this method might works verus boiling, you want to expand the lanten base only. After heating base, use a small pocket screw driver and gently pry between fount and ring moving around entire fount. Good luck, if you choose this method, and remember patience, patience, patience!!! Posted Thursday, January 3, 2019 by Jeff K

A. Thanks. I'll just let it be for know until I can come across a original fount for this lantern. Thanks for the advice. Posted Thursday, January 3, 2019 by S.S.

A. New and used founts are available on that well known auction site and other places on the web. So feel free to get ignorant with it and mussel or cut the thing out. Replacing the fount won't detract from the value of the lantern especially since the brass burner is in good condition and servicable. Posted Friday, January 4, 2019 by LC

A. I have one other question on my Lantern. What model would this one be? Is it a #11 1895 or #11 1909? Here is what stamped on the top. This way when I find a fount I can identify that it's correct one for my lantern. And again thanks for all the help. Adams and Westlake Company Chicago New York Pat:May28.95 May5.1908 3-pat Jan 26.1909 Posted Friday, January 4, 2019 by S.S.

Q3565 Testing a Steam Locomotive Headlight I just bought a Pyle National steam locomotive headlight and was wondering how to test it to see if the bulb works? The bulb has 60 volts written on it. Posted Monday, December 31, 2018 by Jerry M Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Hi Jerry, If your headlight bulb has the standard screw base like a home light bulb,which a lot of them had,I would just put the bulb in a lamp and plug this into an outlet that has a dimmer control or an overhead ceiling lamp that is controlled by a wall dimmer and just make sure to turn the dimmer way down to the dimmest setting first and increase the dimmer until you see the headlight bulb start to glow.You don't need to run the voltage even half just to test the bulb.DJB Posted Tuesday, January 1, 2019 by DJB

A. Again, if the socket is a standard screw base, for test purposes any kind of regular 120V bulb will work. It is only if you want to test the beam charactaristics that you need to go to a clear 'headlight' style of bulb. Posted Tuesday, January 1, 2019 by RJMc

A. Interesting..does anybody ever use a decent MRC transformer for bench testing electrical items with controlled power? Posted Tuesday, January 1, 2019 by ShastaRoute

A. I would test the bulb with a multimeter to see if you have continuity. If so the bulb is probably OK. Then I would test the wiring in the headlight also. I do not like the idea of using an uncontrolled dimmer switch that could run up the voltage suddenly which might ruin the bulb. And if you do use a dimmer switch and you already have the multimeter set the switch and check the output voltage of the dimmer before you energize the bulb. A cheap multimeter from Harbor Freight or any other low price outlet will do the job. Posted Tuesday, January 1, 2019 by KM

A. 60 or 64 volts would be unusual for a steam locomotive headlight; 32 or 34 volts DC was much more common. If the headlight has a standard screw base socket, I would check the insulation on the wiring and then just substitute a 120 V bulb, and set the existing bulb aside. Headlight bulbs in various wattages at 120 V and up to 250 watts (ac or dc doesn't matter for light bulbs) are still commonly available, try bulk bulb suppliers on the web, or maybe even Grainger can supply bulbs like that. For inside display use, a 100 watt bulb will probably be almost too bright; the RR original would have been 250 watts. Posted Tuesday, January 1, 2019 by RJMc

A. There are some excellent reasons for not connecting any kind of model power supply to large light bulbs. A typical steam locomotive headlight had an incandescent 250 watt bulb running at 32 VDC -- about 8 amps. A typical diesel headlight these days has two sealed beam 200-watt bulbs, some at 32 VDC and some at 74 VDC, or higher. Most model supplies come nowhere close to supplying this much power or these higher voltages. Further, incandescent light bulbs in general look like short circuits -- VERY low resistance -- until the filament heats up. This causes a large inlet current surge, even on regular power lines. So unless your model supply protects itself very well, and very quickly, you might burn it out in the attempt and the bulb still won't even glow. Posted Wednesday, January 2, 2019 by RJMc

Q3561 New York Central #6 Globe I recently purchased a mismatched lantern and globe. The globe is a No.6 Dietz New York Central heavy thick globe, but it has no Corning cnx markings. Did Corning make any globes before using the cnx trademark? I have several others but only with cnx markings. Posted Sunday, December 23, 2018 by Jazzyjiff Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Yes, Corning made many globes before beginning to use CNX in 1909. The Link to elsewhere here on the RRiana site is all about Corning globes and history. Link 1 Posted Monday, December 24, 2018 by RJMc

Q3559 Lamp Info? I bought this lamp but I can’t figure out what it is. It looks just like my Fire Kings but it is smaller and does not have any manufacturer’s markings. Any advice or direction you can give me is greatly appreciated! [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, December 20, 2018 by SJ Post a Reply Email a reply

A. This is a 'Fire King' lantern, commonly carried on fire apparatus and used as a hand lantern by firemen. Most commonly seen as a 'Dietz Fire King' and often marked that way. The Link is to Woody Kirkman's excellent web site all about all kinds of lanterns: look under the heading Fire Dept. King. Link 1 Posted Saturday, December 22, 2018 by RJMc

A. It is a Deitz Fire Department Queen lantern. They are smaller than a Fire King and the one that I have also does not show any manufacturer's name or model. Woody Kirkman does list it in the Deitz Compendium but he does not have information about the size there.. I have seen lots of Fire Kings that have an apparatus manufacturer's name like American La France or Seagrave on them, but I have never seen a Queen with a name embossed on the weather guard strip. Posted Sunday, December 23, 2018 by KM

Q3558 Peter Gray Switch Lamp Wiring I am trying to figure out how to wire a Gray-Boston switch lamp (for interior use) It has bayonet bulb socket and came with a 12V GE auto tail light bulb. I'm trying to figure out if the bulb base is original and whether it is actually a transformer. (See pics.) Some posts (Q2818, others) indicate 12V, 24V and also suggest 110V electrical sources. Not sure of the switch lamp's railroad origin, though it was purchased in New England. The lamp does have a 'Peter Gray and Sons, Boston, MA' brass builders plate, which one post (Q3337) indicates the vintage is early 1900s. Thank you! [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, December 16, 2018 by John Post a Reply Email a reply

A. John: I doubt that there is a transformer in that base, ..but you never know. Something to know about railroad equipment (and original Western Electric/ Bell System phone equipment) is that it's all over built so as to last forever under rough service; so by today's standards, it looks clunky and over sized. - The socket is most likely original to the lamp as many electric switchlamps from other manufacturers used a similar socket. First, get a 12 volt power supply. I suggest a model train power pack. Take the bulb out of the socket. Connect wires to the 12 volt variable terminals, turn the variable power up about three quarters of the way up and touch the wires to the side and bottom of the bulb and see if it lights. (I always test things like this at less than full power) If it doesn't, go to the auto parts store and get a couple of new ones (always have a spare). Once you have a bulb you know that works, put it back in the socket and then touch the same wires to those two threaded terminals and see if the bulb lights. If it lights up just as bright as it did when connected directly to the power pack, there is no transformer in there. Then you need to find a small power supply to wire in there to drop the house current you will end up using, down to LESS than 12 volts. I say less than 12 volts as you may well get tired of how bright the lamp is if the 12 volt lamp has a full 12 volts to it. I'd look for a Department 56 or Lemax Christmas Village power supply; cut the plug off the reduced power side, strip the wire back and attach to the nuts on the base of the socket inside the lamp. Also; Most of the roads that bought Peter Gray lamps were in New England. ---- …. Red Beard Posted Sunday, December 16, 2018 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. Hi John,Before You get too carried away with this voltage dilemma,remove the lenses from the lamp if not too difficult OR remove the power supply itself and look for an electrical data plate on that conversion unit.All signal equipment I ever dealt with in my career had a rating plate mostly for safety purposes but also so as not to damage the equipment needlessly by over-voltage.That's my advice. DJB Posted Monday, December 17, 2018 by DJB

A. Do what I did and save yourself a whole lot of hassle. Get a chandelier socket, lamp wire etc. at Lowes or Home depot and rig the wire through the bottom of the lamp, then put a 4 watt or 7 watt night light bulb in it and you have a nice lit switch lamp. A night light bulb gives just the right brightness through the lenses. Posted Monday, December 17, 2018 by LC

A. Wow, thanks guys for the great information and, in thinking about it, I certainly don't want the lamp on at "full power", so perhaps the nightlight idea is the prudent path. Thanks again! Posted Tuesday, December 18, 2018 by John

Q3557 Dietz No 3 globes I recently acquired 2 large lantern globes. I was looking for any additional information that anyone may be able to provide for these 2 pieces. I did find some information on the one that is marked. Dietz No 3 New York USA. This one seems to have a purple tint to it. The other one is the same style but is not marked and it is clear. Any Idea how to authenticate this as I did notice on your site that fakes exist out there? Any help would be greatly appreciated. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Tuesday, December 11, 2018 by Chuck D Post a Reply Email a reply

A. The word "large" conveys no specific information. Can you provide specific measurement information about these globes? Thanks. These globes appear to be from platform or street lamps that were made by Dietz (and possibly others). Link 1 takes you to WT Kirkman's web site with specific information about Dietz platform and street lamps. Per the information from Link 1, Dietz made a #3 globe used in both railroad platform and street lamps, plus other size globes for that purpose. The purple glass color indicates the presence of manganese oxide in the glass and also that the glass has been exposed to the sun for some time; an indication of age. Link 2 leads to the Corning Museum of Glass web page discussing purple hued glass. Link 1 Link 2 Posted Wednesday, December 12, 2018 by JEM

A. Someone has painted this but it’s a good example of a Dietz #3 globe in the tin frame used at the top of a post. Link 1 Posted Thursday, December 20, 2018 by JS

Q3556 ESRR Lantern I recently acquired an old railroad lantern marked Dietz #6 on top and the letters ESRR on the rim. It also has a cast clear globe marked B&A. I cannot find any reference to what railroad this might be. Since Dietz #6 lanterns usually are associated with northeastern US lines, I thought it might be somewhere in that area. Thanks for your assistance. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, December 9, 2018 by BS Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Are there any patent dates on the lantern? Joseph Gross's 'Trolley and Interurban Directory' shows ESRR for 'East Side RR' of Elmira, NY in 1896, merging with the West Side RR to have about 9 miles of track (see Link 1), ending up in the Elmira Water, Light, and Ry. Co. in 1900 with about 14 miles of track. The link makes it look as if the East Side RR in Elmira was not really an operating company, but only a shell for the West Side Co. The dates are not quite consistent with the 'Encyclopiedia of RR Lighting' which shows the No.6 lantern being introduced by Steam Gage and Lantern Co. ca. 1895 and not being a Dietz lantern model until they bought out SG&L in 1898, but its close. And it is certainly the territory where a Boston and Albany globe would have been available to replace whatever came with the lantern, which was the 'New York Central standard' and was sold until about 1920. There is also an East Side Street Railway in Brocton, MA, in 1896 but the initials don't quite match. Link 1 Posted Monday, December 10, 2018 by RJMc

A. Yes, Empire State is a much better fit, and was an operating company likely to have lanterns for more mileage and more years. Gross' directory lists its initials as ES RRCO but that would have ended up as ESRR, as on your lantern. Posted Tuesday, December 11, 2018 by RJMc

A. Empire State RR. This was a traction line in upper New York with a line from Syracuse to Oswego, and another disconnected line from Port Byron to Auburn. It folded for good in 1931 after control was acquired in 1922 by the Rochester & Syracuse Ry in 1922. Your lantern would fit in quite nicely in that time frame as it is a later #6 version. My information came from Hilton's "The Electric Interurban Railways in America", 1960. Posted Tuesday, December 11, 2018 by BobF

A. More good information on the Empire State Railroad. See Link 1. Link 1 Posted Friday, December 14, 2018 by JMS

Q3551 Urbana Tin Table or Wall Lamp I have a couple of Urbana flat bottomed tin with screw in P&A burner lamp. One has a greenish color. Does anyone know what that color is? I would like to restore these. Does anyone know if they were cab wall mount lamps? if so what kind of bracket and globe? Thanks. Posted Monday, December 3, 2018 by David Post a Reply Email a reply

A. A photo(s) would be a huge help. P&A (See the link) was Plume & Atwood - this company wasn't a major railroad supplier. Sorry I can't find more info about "Urbana" mark, apparently a stove works in Ohio (?). With no railroad markings on them, almost certainly these lamps are not railroad relics. Link 1 Posted Monday, December 3, 2018 by jms

A. "Urbana" was a trademark of the Johnson Co., very prolific tinware manufacturer located in Urbana, OH. (See Link) They made tens of thousands of tinware items over decades, many for RR's as well as a wide variety of other industries. A picture is essential to even begin to sort out what kind of item you may have. The exact color of green (which was a common color for caboose interiors, among other places) may depend on what railroad used the lamps, if they are indeed of railroad origin. Link 1 Posted Monday, December 3, 2018 by RJMc

Q3550 Dietz Vesta Reproduction? I have a lantern stamped DIETZ VESTA NEW YORK U.S.A. on the top. The glass is clear with the raised letters U.S.A. On the opposite side at the top of the glass is a very faint small round circle. I cannot make out what it says because the lettering is small and faint. The frame I think is aluminum. Also there are letters and numbers stamped: Patented NOV 8'27,APR-3 '28, DEC 25'28, MAY 4-20, S-10-42. Does this mean it's a reproduction? Thank you Posted Saturday, December 1, 2018 by FB Post a Reply Email a reply

A. The first three are patent dates, but the S-10-42 means it was manufactured at Dietz's Syracuse NY plant in October of 1942. Hope this helps. Sounds OK to me. Posted Saturday, December 1, 2018 by BobF

A. The USA on your globe probably stands for US Army. See prior Q 2690 about U.S. Army lanterns. The Vesta was a Government-wide standard lantern for decades, and probably hundreds of thousands would have been produced in 1942 in the middle of World War II. Vestas were used not only for RR service but for a general lantern in tents, etc.,in the US as well as shipped to many overseas countries with US forces and exported as military aid to their governments. Check the lantern frame with a magnet; most were plated steel which might appear to be aluminum. The Link is to an article elsewhere on this RRiana site, all about Dietz Vestas. Link 1 Posted Saturday, December 1, 2018 by RJMc

Q3548 RR Item? Is this from a railroad? [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, November 29, 2018 by RW Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Looking closely at the pic. there seem to be directional arrows, pointing to the right behind the top yellow lens and pointing down behind the bottom lens which looks blue -- but might display more greenish. How do those arrows display if you put a light bulb behind the lenses? To the front, thru the lenses, or to the rear of the unit? Some transit lines, such as the 'heavy rail' lines in Washington, Boston, Chicago, BART etc or the 'light rail' streetcar lines in Boston might use a signal like this to indicate routing but most main line RR's do not use arrows. Posted Friday, November 30, 2018 by RJMc

A. Possibly a coincidence, but there is a General Railway Signal dwarf signal for sale on an auction site (try the Link); it appears to have the same color pattern of yellow on top, red in the middle, and blue below as your light, at least for the right-side three lights of the six in the signal. Offhand, I have never seen that pattern anywhere else, but the blue light indicates it might have been a special arrangement for a shop or yard area. Link 1 Posted Tuesday, December 4, 2018 by RJMc

A. Could it be some form of archaic vehicle inspection point or weigh station? Default set to red for stop, then either proceed around with caution (yellow) or move ahead to inspection or service area (blue)...controlled at the watch station or tower. Posted Friday, January 18, 2019 by ShastaRoute

A. And thinking about lights to both sides...unless a very crude public roadway, then perhaps an industrial area like a gravel pit operation or maybe a heavy construction project like a dam. Posted Friday, January 18, 2019 by ShastaRoute

Q3547 Armspear Lantern I recently got an Armspear steel guard lantern from my grandmother and had a couple of hopefully simple questions: First it's missing the globe; does it take the 5 3/8 tall lantern globe? I am hoping it's this one and not a super rare globe. Secondly, it has some larger holes in the fount, I haven't seen any listed online. I was thinking about soldering repair plates over them, but I'm worried about the fibrous material inside the fount. Is it cotton or something else safe or asbestos fibers? Thank you for any help, Posted Tuesday, November 27, 2018 by Mike Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Since the RR's standardized almost everything, it may not be the exact globe you mention, but it won't be super-rare. The material inside the founts was usually cotton waste material or batting, definitely flammable. Although hotly debated (including on this site) removing the wadding creates no problem unless you planned to swing the lantern a lot (as in signalling to a distant locomotive). In that case the sloshing of the liquid fuel was a problem that the wadding helped to eliminate. But otherwisee the lantern will operate just fine without it. Posted Wednesday, November 28, 2018 by RJMc

A. If you don't intend to use it just display it, why bother closing the holes. Is it railroad marked with a name, if not it is just a railroad type lantern used by many others. A picture would have helped. Posted Wednesday, November 28, 2018 by DC

A. Thank you both for the replies, as for the fiber, I imagine the subject of keeping it original or not is debated quite a bit. Honestly, I will probably put it back in after repairing it. I am glad to hear it sounds like the globe is the "standard" size, I figured it was but wanted some confirmation. As for the repairs, I never said I didn't intend to use it, in fact that is the reason i'm asking about a new globe and fixing the holes. I would love to be able to light it up on occasion and think about my grandparents, they use to loan this lantern out to schools and scouts for displays and the like but never had it operational, I'm sure they would have loved to see it lit again. Also it is marked for the C&O railroad, and sorry for no images, I didn't really think about taking the time to add them. Thanks again Mike Posted Friday, November 30, 2018 by mike

Q3546 DM&I Ry Marking I have an Adlake Non-sweating Marker Lantern with D.M. & I RY. tag on it. Who is this? Duluth Missabe does not show this combination. Thanks Posted Sunday, November 25, 2018 by CN Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Duluth Missabe and Ironton Ry Posted Sunday, November 25, 2018 by DC

A. The above answer is incorrect; there never was a Duluth Missabe and Ironton Railway. Posted Sunday, November 25, 2018 by JEM

A. Please provide a picture of this Adlake marker lamp tag; it would help in trying to determine what exactly is going on here. Thanks. Posted Sunday, November 25, 2018 by JEM

A. Send a photo to this email address and we'll post it. Posted Sunday, November 25, 2018 by Web Editor

A. Here's a photo of the marking. Link 1 Posted Sunday, November 25, 2018 by CN

A. Thanks for the photo. The tag looks real, so no problem there. I have a similar Adlake marker lamp with a tag reading D.M.&I.R.Ry.(also has a "LEFT" tag on the other side). My guess is that the tag you have is a production "mistake", perhaps done when the tag producer misread the name of the railroad and left out an "R". Or the tag department got a production list with this error on it. Anyway, you have a great Duluth Missabe & Iron Range Railway marker lamp! Posted Monday, November 26, 2018 by JEM

A. In the pic, it looks to me that the tag would not have fit on the lamp if that final 'R', period, and extra space were in there, making the tag considerably longer, unless they went to a smaller lettering font. So the 'R' for Railway did double duty, so to speak, and anybody from the DM&IR looking to recover their lamp would not have had a problem proving ownership. Posted Monday, November 26, 2018 by RJMc

A. RJMc: The D.M.&I.R.Ry. tag on my lamp looks like it is the same length as the pictured tag and has the same size font, but the "D" on mine is more to the left; the left tag margin is closer to the "D". Also mine does not have a large capital "Y", it has the half size capital "Railway Y" so often seen on lanterns, and so takes up less room. Posted Monday, November 26, 2018 by JEM

Q3545 RR Use? I'm wondering if this large item is related to railroading? I'm not familiar with lanterns with one side red glass and the other side green glass. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, November 25, 2018 by No Name Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Almost certainly a marine navigation marker light -- used in harbors, rivers, canals, etc, but also used on railroad bridges over navigable waterways. Posted Sunday, November 25, 2018 by RJMc

Q3537 D&RG RR Globe I have found a 5 3/8 clear globe marked at the top M E G Co. 2, and cast in to a square panel is D&RGW RR. On the back is etched in all caps safety first. I’ve seen plenty of lanterns marked for D&RG RR but the DRGW seems to be a little harder to find.. Any idea what type or brand of lantern frame the RR was using when this type of globe was in use? Posted Friday, November 2, 2018 by Rob Post a Reply Email a reply

Q3536 German Lantern Globe Use? I have a question regarding a German Globe that I purchased. Would you be able to help me identify if this was possibly used on the railway in Germany? The globe has the mark of Albert Riegermann who is more known for his burners/dead flame lamps. This particular globe is for a Hot Blast Lantern. It has the red lens and then 3 other large bulbous areas of blown glass around the globe. This is very old, maybe from the early 1900’s. The lantern it is sitting in is NOT the correct lantern for this globe. I appreciate any thoughts you might have. Kind regards, [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, November 1, 2018 by ML Post a Reply Email a reply

Q3535 Casey Lanterns I've been studying the Keystone Lantern, and their Keystone Casey lanterns. Barrett's book mentions that they made RR lanterns for 50 different railroads, however I seem to only see PRR and B&O. Any readers out there have other RRs buying the Casey's?? Thanks. Posted Saturday, October 27, 2018 by Jeff Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Hi - I had two very nice Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad Keystone Casey lanterns, but I sold them last year. Posted Saturday, October 27, 2018 by JEM

A. On this very web site you can peruse a list of railroads that used Keystone Casey lanterns. See Link 1. "Following are known railroads that used marked "Casey" railroad lanterns manufactured by the Keystone Lantern Company. Our thanks to everyone who has sent in new markings! Please see copyright information and other comments in the footnotes." Link 1 Posted Saturday, October 27, 2018 by JEM

Q3534 Dressel Short Lantern Date? I think I have one of the Dressel 'Heavy Duty' short lanterns. Noticed that your description seemed rather certain that it would have a patent number on the bottom of 2157081. Mine says 'PATAPLDFOR'. Does anyone know the manufacturing date of this lantern? Posted Wednesday, October 24, 2018 by Charles Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Nice find !! The patent number you mention dates from the mid-1930s. Actually Google searches now work pretty well - go to the google search field and type in US Patent 123456 (or whatever the number is) and hopefully results will be easy. So you know your lantern has to have been made AFTER this date. How long this model was made, may be stated in one of the lantern collector guides such as Barrett's Encyclopedia. Hopefully another poster will add some more specific information. Link 1 Posted Thursday, October 25, 2018 by JMS

A. OK I did some further digging. If the PATAPLDFOR applies to the number 2157081, the patent website says (if I am reading correctly) that US2157081A was granted on 1939-05-02. It typically takes a long time (years?) from when a patent is applied for and is granted. So this would seem like your lantern was made before the "Granted" date. NOW, did Dressel change its dies upon the patent being granted? Posted Thursday, October 25, 2018 by JMS

A. Another thing I should have done - on the Link I provided, it says HAND LANTERN Filed March 24, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheetl INVENTOR 3 M Wa/ ATTORNEY y 1939- A. MENNA 2,157,081 meaning the patent was filed in 1936. Interestingly, this patent apparently was not for a brand new type of lantern, it was for a new design that would make improvements on an existing one: "This invention relates to improvements in hand lanterns and the like. More particularly the invention relates to globe holders of the type adapted to engage the upper end of the globe of the lantern to hold the globe in position. " So it looks like you may be able to date your lantern between 1936 and 1939, at least that is the simple conclusion. Posted Thursday, October 25, 2018 by JMS

A. I am getting confused here. Charles says his lantern DOES NOT have patent number 2157081. It is only other people who have brought that number into the discussion. Folks I know who retired from the US Patent Office assure me that Patent Numbers exist ONLY AFTER the patent is gtanted. There is a Patent Application (or 'Applied For') number, but the application number and the final patent number are NOT the same, and the 'applied for' number might never be stamped into hardware. Most lantern manufacturers had all kinds of patent doings going on all the time to try to gain an advantage against very tough competition. So the term 'PatApldFor' on this lantern could refer to any of many patents Dressel was pursuing when it was made, and may have no relation at all to the 215 number mentioned. And since patent protection is normally good for only 17 years, the lack of the number on a lantern employing the patented improvement may mean it was made AFTER the patent expired, not before. Posted Thursday, October 25, 2018 by RJMc

A. My apologies, RJMc, I re-read Charles' question and indeed misinterpreted it. I just did a search and didn't understand that it appears he may be referring to earlier questions (Q1797, Q980 and maybe others). You are absolutely correct about the 'Applied For' numbering being different than the numbers that are finally granted. I did look up 2157081, and the link I found does give the history including the application date, but isn't clear about the applied for number. Indeed, as you point out, probably more often than not some of the patent information/numbers stamped on lanterns and other relics may refer to a part or piece, not the entire relic. However, Link 1 shows the number 2157081 apparently does apply to an entire lantern. So the question becomes WHICH final patent number the PATAPLDFOR on Charles' lantern applies to - and here is where I erroneously surmised -- it COULD be 2157081, which should date the lantern before the date the patent was granted, BUT as you correctly point out, PATAPLDFOR could refer to some other piece or part for which a patent had been applied (such as a burner or fount or frame design, etc.) and THAT part was awaiting a final granted number. You're absolutely correct about the process involved, thank you for clearing up my less than adequate comments. Posted Saturday, October 27, 2018 by JMS

Q3533 PRR Adlake Kero Info? I recently picked a vintage PRR marked lantern which I cannot positively identify. It is marked as follows: Dome: PRR (within keystone logo); Globe: 'C' with nx letters inside and PRR etched to glass; Burner: Dressel Arlington NJ; Bottom: Adlake-Kero 444 U.S.A. 1415633, 1415634, 1415635, 1660194 CANADA 1921 - 1923 Pats Pending. I believe it may be rare, but it seems to have variations of the models identified in your site. Any assistance in positively identifying it would be greatly appreciated. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Wednesday, October 24, 2018 by JC Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Other responses? I don't think this is a terribly scarce lantern. PRR/keystone is Pennsylvania Railroad. I dont have a picture of the bottom but I would guess 444 is the date code, made during the fourth quarter of 1944. The Cnx is the maker mark, for Corning Glass. Posted Wednesday, October 24, 2018 by JMS

A. Here is a link to some PRR Kero lanterns that have sold recently on eBay. Link 1 Posted Wednesday, October 24, 2018 by JMS

Q3532 Lantern Info Needed I found this old lantern in my parents' basement while going through the estate. I can’t find any indication of a maker or RR but I also can’t figure out how to open it to see if that might be on the inside somewhere. I tried pressing the obvious clip to open the lid but that did not work so maybe it is just rusted or welded shut... Anyway, I'm wondering if you have any idea who may have made it and the approximate age? In my searches, I have not yet seen a bell bottom lantern with a cage like this. At least, I think this may be a bell bottom style. Correct me if I am wrong. Thanks for any input you may have and be willing to share! [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Tuesday, October 23, 2018 by JD Post a Reply Email a reply

A. If the clip that releases the bell bottom is brass try cleaning it, you may find manufacturer name or patent date. Depressing thumb latch should enable you to swing the top open. Doubt you will find any information inside other than a name on brass wick holder burner. Posted Wednesday, October 24, 2018 by DC

A. Hello JD,I believe that this is a very early Adams and Westlake model lantern and many of these had their name and patent data on the very bottom center of the bellbottom.Take a look and gently clean this center area and my guess is that you will find your answer.There is always the possibility that the bell bottom assembly was switched from another mfr's lantern and this may not hold true in your case.Good luck.DJB Posted Wednesday, October 24, 2018 by DJB

A. Thanks so much for the info! After some cleaning and looking at the bottom center under a magnifying light we were able to make out the Adams and Westlake. The dates are very hard to read but there appear to be a few. I think the most recent may be something like August 25 or 26,1876? The one before that was 1873 I believe. JD Posted Wednesday, October 24, 2018 by JD

A. All US patents are issued on Tuesdays. August 25,1876 was a Friday, the 26th was a Saturday so a patent search on for those dates may not yield anything. Also I checked the Lantern Patent listing in "The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Railroad Lighting,Volume One-The Railroad Lantern" and it does not show any lantern patents issued in 1876 and that seems odd. Posted Thursday, October 25, 2018 by KM

A. Thanks KM I emailed another post with a photo of the bottom this morning in hopes that more info could be gleaned from that. Not sure when that will be posted but maybe today. Now I am wondering if it could be 1873 or 1875. The previous date is very clear. May 20, 73 JD Posted Thursday, October 25, 2018 by JD

A. Wondering if anyone can help me nail down or make an educated guess on the final Patent Date and also the other wording THE ADAMS AND WESTLAKE (LANTERN?) and also opposite that looks to me like UNDER ….. NING? or WING? PAT? The last date I can read clearly is May 20, 73. The one below center looks like it might be Aug 28, 73 or 75? Any other input after viewing the bottom would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Link 1 Posted Thursday, October 25, 2018 by JD

A. Try US Patent 139030 granted to Thomas Smith of Cleveland on 5/20/1873. The drawing in the patent shows bail ears which are formed from the vertical guards. It looks like your lantern may have those. Try #142134 granted to William Westlake on 8/26/1873 for an adjustable globe holder. Posted Thursday, October 25, 2018 by KM

A. See Q1966 in the Archives. That lantern has the adjustable globe holder that I mentioned above. Does your lantern have that pin arrangement in the top that allows globes of different heights to be used? Posted Thursday, October 25, 2018 by KM

A. by the way 5/20/1873 and 8/26/1873 are both Tuesdays. Totally off topic. Also on 5/20/1873 Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis were granted patent number 134121 for an improvement in men's pants that soon was known as blue jeans. Posted Thursday, October 25, 2018 by KM

A. Thanks KM Yes it has the bail ears formed from the vertical guards. But no, it does not have the adjustable globe holder feature - which is too bad. So does that mean the top is not original to this lantern? Or could there be another explanation? I finally figured out the other wording - UNDER FOLLOWING PAT (duh) - or maybe there is more after PAT? Interesting about Levi Strauss. JD Posted Friday, October 26, 2018 by JD

A. The adjustable globe holder may have been an option which was not installed on every lantern and maybe they did not remove the patent information from the bottom. Or it is the wrong patent, but there is too much circumstantial evidence to reach that conclusion. Check out that 1907 Adlake catalogue that is available elsewhere on this site and see if the globe holder is still available as an option. I don't think that someone changed the top. That said keep in mind that larger railroads did have lantern repair shops that did maintenance like that. Posted Friday, October 26, 2018 by KM

A. Thanks KM Really appreciate all the info. FYI Did not see a mention of the adjustable globe holder in the 1907 catalog. Posted Friday, October 26, 2018 by JD

Q3531 Adlake & Kero #300 burner problem I just got this lantern last week, and I cannot get the burner to securely twist into the fount. I have thought several times that I did it correctly until I insert it into the lantern - when I turn the knob to adjust the wick the burner pops out. The slightest touch loosens it. I am afraid to light it for fear of setting the lamp oil in the pot on fire and not knowing how to put it out! The cotton is still in the oil pot, by the way, if that makes any difference. Getting a new wick wouldn't hurt, but the current wick turns up and down freely so I don't think that's a factor. I see the two small openings in the oil pot, and the indentations on the burner, but do not know exactly how they are supposed to line up. Or is it possible that the oil pot opening is slightly bent or warped? What's the 'trick' to getting this on correctly! [Follow-up]: I took the cotton out of the oil pot and found an O-ring with two knob like protrusions loose in there. So that solves the original mystery why I couldn't get the burner secure. The next question is can I somehow get that back in place, or so I simply need to find another #300 oil pot? Posted Saturday, October 20, 2018 by JW Post a Reply Email a reply

A. I've never seen an O ring used to secure a burner to a any fount. I think someone had the same problem you have an jerry rigged an O ring in there so the burner would fit. Garden hose washers have protrusions on them. Wonder if someone used a cut down one and left 2 protrusions on it. I'd go to that well known auction site and just buy a new fount. Posted Sunday, October 21, 2018 by LC

A. Some burners were threaded into the fount with (in railroad terms) a very fine thread. For these it was definitely necessary not to 'twist' the burner in, but to start it carefully and screw it in involving at least several turns of thread engagement. Other lantern models (including some Adlakes) had a definite 'twist-lock' arrangement which they called 'bayonet catch' --see Link 1 to the archives here on the Q&A site -- which only required maybe 90 degrees of twist to seat securely, more or less like a cork. Without a pic, and without detailed checking of part no's. etc, it sounds to me that either you have a threaded=style fount on which the threads are worn out, or you have the wrong burner for that fount and somebody 'cobbled it together' as described above. Link 1 Posted Sunday, October 21, 2018 by RJMc

A. I think the guys have ID'd your problem. The threads likely are stripped - manhandled by a previous owner, so they are useless and no way to repair. These burners/founts are fairly easy to come by - watch eBay - if you want to use this lantern you really should spring for a correct one that will be safe to use. Good luck ! Posted Sunday, October 21, 2018 by JMS

A. Thanks for the replies. Clearly there are no threads on either the oil pot or burner, and both are labeled #300. I am looking for a replacements, but would like to restore the original if possible. I think LC was right. Since the part is inside and I cannot get it out - I wonder if any type of glue would be safe to use. Guess nobody so far knows how it was manufactured, perhaps welded - but that is no longer an option. I have been trying to post pictures. I'll try again. Posted Monday, October 22, 2018 by JW

A. JW, We don't allow posting images directly for security reasons and also because each image may have to be resized due to disk storage constraints. Send an image(s) directly to this email address [Email a Question link]. Please indicate the question number. Posted Monday, October 22, 2018 by web editor

A. Here are some photos. Link 1 Posted Monday, October 22, 2018 by JW

A. On digging out a couple of Adlake 300's I think I now understand your problem. The only thing that originally holds the 'bayonet catch' burner into the fount is two TRULY minuscule tabs that seem to have been made as part of the original stamping of the top plate of the fount; they protrude into the ID of the burner-mount hole (pic to follow later.) Those tabs are thinner and narrower than typical paper clip wire (!!!). Those two tabs engage 'L-shaped' slots in the burner base. Once those two tabs wear away, or corrode away, there is nothing holding the burner onto the fount, which I think is your situation. In fact, the fit of the original arrangement is not particularly tight and probably leaked some kerosene into the globe. Neither of the 300's I looked at have gaskets. I suspect somebody added the garden hose washer to yours to try to get a better seal when the tabs were still there; the upward stress caused by compressing the additional thickness of the gasket probably wore away or broke off your tabs. As to fixing the original, you could fabricate a flat ring, with tabs, and solder it on top of the existing top plate (after completely clearing the can of cotton and kerosene, if any). If you won't be using the lantern much, that new flat ring could be of flat copper or brass, or even a modified steel washer. Acquirng a replacement fount -- after checking to make sure its tabs are there and in good shape -- would be a much quicker solution and let you continue to use the existing burner, unless the 'L' slots in it are worn out in some way. Posted Tuesday, October 23, 2018 by RJMc

A. Here's a photo to illustrate the response above. Link 1 Posted Wednesday, October 24, 2018 by RJMc

A. What looks like a yellow horizontal smudge on the burner base in the pic, above the locking tab is the bottom of the groove the tab is supposed to engage to twist-lock the burner onto the fount. Posted Wednesday, October 24, 2018 by RJMc

A. Here's a better photo to illustrate my response above. Link 1 Posted Wednesday, November 14, 2018 by RJMc

Q3530 Light ID? Can anyone identify this light and its purpose? It was donated to our RR museum with no information about it. The dimensions are about 7 inches diameter by about 3 inches depth. I am unable to view the back. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, October 11, 2018 by Steve Post a Reply Email a reply

A. See Link 1 for a good pic of a wig-wag crossing signal; even with red paint around the light! And, is it a strobe light, or an incandescent bulb? The strobe would be a strong indicator for the locomotive application. Link 1 Posted Friday, October 12, 2018 by RJMc

A. Take the light apart and photograph the bulb, the socket and also see if the voltage or bulb number is marked on the base of the bulb. That information is frequently a good clue about the usage of lights like these. A school bus or fire truck probably used a 12 volt bulb. Grade crossing flashers and locomotives would be different. Posted Friday, October 12, 2018 by KM

A. There are several good possibilities to consider. (1) A marker light from a caboose. See Link 1, note the two lights atop the cupola of an SP caboose. The red paint causes me to think of this. (2) The 'Emergency' flasher from a diesel locomotive. See Link 2; note the light centered between the '410' numberboards. (My apologies about the condition of the loco in the pic....but the light shows up clearly in this one!) (3) Some grade crossing warnings (wig wags, for example) may have had lights like this. (4) School busses also have warning lights similar to this. Link 1 Link 2 Posted Friday, October 12, 2018 by RJMc

Q3529 Handlan Lamp Info? I am interested in finding out the history of the lamp pictured here from your site. I have one just like it and I think it is quite rare. It is from the S.P.L.A.& S.L.R.R. I have done a lot of searching, but have found nothing else. I am wondering if anyone can tell me more about it? I am not looking to sell as this item has been in the family for many years. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2018 by Don A Post a Reply Email a reply

A. That seems to be a somewhat updated version of the Prahm switch lantern. My 1900 MM Buck catalog shows an almost identical lantern on page 407. Handlan Buck followed MM Buck and early HB lanterns were essentially MM Buck models with updated maker lettering for the new company name. Those early HB lanterns were heavy and well constructed. Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2018 by BobF

A. See our page from the 1900 Buck catalog showing a Prahm lamp. Link 1 Posted Thursday, October 11, 2018 by Web Editor

Q3528 Lamp Date? I need to know the date of this lamp. It's made in England, but I can't find sentinal brand any where. Can you help me with it? Thanks in advance. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, October 7, 2018 by ER Post a Reply Email a reply

A. I am not familiar with the Sentinal brand, but that lantern looks just like a Powerlight lantern that was made by Delta in Marion,Ind. Check the Flashlight Museum website for more information. It is not a railroad lantern, the delta lanterns were sold by neighborhood hardware store in the 50's,60, and maybe as late as the 1970's. Posted Monday, October 8, 2018 by KM

A. Thankyou Posted Wednesday, October 10, 2018 by Er

Q3526 Lantern Manufacturer? Can anyone ID the manufacturer of this lantern? This is one of the first styles to stump me. It reads Erie / Railroad No. 39. Also wondering approximate date, globe is embossed E.R.R. definitely one of the older ones. Thanks for any information. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, September 27, 2018 by AW Post a Reply Email a reply

A. CT Ham Mfg Co. There should also be either a patent date of Dec 29 1893 or CT Ham Mfg Co stamped with the same date on the opposite side of the outer font enclosure from where the "snap" to hold the font assembly to the rest of the lantern is. Posted Friday, September 28, 2018 by BobF

A. The double vertical globe guard wires are characteristic of C.T. Ham lanterns. As far as I know, no other lantern manufacturer used double wires like this. Ham was in business by 1886, and in 1915 the business was sold to Dietz Lantern Company. Posted Tuesday, October 2, 2018 by JEM

Q3524 Lamp Use? Can you tell me what this lamp was used for? Thank you. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Tuesday, September 25, 2018 by Scott S. Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Scott; What you have is an Order Board Lamp from the Santa Fe (AT&SF). The Santa Fe used this lamp body style for everything; Switch Lamps, Marker Lamps and Order Board Lamps. (apparently everything except locomotive class lamps) The lamps the Santa Fe used are variation of the Adlake number 63 Switch Lamp (Link 1), with a few general modifications across all the Santa Fe lamps and additional specific modifications for the particular use they were put to. (see; far below for details) The long vertical box shown in the third photo is open on the bottom and fits over a vertical blade on the frame of the order board; this holds the lamp firmly in place in the order board. Many order board lamps from other manufacturers mount in the same fashion; though the application on the Santa Fe lamps are unique for the No. 63 style lamps. – The two clear lenses illuminate the colors in the semaphore arms of the order board signal; one lens facing each direction up and down the track. – – Your lamp has been fitted with a 4.5 inch yellow lens, which was done after it left the railroad. That lens opening would have originally been blanked out with a metal disk, as only the two clear lenses (called “white” on the railroad) were used in order board lamps. – – There has been some discussion on here that the Santa Fe may have in fact acquired the forming dies for these lamps from Adlake and then made the lamps themselves in one or more Santa Fe shops, as they lack the Adlake marked cap and patent date badge, and apparently, no other style or brand of lamps were used on the Santa Fe. (again, other than class lamps) Note: some few Santa Fe lamps do show up with a marked Adlake cap, most though do not. – – A few more notes; many of these order board style lamps that turn up are painted silver. As Santa Fe order board masts were silver, when the mast got a fresh coat of silver paint, sometimes so did the lamp. I mentioned that these lamps are a variation of the Adlake Number 63 lamp (Link 1). The skirt around the bottom of the lamp, which says “Santa Fe” on it, is cast brass and riveted to the body. (some may be cast aluminum also) The skirt has eight evenly spaced indexing holes in it. A cast iron ring was fastened over the skirt, and pins in the iron ring fit into one or more of the indexing holes to keep the ring from moving, or rather, kept the lamp from rotating in the ring . The AT&SF used that same lamp body in at least three different applications; As a switch lamp, the iron ring held two vertical tubes to the lamp so that it could be mounted to a fork on top of the switch stand; as did the number 63 Adlake lamp. – As a marker lamp, the ring has two horizontal arms on it about 45º apart. One arm had the more modern mounting shoe on it for “modern” brackets found on the corners of cabooses, passenger cars and tenders. The other arm had an older shoe for older style brackets which consisted of a long narrow vertical slot in a metal plate which was again mounted on the corners of equipment. On the marker version, the ring also had a spring loaded knob that actuated the positioning pin in the ring, you would pull out the knob, turn the lamp in the ring to the correct display position and let go of the knob and its attached pin, which would fit into one of the indexing holes in the skirt and lock the lamp in place in that position. – As an order board lamp, the third style of ring was used as shown in the photo in this question. – This was an ingenious design; one basic lamp body serving three different functions, just by changing out that iron ring. – – Do be VERY careful of those clear lenses! They are 4&1/8th inch diameter, and clear ones are virtually impossible to find!! ---- …. Red Beard Link 1 Posted Friday, September 28, 2018 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. OH, also; Please don't repaint this fine lamp. It is in excellent original condition and should be preserved as is! (...with a tip of the hat to TE and LC) ---- .... Red Beard Posted Saturday, September 29, 2018 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. Touche Red Beard :). Posted Saturday, September 29, 2018 by LC

A. OK.......I could tolerate leaving this one "as is." So see.....I'm not a total cad who's bent on refurbishing everything. Rest assured that half of my collection will be left alone as I have so many other things to take care of. TE Posted Sunday, September 30, 2018 by TE

A. TE; ..man, I hear that about having so much other stuff to take care of. -- I have over a dozen lamps I had sandblasted decades ago and never have gotten around to repainting (talk about an extreme way to "clean" up a lamp!)I soooo wish I'd never done that! They'd look much better today if I'd just left them in that 'fresh off the tracks' grime LOL ---- .... Red Beard Posted Sunday, September 30, 2018 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

Q3523 Lantern ID Needed Can anyone ID this lantern for me: Bell Bottom, Tin Top, Sangster-type Pinch Pot, Extended Base #39 Size Globe, Odd unmarked Round-Wick Burner (similar to a Union Ratchet Burner which appears to have been with the lantern a long time. A few makers used those little side loops for attaching the Bail. Lantern has no markings visible anywhere. Have not seen another like it, nor similar photo in a book. Any ideas? Thanks. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Tuesday, September 25, 2018 by GW Post a Reply Email a reply

Q3521 Adlake Gas Lamp I have this lamp that looks like it is gas powered as opposed to kerosene. Does anyone have any info on this type of Adlake lamp? [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Wednesday, September 19, 2018 by CL Post a Reply Email a reply

A. The lens to concentrate the light makes this look suspiciously like a gas-powered theater floodlight or footlight source, or projector source, with the white cylinder being a gas mantle, or possibly a limelight source. Posted Thursday, September 20, 2018 by RJMc

A. To add a nail to the coffin - The picture shows the Non-Sweating top screwed down with actual hardware screws to the frame underneath. These were never fastened to railroad lamp frames in this manner. Indeed, it's attached to an unrelated frame! Posted Thursday, September 20, 2018 by JMS

A. I think RJMc is on to something. If you look closely at the Adlake cap and the rest of the lamp body, you will notice that the finish is completely different from one to the other; indicating that they do not belong together. Another clue would be the screws holding the cap onto the rest of the lamp. I have never seen an Adlake lamp where the cap was screwed on; always riveted. My guess is that lamp is not Adlake, but rather, a previous owner needed a cap and slapped the Adlake one onto this lamp as a convenient fix. ---- .... Red Beard Posted Thursday, September 20, 2018 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. Right...this is a 'mix and match' situation. The cap refers to the Adlake 'Non Sweating Lamp' which (as discussed at some length at several places around the website here)is a very specific group of patented design features for kerosene-burning lamps. None of those features are present in this lamp, and don't look like they ever were present. Gas mantle lamps, compared with kerosene lamps, burn extremely cleanly and so didn't need 'non-sweating'; plus the body of this lamp looks like it was for an indoor application. Posted Thursday, September 20, 2018 by RJMc

A. This is a typical Adlake lamp case as used on signals over here in the UK , the body top and screws holding the top on are 100% right. The ones over here were always oil lamp with a separate interior. Rgds Simon GW Railwayana Auctions Posted Sunday, September 30, 2018 by ST

Q3519 Lamp ID Info Needed Ever since I inherited these two lamps from a family member I have tried to figure out some information on them, to no avail. I cannot find one on Google or Ebay just like it at all. I know they are Adlake since it says so on the top. There are no other markings. It has two glass lens, one clear and the other red. It has no handle and any indication that it ever had one. There is a 'door' that opens by lifting up for changing the lens, I assume and filling the oil can or replacing the wick. Could you help me the identification of my lamp? Thank you for anything you can help me on. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, September 13, 2018 by Rick F Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Adlake used the same basic designs to make lamps similar to this for all kinds of purposes before all kinds of vehiceles got all-electric lamps. Possibilities include early automobiles, buses, delivery or farm trucks, and some railroad maintenance 'speeders' or motor cars used lamps similar to this. Posted Friday, September 14, 2018 by RJMc

A. I have this same lamp that was left in a lake cottage we had 45 years ago. I have never been able to get the door open and have been afraid of forcing it open. There is a small oblong looped “finger pull” above the wick adjustment turn. Is this used to open the door some how? If so, can someone explain how to use it or if there is another way to get the door open so I can put fuel in it to get it to lit? Also, what kind of fuel should we use? There is a bracket on the back of it with a threaded hole in the middle of it—I assume this was for mounting, is this correct? Any idea as to approximate age? Any help on these questions would be appreciated as after all these years I would like to get it operational again. Posted Tuesday, January 1, 2019 by JRH

Q3517 Assistance with Lamp I'd love your assistance please. I purchased this beauty for my train loving son (who continues to say he plans to be a train signalman when he's older) at a yard sale and would like to restore it a bit. First, does anyone know what it is or about the age of it? It looks like it was built for an open flame to be inside. My thought is to use rust remover and possibly repaint it to its original color that looks to be red. Rust has taken its toll on the clips holding in the glass. Any thoughts or ideas on holding the glass pieces in after rust removal? Lastly, any ideas for a battery powered light to place in there that would be bright enough to shine through? Thank you! [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, September 9, 2018 by Keith D. Post a Reply Email a reply

A. My thought is this lamp looks British or European. There would have been a rain cap on the top to allow venting and keep rainwater out. Most likely this had a kerosene tank and burner at one time. To preserve this somewhat I would mechanically remove excess scaly rust and then use a rust converter product on those rusty areas. The rust converter hardens the remaining rust and stops further rusting. I would not try to remove the lenses as those lens clips look really fragile. Once the rust converter is dry, mask off the lenses and spray paint it. You should be able to find a battery operated LED light that would fit inside. Walmart and many other retailers sell battery powered LED votive lights and candles. This looks perfect for a train loving boy's bedroom. Posted Monday, September 10, 2018 by JEM

A. I agree with JEM, it has the look of a European style lantern or maybe even from India etc. Frankly it not a must have for an American RR collector. So if your son isn't going to carry it around, I'd drill a small hole in the bottom and install a treaded lamp rod with a chandelier base socket. Then a 4 or 7 watt night light clear blub lined up with the center lens. Makes for a nice low light signal lamp in a room. All lamp parts are available at Lowes & Home Depot. Posted Monday, September 10, 2018 by LC

A. Looks like a level crossing (grade crossing) lamp, in which case it should have 4 red lenses. Could be from any country that uses British operating systems, though I have seen many similar examples from Ireland. Posted Tuesday, September 11, 2018 by JAJ

A. I looked and found a bunch of them popping up on the internet folloiwng a Google search for "India railway lantern". It surely looks like NOT USA made... see Link 1 for the search results. Link 1 Posted Sunday, September 16, 2018 by JS

A. Typical UK style gated crossing lamp 2 red and 2 clear. The top is right and not missing anything. Simon GW Railwayana Auctions Posted Sunday, September 30, 2018 by ST

Q3513 Adlake 1112 Restoration I am restoring an adlake 1112 non sweating switch lamp and was wondering if some one had previously taken all the paint off and stripped it to bare metal. It has a PRR tag on it, and I would like to repaint it. Most of what I see are all black. Should I use a heat resistant paint on it or just paint it gloss black? Also the small flame observation hole at the top was soldered over with a tag saying PRR on it. Do you think that the railroad did this or someone else? Any info would be appreciated. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Monday, August 27, 2018 by SP Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Red Beard, I see you have evolved. No rant about how history was destroyed when the original paint and rust was removed from the lamp :). Posted Tuesday, August 28, 2018 by LC

A. Yes, somebody did a very good job of stripping the old paint; a pretty challenging task you don't have to worry about now. All of the Pennsylvania lamps I've seen have that same round Keystone tag soldered over the peep hole opening. I don't know if they came from Adlake like that or if the railroad did it. In the photos with your previous question (Q3491) it looks like there is a little residual rust on the lamp. Sand those areas with some coarse sand paper before you paint. I'd use plain Rustoleum gloss black. All lamps started out shiny, and none of the flat paints available capture the look of a weathered lamp. A lit lamp can get pretty warm, but not hot enough that you need a high heat paint; and, don't turn the flame up that far anyway. I've stopped using primer as well as I don't think it is needed. Also, when you chip the paint, the primer shows through (and I've eventually chipped many a repainted lamp) -- Please send in a photo of how you patched the bottom of the lamp. It's a nice piece and those PRR lamps don't show up that often. ---- .... Red Beard Posted Tuesday, August 28, 2018 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. LC - Touché mon ami; LOL. No, I'm still the same ol' grouchy curmudgeon on the re-paint subject. This one though seems to have been acquired in its already paint-less condition. My rule of thumb is that if a lamp has +/- 80% of its original factory paint OR railroad re-paint, you should preserve it. -- Old weathered lamps, like fine wine and plump women, tend to be things you appreciate more as you grow older. My stance on the paint subject comes from having "ruined" dozens of lamps as a younger man by stripping or sandblasting them and then repainting them. I still hold on tho the idea that repainting lamps destroys irreplaceable history. --- Still making the analogy that railfans are an odd lot; give 'em a brand new $40 HO boxcar and all they want to do is slather a bunch of grime on it to "make it look like they really did on the railroad" (aka, "Weathering") but give them a naturally "weathered" switchlamp, in its authentic 'fresh off the tracks' grime, and all they can think of is "how can I clean this thing up and make it look brand new?" ...good to hear from you! ---- .... Red Beard Posted Tuesday, August 28, 2018 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. Alright my grumpy friend, we await your next victim who asks how to clean or restore a rusty lantern. Posted Wednesday, August 29, 2018 by LC

A. Been meaning to says this the next time the restoration topic surfaced. I have around 40 lamps. Not quite half are restored, the rest will remain as they were found because they were in pretty good shape right off the railroad and they weren't too nasty to handle and didn't have bullet holes in them or the handle bales weren't literally ripped off leaving jagged metal holes near the top of the lamp (I can't even imagine how that was even done) or, the tops slammed off to one side with what must have been a sledge hammer, or the peep hole crudely busted out, etc., etc. These I have restored to mint condition regardless of the glory of their past history and "yes" even bondo came into use. I know....... "Oh the horror," ha ha. I consider such restoration action on lamps of this class to be in line with restoring a classic car to prime condition. These lamps were a marvel of design and deserve to be shown and admired at their best. Just my two cents worth. Posted Wednesday, August 29, 2018 by TE

Q3511 Barrel Globe I have a barrel globe measures 5.375 inches tall but does not fit the Casey lantern, or an Armspear correctly as the 'fat part' of the globe is higher up and makes the globe sit too far into the font area. What manufacturer of lanterns most commonly take a barrel globe? Thanks. GS Posted Friday, August 24, 2018 by GS Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Coleman camping lanterns use a barrel globe (see link.) Link 1 Posted Friday, August 24, 2018 by RJMc

A. It may not be a lantern globe. Some modern day electric light fixtures have a barrel globe. I have 2 outdoor fixtures with a barrel globe in them. Posted Saturday, August 25, 2018 by LC

A. A picture of the globe would be a huge help. Posted Saturday, August 25, 2018 by JMS

A. The earliest version of the barrel globe that I know of is the Macbeth 283 dating from around the turn of the 20th century. Posted Sunday, August 26, 2018 by Ex Sou Ry

Q3510 Adlake Lantern Markings While trying to research two Adlake Kero Railroad lanterns, I came across your website! What a tremendous collection of data - we’ll done! My question is: I have two #300 series Adlake Railroad lanterns but I can’t find details on the Railroad stamped on the top. I assumed it was Southern Railway but I’m not finding anything to confirm it. Also, one lantern is marked SOU RY and the second one is marked SOU RWY. Any information you could give me would be greatly appreciated! [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Tuesday, August 21, 2018 by RW Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Your lanterns date from the early 1970s and are marked for the Southern Railway. See Link 1 for information about the Southern. These lanterns must have been from different orders or batches and made at different times as they are marked slightly differently. Link 1 Posted Wednesday, August 22, 2018 by JEM

Q3506 Piper Lamp Question The lamp on the left is marked 'Patented 1904 PIPER Toronto' and was found in the Queens Wharf Lighthouse which originally stood at the western gap of the Toronto Ontario Harbour. The light house was built in 1861, decommissioned in 1919 and subsequently moved in 1929 to its present location east of the CNE south of Fleet street. The galvanized steel lamp is 23 1/2 inches tall and has a square receiver similar to the Piper switch lamp on the right. This lamp has two 3 1/4 inch lenses, one clear, one painted green. The tray for the font inside is 6 1/2 inches x 3 inches with the height to the center of the lens from the font bottom 5 inches. This lamp would not be suitable to be the light house lamp. It has been suggested that it might have been a wharf maker lamp. However the shore line was filled to permit the expansion of the railway yards near the Union Station so it may well be rail road related. Any suggestions? [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Monday, August 13, 2018 by Dave S Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Something is strangely missing in these galvanized lamps in that there are plenty of air holes with no apparent wind baffling material. As they stand now, even a light breeze on your patio would blow out a flame, let alone any gust coming off a body of water. In short, I'm not sure what these would be unless baffling material has been gutted at some point. Posted Monday, August 13, 2018 by TE

A. Interesting observation relating to wind baffling. Had not considered that issue. An examination shows nothing appears to have been removed. The four holes on the side (back and front) are baffled on the inside but certainly not the ring of big holes on the bottom, The top exhaust has protection. The ring that holds the font has a notch where the wick raiser would presumably extend beyond the ring but it is not accessible from the outside. Any trimming would require the removal of the font/burner from the lamp, a finger burning exercise. Perhaps the burner used a large chimney and was one of the “new-improved “ (were they not all ‘improved’?) and designed to cope with wind issues. Posted Wednesday, August 15, 2018 by Dave S

A. Let's look at a couple of other things that are, let's say, unusual here. The lenses are by all means small for a lamp this size and, they are set very low. I'm not sure then as to why you would need so much height for the body and top venting. Note too that the lenses are not held in place by draw bands. I would be real curious to see if there is any focal point/diameter/manufacturer's info stamped or molded into the rim of at least the lenses. This may be difficult to ascertain without removing the lens. By now, I'm sure you sense my suspicion on this piece. The patent tag looks real enough but that is not a complex thing to replicate. Still, I'm certainly open to anyone who's seen something like this and can verify more. Posted Wednesday, August 15, 2018 by TE

A. Having pondered this a while, and agreeing with the prior observations, I suspect this is a 'lamp holder' rather than a lamp. By that I mean you put a hand lantern inside this fixture, and the light of the complete lantern inside came out thru those low-mounted lenses. Some railroad cabooses (ex. Nickel Plate) had tin-box lamp holders for markers on the sides of cupolas, and you put a complete smaller kerosense lamp with its own chimney inside the box for illumination. The hand lantern provided its own wind protection, etc. And then those fairly large side holes would allow someone to make sure the lantern was lit. Another note: there is no significant corrosion, but then, the Toronto Harbor in Lake Huron is all fresh water. (Consequence of THAT: ice. Maybe this fixture provided protection from ice buildup?) I have tried to make sense of the opposed white and green color indications in terms of bouys or other 'marine' markers, or railroad usage, but so far no luck on that. Posted Thursday, August 16, 2018 by RJMc

A. Sorry, sorry, sorry, Toronto is on LAKE ONTARIO. But still fresh water! And still lots of ice, from somebody who grew up along Lake Erie. Posted Thursday, August 16, 2018 by RJMc

A. Thank you all for your additional comments. I have examined the lenses for any markings. The metal rim which is soldered to the can is rotting away so I am reluctant to dig out the lens. But I can see almost half the rim and edge, and the parts visible have no markings. In comparing the black switch lamp I note that the square receiver on the bottom is slightly less than 1” square. The lamp in question has a receiver that is 2” x 1 ¾”. Does this receiver size provide and other clues? Posted Thursday, August 16, 2018 by Dave S

A. What RJMc says makes a lot of sense. – Dave S; do you have a hand lantern available that you could light and place inside this “mystery piece”? Given the item's patent date you'd want a tall globe lantern; but even a short globe one would give you a good idea. If the bail on a short globe lantern had extra clearance in there with this lamps top, that would further support this line of thought. – Regarding the lenses; as the green one is painted, thus originally white (clear), my first thought is that originally you could change the color of the signal by inserting lanterns with different color globes, and a focused light beam from a lens is more visible than a hand lantern. (better visibility in fog?) – The receiver does indicate that this lamp was placed on some sort of fixed post and that it was intended to shine its light in a specific fixed direction; most likely up and down something's direction of travel (tracks?). The size and shape of the receiver, or actually the post it sat on, also prevents a switch lamp from being placed on that same post, as the switch lamp's receiver would be too small to fit on this lamp's larger post. (fool proof is always good practice on the railroad.) thinking out loud here. ---- …. Red Beard Posted Thursday, August 16, 2018 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. Again, thank you gentlemen for your thoughts and advice. I visited the local antique mall this morning and tried various lanterns. And YES, the standard railroad hand lamp (bail up), both short and large globe fit perfectly, base fits just right, and the flame lines up with the two lenses. A lamp with a red bulls eye seems also to line up fairly well. An older cold blast barn lantern also works with the bail down – the newer barn lanterns have too wide a font base. From comments I gather this find is unusual, and its use still remains somewhat speculative. I am definitely leaning toward rail yard use rather than a marine function despite being found in the lighthouse. Posted Saturday, August 18, 2018 by Dave S

A. When kerosene lanterns were in use, was the lighthouse on an island? I can see this device being a signal light (such as a railroad tower has a 'call-on' light), maybe to tell the mail boat that there is mail to come in and pick up. That's the kind of function not needing to be lit all the time, where it is reasonable to have the lighthouse keeper go out and stick a lantern in it only as long as needed. But the lantern needs to be protected while out there from all that wind, fog and ice we have already discussed. Also, this device almost had to be worked from above. It would be difficult to get the lantern in and out from below the line of the lenses. So maybe it was mounted on the side of the lighthouse, where access was from a window or landing? And the mounting base and bail on the lampholder would only be needed to very occasionally clean the lenses, and maybe get out the bird and wasp nests....And obviously, once electric light was an option this device would disappear from use very rapidly from that kind of function, readily replaced with just a light bulb in a fixture and a switch. I have to say, I am leaning toward marine use. Dietz Vesta and similar hand lanterns were a marine standard as well as a RR standard. Posted Sunday, August 19, 2018 by RJMc

A. The various 'Piper' Co's provided a very wide line of lighting equipment. Did they equip lighthouses? Maybe your mystery piece was provided as an accessory to re-equipping the lighthouse, and maybe even a 'one-off' custom made as part of a larger job. Posted Sunday, August 19, 2018 by RJMc

A. A bit of further information about the Lighthouse. The following link > shows the Lighthouse in its current position (looks a bit different from the “normal” lighthouse) while subsequent pictures show it and the sister “range light” while it was still in use. Another picture shows it surrounded by rail road fill and it is now high and dry. Posted Monday, August 20, 2018 by Dave S

A. We were somewhat right...The Encyclopedia of RR Lighting, Vol. 2, (now that I have found my copy) in the Piper Co.'s section, shows this exact type of lamp (holder, or "can") being made by Piper between about 1900 and at least 1915 or so. It was used either as a railroad semaphore lamp or as a train order signal. The actual lamp, also made by Piper, placed inside the can, looked like a regular 'farm-style' hand lantern. They mention red and green lenses used on the train order lamps. No mention of marine uses. Posted Tuesday, October 2, 2018 by RJMc

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