Question & Answer Board

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 31st.

Q3986 Lantern Marking I'm hoping to get a solid identity on a tall globe A&W 'ADLAKE' lantern clearly marked 'I.R. Co' on the top (the globe is plain). This marking does not appear in your known listings as far as I can tell! I collect items from the International Railway Company (traction, western NY state), that generally marks their wares 'IRC' or 'INT RY CO'. I think we can rule out that company in this case. That leaves two main options as far as I can tell: the Interstate Railroad of Virginia, or the Indiana Railroad (traction). Any other ideas? Can anyone help confirm? Thanks, [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, January 22, 2023 by Tom Post a Reply Email a reply

A. I have locks and keys here marked IRCO for the Ironton Railroad Co. They did not use the second R for Road like most railroads did. While I've never seen a lantern for them that has positively been identified for Ironton, this is a possibility. Hopefully, readers who live in the area of Allentown, PA will weigh in. Posted Sunday, January 22, 2023 by N

A. Might be a longshot, but perhaps in plant switching operations for Ingersoll Rand. They were instrumental in the making of early Diesel switchers. Posted Friday, February 3, 2023 by JFR

Q3978 Lamp Info? I have had this for a while, it is a large lamp with a slide door to the burner access. Looks like original silver paint inside and out, although inside is blackened with soot. Bottom is yellow and a Dietz pattern, with burner and tank attached. It seems shop built - everything is soldered, it is solid, but the shape seems to be made to accommodate the base. Four way lenses. Have you ever seen anything like this? Thanks for any help, [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Friday, December 9, 2022 by HH Post a Reply Email a reply

A. I am terribly sorry to suggest this, but this lamp appears to me to be one of the fairly recent imports from India that were "shop made" over there. "'Railroad' anything" seems to be holding its value better than many other collecting areas, so fakers and scammers focus on "railroad" items to make the most profit. Some of the more honest ones call them "decorator items" and sell them to that market and unwary RR buyers.Dishonest scammers sell them as authentic railroad pieces. Link 1 is somewhat similar lamp selling on eBay (at least the listing is honest). There is a "look" you begin to spot if you see enough of these - very poor quality workmanship, and artificially made to seem old. You have a good eye and spotted red flags with your lamp: painted INSIDE (American makers never did this) and artificially coated with soot, except if it was "that" sooty any paint inside should have burned off (the soot was probably created from a dirty candle); tank/burner apparently permanently attached to the bottom, again never done here by American makers. I surely hope you didn't pay much for this. If I am mistaken about any of this I would welcome correction. Link 1 Posted Saturday, December 10, 2022 by JMS

Q3976 ETW Lantern Info? I bought this E T Wright & Co lantern yesterday. It’s marked GTR on top and globe along with ETW&Co on globe. It says patented 1908 also and where it was made. I cannot find another example of this lantern or what model or year it is. The bail doesn’t fold down and it has a strange clip. Any information would be appreciated! [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, December 4, 2022 by Ron S Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Barrett's Vol. 1 of the Encyc. of RR Lighting, in their Canadian section, has 4 or 5 pages on E.T. Wright of Hamilton, ON. with pix of several of their lanterns which were widely sold to Canadian RR's. Wright started business in 1908 and went at least thru 1927 and then the co. was bought out but continued to make lanterns. From the several pix, yours looks to be their Model 13, which Barrett saw in both a 1913 catalog and a 1927 price list. There is a particular note that Wright ordered their own globes cast with their name integral, as you see. Posted Friday, December 9, 2022 by RJMc

Q3975 Lantern ID? Came across this Lantern and could not resist as I liked the look of it. It has a wheel cut globe that's B & A. And I have never seen a lantern like this before. So if it's real if you know what type of lantern and what it dates to I would appreciate it. If it's fake you can all make fun of me. Thanks for your help. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, December 4, 2022 by BB Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Your lantern is a scarce model made by the Excelsior Lantern Co. of New York and dates to the early 1870s. Posted Sunday, December 4, 2022 by ASwoyer

Q3973 Dressel Lantern Tag This is a short globe Dressel lantern seen at a local auction. Has anyone ever seen one of these- with an embossed tag READING CO soldered to the rim rather than being pressed into the rim from the underside, as was standard practice? I have seen photos of tall-globe Dressel lanterns with soldered tags, but those are found on the chimney, not the rim. Your help is appreciated. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, December 1, 2022 by N Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Fellas, please realize this is not a car seal applied to an unmarked lantern. The curved ends are machine cut, not cut with tin snips, so it is authentic. Posted Thursday, December 1, 2022 by N

A. I have seen a few examples of these tags on lanterns but if you look closely, these tags are also spot welded on the brim and sometimes soldered as well.I have had a couple lanterns marked OMAHA RY with tags like these and always thought that these may have been part of a rush order or maybe a small order to the factory. DJB Posted Friday, December 2, 2022 by DJB

A. This kind of tag is also found on the sliding doors of marker lamps, for example. So the technique would have been ready-to-hand in the factory and as DJB notes might have been used on any kind of small order, maybe if the other tooling got lost or broken, or if the mfr. was trying to market a new customer RR. Out of curiosity I would also check the underside, beneath the tag, to see if maybe the tag was used to cover up something else! Posted Monday, December 5, 2022 by RJMc

A. This is an early model Dressel short globe and the tag marking shows up on them fairly often. This model has the catch for the globe retainer attached with a screw and nut rather than a rivet. These have a unique globe retainer and a smooth bottom, no circular ridge as on the later model. Examples I've seen were Omaha Ry, WT Co., Erie RR and DT&I. I'm sure there are others. Posted Monday, December 12, 2022 by JFR

Q3971 Dressel caboose lamp I picked up a 4 lens Dressel caboose lamp, and it has plastic red and green lenses and a burner inside. Are the plastic lenses original? Would they melt from the heat? Thanks for any help. Posted Sunday, November 27, 2022 by Nick G Post a Reply Email a reply

A. The short answer is that plastic lenses were widely used by RR's beginning some time around World War II, for all types of lamps with all kinds of illumination. Just put the words ' plastic lens ' (no quote marks) into the word or phrase search box to see many, many prior Q & A's all about this topic. Posted Sunday, November 27, 2022 by RJMc

Q3970 1923 Adlake Lantern My question is what paint is used on inside of globe? The one I have is flaking, and I would like to restore it. The globe is etched ERIE R.R. on outside. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thank You. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, November 27, 2022 by JD Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Lantern globes were almost never painted; in all recent years the RR's ordered glass of whatever color they wanted. It appears that your globe is a home-made one. Its hard to tell from the pic whether the light was supposed to show thru the red, or be blocked by it. Either way, the kind of paint known as "bulb dye" should work for you. In the past, bulb dye was often used to turn a clear bulb into red or yellow, typically for automotive use. The electric bulbs get quite hot, particularly when painted over, so the bulb dye is made to withstand heat. You can commonly find bulb dye at automotive stores and truck stops, and as noted in the Link (which explains all about how to do it) at craft stores, as well. Be prepared for a higher price than most other kinds of paint. Link 1 Posted Sunday, November 27, 2022 by RJMc

A. Looking at the picture, it's obvious that this is an ADLAKE KERO globe (it's marked), meaning it is an authentic RR globe, and it is new enough that it falls into RJMc's comment"the RRs ordered glass of whatever color they wanted." So it was originally completely clear. With the kind of paint that is on it, it sure looks like someone (NOT the railroad) decided to make it a "pretty" red over clear like a two-color globe and used probably an enamel type paint. To correctly "RESTORE" this globe means removing the paint - NOT replacing it. Posted Saturday, December 10, 2022 by JMS

Q3969 DIETZ #39 Brasstop ID I have this lantern and I am looking for some information to further identify it. I cannot find this exact variation anywhere. All of the metal is magnetic except for the brass top. What makes this stand out, is the brass top with concentric circles. I have not found this exact top, even in steel, anywhere. Another detail that stands out is how the bail connects to the frame and how the frame is shaped in that area. Otherwise, in my opinion, it looks the same frame-wise as another model that is all steel. The burner dial is also shorter compared to others I have seen in a NO 39. It is an E. Miller Meriden CT . Any information would be appreciated. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, November 13, 2022 by DM Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Barrett in Vol. 1 of the comprehensive Encyclopedia of Railroad Lighting mentions Edward Miller twice. Once to say that "Edward Miller & Co....in Connecticut manufactured lamps, but we have been unable to confirm ... any railroad lamps." (hence no helpful pix) and the second quote lists Edward Miller & Co. as someone the Dietz Co. or predecessors sued for patent infringement. However, the section of the book immediately ahead of the Dietz section is for the F.O. Dewey Co. There are three pix in that section of "brass top lanterns" apparently identical to yours. Armspear also made very similar "brass top" lanterns, shown in Barrett, after taking over Dewey. Posted Thursday, November 17, 2022 by RJMc

A. To confirm and add to RJMc's response, the Edward Miller Company sold lamps and parts. I have seen any number of railroad lanterns with wick raiser knobs (I assume this is what you mean by "burner dials") made by "non-railroad" lamp companies; another common find is Plume & Atwood. See Link 1 for a good Wikipedia writeup of the Miller company. Link 1 Posted Saturday, November 19, 2022 by JMS

Q3968 Distinguishing Real from Fake I grew up in W. Central MN (Wadena) within 30-50 yards for the GN RR (and NP about 200 Yds away) and have several RR Kerosene lanterns. As a kid we played on and around the tracks routinely and in my HS years I found a Signal lamp which at the time I didn’t make much of it and put in my dads barn. After 2 years of college and 3 years in the Army I came home and it was gone and I have been trying fill that craving for years. I see GN RR Signal lamps on line but want to know the real thing from a fake. Can somebody help me sort this out? Thank you. Posted Sunday, November 6, 2022 by Dan Post a Reply Email a reply

A. The best way to start on this is in the Archives here on the RRiana site. The first link is to the "Lamps" page where you can see many examples of various lamps used for various purposes to give yourself a good grounding in what the authentic lamps look like, as well as pick out what kind of lamp you are trying to replace. The second link is to the "Fakes and Repros" section which has a paragraph about lamps. Note that the latter-day Handlan lamps are not really 'fakes' since they were made by the original mfr. with original equipment, but few if any of them ever were on a working railroad. Link 1 Link 2 Posted Monday, November 7, 2022 by RJMc

A. I live in the Twin Cities area and have been collecting at on line sites and at local railroad shows for over 25 years and I can't ever recall seeing any fake GN or NP lamps or lanterns. They might exist, but if so no one has said anything to me about it. But recently there was a facebook discussion where someone took a SOO LINE tag off a Handlan switch lamp and put it on an Adlake switch lamp. The Handlan font is distinctive and it didn't look right on the Adlake. If you have concerns either this Q&A Board or a Facebook Railroad Lantern page can provide information. https://www.facebook.com/groups/RailroadLanterns https://www.facebook.com/groups/992288937964698/ Posted Tuesday, November 22, 2022 by JEM

Q3963 Lantern Paint Removal I recently purchased a model 250 lantern in great shape but the previous owner painted in with a heavy coat of semigloss paint. Can I simply use paint stripper but will this harm the metals finish? I want restore it to its original bare metal appearance. Posted Sunday, October 23, 2022 by Walt Post a Reply Email a reply

A. This is actually a highly contentious question among the various fraternities of lantern owners, users, sellers and collectors. It often seems that any 4 of these folks will have 6 or 7 opinions on this subject. "Best Practices" are NOT agreed upon and may well/should depend on which of the many possible materials the item is made of and coated with. To start, the Link is to the Restoration page in the Archives here on the RRiana Site and many, many prior questions have thrashed this topic. Putting the words 'paint remover' (without the quotes) in the By word or Phrase Box will bring up just the first 10. Link 1 Posted Monday, October 24, 2022 by RJMc

Q3960 Lantern Problem I've got a 1912 Adlake lantern. I'm not a collector and don't know anything about it . . . I just enjoy it and light it occasionally. I had an issue with it last night. The flame seemed to get away. After I extinguished it, I removed the burner from the fount and could see that the upper 'chamber' that I used to see when filling it was gone. Just a ring remained. The image shows a collar that used to be fastened (soldered?) just below the opening. After my flame-up, it's now just loose inside the pot. (I'm holding it up with a pick for the photo.) Does it matter that it's now loose down in there? I don't know what function it served. Other questions: (1). Why did it flame up to begin with? Wick too low? (2). What is recommended flame/wick height Thanks so much for your help! I really appreciate it. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Friday, October 7, 2022 by Revgrid Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Prior Q 2043 has photos and a lot of discussion about runaway flame in an Adlake marker lamp. It talks about similar phenomena to what you observed. Did you refuel the lantern recently? If so, there has been considerable debate (also referenced in that prior Q) about how some products now sold as "kerosene" may meet recent technical specs but have MUCH lower flash points than traditional products and can produce runaway flames and sometimes explosions. Woody Kirkman's website (see Link) discusses satisfactory fuels for inside or outside lantern use with the reasons for recommending them. Link 1 Posted Saturday, October 8, 2022 by RJM

A. The loose piece is a slosh baffle that was added to the standard signal oil pots so they could use kerosene, a much lower viscosity fuel. The burner should be a kerosene burner with the draft cowl (usually marked Adlake, Simplex, etc.) It does not matter if the baffle is loose. It helped prevent sloshing against the wick which can cause a flame to leap a bit when the lantern is swung, moved etc. If the wick is trimmed clean & straight across the top the normal burn height of the flame is about the size of a nickel. Anything bigger it'll usually start to smoke etc. Use K1 kerosene, Medallion clear lamp oil, or Kleen Heet. Posted Tuesday, October 11, 2022 by James

Q3958 Lamp Wick not Moving I have an Adams and Westlake oil lamp. Comparing it to other pictures it was a mail room lamp. My Dad restored it over 50 years ago for my mom. I would love to use it but cant figure out how to replace the wick. I'm not sure if in his restoration effort it was permanently soldered together where it shouldn't be. I've dug and dug and have gotten all but a little of the old wick out. When I turn the wick adjuster, it does not turn it up or down. I can see some small metal cogs down in there but they don't move either. Any information is appreciated. Posted Sunday, October 2, 2022 by PP Post a Reply Email a reply

A. The metal (usually brass) cog wheels have to turn with the adjuster shaft to cause the wick to move up or down. The fit holding the brass cogs to the adjuster shaft is fairly delicate and is often broken loose when someone tries to force an aged stiff wick to move. The most practical suggestion is to replace the burner since the inside of the wick shaft makes the cogs almost inaccessible to attempt any kind of repair. Parts such as burners for this type of lamp are commonly available. Posted Sunday, October 2, 2022 by RJMc

A. Thank you for more wise advice and suggestions, RJMc! Without a photo, I'm trying to envision PP's lamp and would like to add a Link 1 that PP can hopefully use for replacement parts. PP, these people are terrific and should be glad to help you get what you need. That said, another thing I might try is to soak the stuck parts in penetrating oil or mineral spirits (for at least several days) and see if anything loosens up. I agree with RJMc that too often, people will force fragile parts and break them (including wick raisers, which are notoriously fragile), but it may be worth a try to "unfreeze" a stuck part before laying out money. If loosening efforts don't work, well, the worst case scenario is still the same, having to buy a replacement part. Link 1 Posted Wednesday, October 5, 2022 by JMS

Q3956 Lantern Maintenance and Restoration I would greatly appreciate any information you have about this lantern and would love to get it up and running! It takes a normal lantern battery and I’ve found new bulbs for it. I was able to turn it on one time after replacing the battery but that has been it. I've gently cleaned a few areas with no luck getting it to turn on again. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you! [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Tuesday, September 13, 2022 by Shanda Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Kinda dumb suggestion but I wonder, did the first turn-on blow the bulb? Or maybe the bulb was defective. Try a different bulb? Posted Wednesday, September 14, 2022 by JMS

A. Q721 & Q971 (search box at bottom) have some general insight on the electric lanterns. WD-40 is waxy and leaves coating..not good for electro junctions or locks in low temperatures. PBlaster (an auto section product) is much better where juice is a concern..even inside a distributor cap. Busts rust but permits contacts to work. But it can't produce miracles where the parts deterioration problem is too severe. I'm sure you'll get more answers as folks drop by. Posted Wednesday, September 14, 2022 by ShastaRoute

A. Does the inside of the battery compartment show evidence of heavy corrosion, as discussed in Q721 and 971? If so, it is quite possible that the internal switch levers might be corroded away and broke after just the one use. But JMS is quite right. There are many, many different bulbs with the screw base that will fit into the lantern. But they have different voltage ratings, some as low as 1.5 volts or 3 volts. The very strong 6 volts available from the square-type battery will blow one of those lower-rated bulbs almost instantly, although they might glow very brightly for a brief time. The only way to tell is to read the specs on each bulb type very carefully. Another note: the blue lens on your lantern means it was used to mark places or tracks where work was being conducted, rather than to provide working light. It was and is strictly forbidden to move a train, cars, or engines marked with such a blue light, for the safety of the people working on the equipment. To make them more obvious, some of the lanterns like yours had flashers built in, or used bulbs that had an internal flasher right inside the bulb. So if the lantern comes on, but the bulb flashes, that might be entirely proper. Posted Wednesday, September 14, 2022 by RJMc

A. I have a feeling that battery did blow the bulbs. I did not have the globe off so I’m not sure if one or both were working. The only bulbs I’ve found so far in this size are led. There isn’t any corrosion in the battery compartment. It’s a little tacky but clean. I’ll try the first suggestion with the cleaner to see if I can get the residue off. I would have to start removing rivets to see under the copper plate but it doesn’t look like it would be corroded. The base came off easily and everything is intact. Very simple structure with the lights moving across rails. Im still on the search for the bulbs to give it one more try. Thank you for all the help, information and suggestions! Posted Thursday, September 15, 2022 by Shanda

A. Is there any kind of a brand name here. The round globe bulbs in a metal can Conger reads 502 and that might be the originals (from an AT&SF stamped one)...blue node at base of filaments. These are screw base types. (A plastic Starlight 292 uses a pointy globe with flange neck PR13 with clear node and these are not screw base versions.) The best way to deal with an electrical or electro-mechanical component is to bench test with an equal power source...if it works, then the problem lies in the delivery system between it and the power source (the battery here). There is no point in repeatedly putting new components into a system that is bad only to find out you've wasted something that was not needed to begin with. Posted Thursday, September 15, 2022 by ShastaRoute

A. I would wonder if the new LED type bulbs will work with the kind of lantern battery that may not be intended for LED bulbs? Just a guess but RJMc said it well: "There are many, many different bulbs with the screw base that will fit into the lantern. But they have different voltage ratings, some as low as 1.5 volts or 3 volts. The very strong 6 volts available from the square-type battery will blow one of those lower-rated bulbs almost instantly." Is there an electrician you can ask about this, without having to pay a substantial fee? Posted Friday, September 16, 2022 by JMS

A. We tried a voltage meter and it’s definitely getting power to the right places. No name in the original bulbs and they both have yellow below the filament. I definitely think your right and the problem is with the bulbs. Posted Saturday, September 17, 2022 by shanda

Q3955 Cleaning the Haze off of a Globe How should a lantern globe with a dried on haze be properly cleaned to remove the haze from the surface? I am not finding this specific information on this website nor on the Internet. (I am sorry if I missed it on this website). Thanks. Posted Thursday, September 8, 2022 by TB Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Great point, so I checked Kirkman's site and under Lantern Care & Terminology section scrolled down to image of printed #40 Traffic Gard Instructions which reads "Wash Globe"...not much help. Putting Vinegar into the word search yields a lot on metal cleaning, but nyet for glass. But it is vinegar for ashtrays, glass shower doors, and window work..so that may be it for globes and chimneys...nothing with volatile residual vapors that may go boom. Anyone ever use CLR on glass? Lighter fluid might be useful, but you'd want to wash it off afterwards. Ammonia, like Windex, may remove light smudge. Not sure about that whole Coca Cola soaking thing. Newspaper polishing is often touted for a finishing shine by collector glass hounds..guess it has something to do with lead and crystal and all that. Of course, this is all said for clear glass only...might need more info. for color and/or marked globes. Haven't even mentioned brake fluid or acetone, but one should never mix their drinks. Posted Thursday, September 8, 2022 by ShastaRoute

A. BTW..The naysayers claimed hard water deposits on glass are doom, but I've used softscrub (like Comet with bleach) on ancient Anchor-Hocking and others with results of "sometimes she will and sometimes she won't, sometimes she does and sometimes she don't". It can get slippery with the glass, so make sure to rest it on thick toweling et al...damp cloth gives some resistance to that tendency to slide off. Never put pressure toward the glass, but only back and forth or it might bust. Small circular motions to get the stubborn spots....finger action, sponges, or fine dish pads, but no heavy scrubbers that might scratch. Posted Thursday, September 8, 2022 by ShastaRoute

A. Found a number of discussions on the net. This one site (Link 1) for a lantern collection mentions oven cleaner, but not specifically related to your 'haze" problem. Note that the problem of exploding glass is often raised as an aside to cleaning. No one seems to be completely certain of the cause but be alert to temperature differentials between glass, ambient air, and any surface the globe is resting on. (If you've never seen a glass object shatter like this, it's a rather amazing event.) Link 1 Posted Thursday, September 8, 2022 by ShastaRoute

A. The "bottle people" refer to this condition as "sick glass," and it is usually the kiss of death because it can't be removed. We have tried every method in the book with no success, but that said, you should at least try. I attached two links, one from a high end auction house and the other from the National Cambridgeglass collectors. A couple of possibles not mentioned above include denture cleaner and there is a recipe for using vinegar. Link 1 Link 2 Posted Saturday, September 10, 2022 by JMS

A. All of the answers so far seem to assume that the haze is something that has been added to the surface of the glass. The Link is to the Wikipedia article on "Glass Disease." It explains in great detail that glass is a very complicated material chemically, and it is not permanent or inert. Glass Disease is how the glass itself deteriorates and loses transparency. This is unfortunately similar to what happens to Lexan plastic (such as was used on the first generation of Amtrak cars when 'bulletproof' windows were required, and also is used on a lot of automobile headlight covers); sunlight penetrates the plastic and turns it translucent, sometimes all the way thru the pane of glazing material. There is no way to correct the Lexan problem other than to prevent it by coating the material before it is installed. As described in the Link for Stage 2, the haze you see on glass may actually be a network of very fine cracks down into the surface, as if the material had been wirebrushed. If this is the case, it is irreversible. Wetting the item may fill the cracks with water and cause clarity to return, but the haze will reappear as soon as the item dries out. If this is the case, there is nothing which any solvent could remove. Link 1 Posted Saturday, September 10, 2022 by RJMc

A. Thank you all for the information. It appears I may need to add some clarity. I sometimes see railroad globes with a haze on them. It is definitely something on the surface, such as maybe dried kerosene or some other chemical that globes come in contact with. Much of the time, it appears that it could be scratched off but that would likely damage the surface of the globe. My guess is to soak the globe in something that would slowly dissolve the dried "haze" on the glass. Posted Sunday, September 11, 2022 by DM

A. The above is why you never put fine glassware in a dishwasher! The chemical "detergent" eventually destroys the surface. Posted Wednesday, September 14, 2022 by JMS

A. If the haze is on the inside of a lantern globe which has been used in service, the haze probably consists of a layer of baked-on soot mixed with leftover waxy material from the partial burning and evaporation of the kerosene (or other fuel, if a much older lantern.) Soot is a form of carbon, as are graphite and diamonds. Pure carbon is notoriously difficult to dissolve but there are some very strong organic solvents which will do it. The solvents tend to be highly volatile, flammable, and poisonous, so I hesitate to recommend them here. If someone has a globe they are willing to test, we should arrange an offline discussion as to what you can try. Posted Sunday, September 18, 2022 by RJMc

A. All that said, there are commercially available "soot remover" compounds which can probably be found either as spray cans or liquidds. These are likely to be found in the sections of the big box stores where supplies for wood burning stoves are found. One note on the web desciibes using one of them very successfully to clean the heavily-sooted glass window of their wood stove, service fairly similar to the inside of a kerosene lantern globe. Be sure to read and follow any directions when using these chemicals. Posted Monday, September 19, 2022 by RJMc

Q3953 A&W #250 Lantern We recently acquired an amber globed Adams and Westlake # 250 kero lantern. The globe has the letters PN etched on one side, a small horseshoe with the letters NX Appears on the opposite side. I am thinking this one was from the mid 20’s. I have not been able to determine which railroad PN would represent. Can you help? Thank You. Posted Sunday, August 28, 2022 by Sharen Post a Reply Email a reply

A. "PN" was the official reporting mark for the Piedmont and Northern, a line with a very long and fascinating history of having been both an electric interurban passenger railroad and a heavy-duty freight carrier in the Carolinas. See the Link for the history. (Disclaimer: there is no guarantee that the letters might have stood for something else. Reporting marks were assigned and exclusive, but in general anyone could mark anything -- other than RR cars and locomotives -- with any combination they chose.) Link 1 Posted Monday, August 29, 2022 by RJMc

Q3951 Lantern Maker? In the attached photo is a W&OD Ry lantern. It's missing its top cap and has an unmarked globe. Can anyone identify the maker? A&W?, Armspear? I'm posting for a friend. Thank you. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, August 28, 2022 by BK Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Looking back at Q1272, the lantern marked as a "Merribrooke Melter" made by Armspear (see Link, and scroll down to the bottom of the page) has all the characteristics of your lantern, including the font, other than the W&OD marking tending to confirm Armspear as the mfr. Link 1 Posted Monday, August 29, 2022 by RJMc

A. Congratulations on having a lantern from the Washington and Old Dominion; as a shortline their lanterns are not common. A run thru Barrett's Encyclopedia of RR Lighting shows that almost all of the major manufacturers made lanterns similar to this in terms of the flat steel guards rather than wires. But a really close match seems to be the "Double Guard Armspear" shown in a full-page pic on pg. 75. Some matching details: the flat tab closing latch for the lid (not formed wire); the 3-row hole pattern in the cap; the fact that the top guard ring is flat steel but the bottom guard is round wire; the arrangement of the bail attached to ears on the brim; the shape of the brim. The lantern in Barrett has a different font arrangement but that was very commonly changed to suit anything anyone ordered. It appears your lantern has been modified into a 'wax melter' if in fact that is a cup inserted into the removed top of the lantern. See prior Q's 1272 and 882 about how lanterns were used to melt beeswax to coat joints in tree branches being grafted, as was commonly done on many fruit trees. Posted Monday, August 29, 2022 by RJMc

A. Various sources list many possible uses for the melted wax from a melter like this: (1) grafting tree branches, (2) coating raw eggs to preserve them for months for later use (see Link), (3) sealing cans and jars of preserved foods, (4) hair removal, and (5) sealing documents. For most of these uses beeswax or paraffin are used. For 5, stick wax was often used and only a small tab had to be melted for each document, so the quantities from a modified lantern would not likely be needed. There are probably many other possible uses. Many of these household applications can be easily done with a hot water in a double boiler; only the plant grafting seems to need a portable melter such as the modified lantern. Link 1 Posted Tuesday, August 30, 2022 by RJMc

Q3950 D.L.&W, NYS&W, NYO&W Lantern Markings Questions regarding these 3 railroad lanterns: I see older, taller style D.L.&W. R.R lanterns with embossed lids and globes that match. For the Vesta and other short style lanterns, I see just the Kopp or Corning globes with no RR embossing on the globes. Is it correct to not have globe embossing/etching on the Vesta and short style globes for D.L. & W.? ALSO: For NYS&WRR, NYO&W RR lanterns, I see ones with embossing on the lid BUT never have I seen RR embossing on the globes, no matter what size lantern. Is this correct? Thanks Posted Friday, August 19, 2022 by DM Post a Reply Email a reply

A. As with any business, sometimes you keep costs to the minimum, other times you spend additional funds to look good and advertise. Railroads were no different. Most marked their property in some way to help prevent theft, but there were lean times when many items were not marked, or purchased in bulk when an unexpected need arose. Any marking costs additional funds. Posted Saturday, August 20, 2022 by h v coll

A. h v coll is right -sometimes no mark is 100% correct. (If you find a NYO&W cast Vesta globe, for example, it is a FAKE. They never ordered them.) I hope checking Link1 - Key Lock & Lantern's "Lantern Surveys" (Scroll down on the page that appears) will be helpful. You can at least find out if any marked globes from a particular line have been documented; realize that if it's not in the list, it doesn't necessarily not exist -- some globes have to have escaped being seen, by these limited numbers of people who reported to KL&L. But at least you can tell what globes HAVE been seen. Another thing to watch for is that since glass breaks, globes got replaced. You may come across a lantern marked for a line with a "related line" globe in it - example, DL&W frame with a Lackawanna globe. Or New York Central with a Boston & Albany globe (the NYC controlled the B&A). Great question!! Link 1 Posted Saturday, August 20, 2022 by JMS

A. Another thing to bear in mind is that across all North American railroads, when kerosene lanterns were in daily use they were functionally identical. Despite relatively minor differences between manufacturers and model numbers, a Canadian National lantern would work just as well on the National of Mexico, and everywhere in between. With things like employee timetables or switch keys, it was critical to the operation and mandatory for each employee to have exactly the right one. But the markings on lantern brims and globes did not affect the basic function at all, so as already indicated the markings were optional and decided more as a matter of taste, property protection, and the budget status of the purchasing agent when they were acquired. And the result is all kinds of combinations having been used and all "were correct" in that the needed functions were delivered. Posted Saturday, August 20, 2022 by RJMc

A. Thank you to all that provided information. All information is logical and makes complete sense. I did find the Link1 - Key Lock & Lantern's "Lantern Surveys" to be a very valuable group of information and is worthy of printing out and taking along when the chance of lanterns for sale may arise. Posted Monday, August 29, 2022 by DM

Q3949 Reliable Lantern w/ Twist-off Bell? I just saw a picture of an Adlake Reliable model lantern with a twist-off bell. Is it a real railroad lantern or a reproduction? All other Reliable bellbottoms I've ever seen have been with a fixed bellbottom. Thanks! Posted Tuesday, August 16, 2022 by Larry Post a Reply Email a reply

A. In the catalogs I have, none of the Reliable lanterns have a removeable bell. There could be one, but from what I could tell, this is probably a lid switch to another frame. Posted Friday, August 19, 2022 by h v coll

A. Yes there were A&W Reliable bell-bottom lanterns made with twist off bells. but from what I have observed very few railroads ordered them .The WABASH Ry is one that comes to mind. Posted Saturday, August 20, 2022 by JH

A. DSS&A RY also Posted Thursday, September 15, 2022 by BobF

Q3944 Strange Lantern Bail I found this at a local antique shop and haven't been able to find anything about it. Have you ever seen a bail on a lantern like this? [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Saturday, August 6, 2022 by David L Post a Reply Email a reply

A. The lantern is marked ccc&stl and a prr globe which I don't believe is original to the lantern. Posted Saturday, August 6, 2022 by David L.

A. See prior Q 3935 and the Link (also in that prior Q) about lanterns with insulated and/or cushioned bails. CCC & StL ("Big Four") was a New York Central subsidiary which like many big rr subsidiaries kept something of a separate identity for many years. Are there patent dates on the lantern? The Big Four was involved in the construction and operation of the electrified Cleveland Union Terminal projedt but it was under construction (including the catenary) thru the 1920's and did not begin full electric operations until 1929. Link 1 Posted Sunday, August 7, 2022 by RJMc

A. I had a P&LE lantern with a wooden bail like this. I believe that sometimes such bails were a matter of preference rather than safety. The P&LE never had electrified trackage. I also have a B&O lantern with a metal bail like this, obviously not a safety issue re: electrification. So here it was likely what the employee preferred -- maybe easier on the hands. Posted Monday, August 8, 2022 by PK

A. Right....I can see that if you spent 12 or 14 (or even 16) hours out in a yard, swinging the lantern almost continuously to deliver movement signals to an engineer, the wire bails would really be chewing into your hands even with thick gloves. Posted Monday, August 8, 2022 by RJMc

A. Another thought is areas with long winters, and cold weather. A larger bail that you could grip and would not freeze to your gloves could come in handy. Posted Monday, August 8, 2022 by h v coll

A. It's metal and when you flip up the top and you push in each side of the bail it comes right off. Posted Wednesday, August 24, 2022 by David L.

Q3941 Brass Plated Lantern I found this Adlake Reliable tall lantern in Duluth MN. I find it interesting that it is brass plated. Could it have been a presentation lantern? The brass plating seems old and original to the lamp. Could it have had a marine use? Any thoughts? Thanks [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Friday, July 22, 2022 by Dave Post a Reply Email a reply

Q3937 I&LI Ry Lantern Marking What railroad does the marking 'I&LI Ry' on an Adlake Reliable lantern stand for? Posted Tuesday, June 28, 2022 by MB Post a Reply Email a reply

A. On a quick search of Bill Edson's Railroad Names, nothing shows up for I & L I. The closest I see is an Indianopolis and Louisville T raction Co. from 1907 to 1923, if the third letter was a T rather than an I. Posted Wednesday, June 29, 2022 by RJMc

Q3936 RR Lantern Info? I picked up a train lantern yesterday at an old barn auction in Minnesota for $5. I was wondering if anyone could tell me anything about this lantern? I find it unusual that it has a brass top. I would like to know who made it and roughly how old it is. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, June 26, 2022 by Dave Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Cannot tell you a maker from this photo, as it would only be a guess, but for $5, that was your day to play the lottery! Posted Sunday, June 26, 2022 by h v coll

A. Thanks for the information. I have done some research on it. I think it may be a C J Ham brakeman's lantern. I get manufacturing dates from 1870's-1889. I bought it at Hamel MN. I am wondering if the location was a part of early Chicago and Northwestern history and if they had a branch line in Hamel MN. I am going to leave it as it is. I did clean it and put some oil on it to preserve the metal. I am hesitant to polish the brass on top of it. I think the patina is good . (maybe look for a fount.) Any thoughts ? Thanks Dave Posted Monday, June 27, 2022 by Dave

A. Your lantern was made by the Steam Gauge & Lantern Co. in Rochester, NY, around 1885. It’s a classic no. 39 single guard model, and SG&L lanterns are scarce, marked for the C&NW. Posted Tuesday, June 28, 2022 by ASwoyer

A. OMG Dave - did you ever hit a mother lode here! A brass top bell bottom is "high end." Multiply $5 x ??? It surely looks like you did a terrific job cleaning it, and I wouldn't polish the brass, either; it looks great just as it is. You don't want the top looking like a replacement. There are founts/burners selling from time to time on eBay (but you may have a problem finding the correct ones) - or - my best advice would be that hopefully you're close enough to go to one of the big railroad shows in the Chicago area, where you would find big time lantern people. (DO NOT be in a hurry to sell this! until you have figured out a real value, which is considerable.) The shows are over for June but there will be more coming (Link 1) You just need to get into the "loop" for the higher end lantern guys, and this should help. Link 1 Posted Thursday, June 30, 2022 by JMS

Q3935 Lantern Marking? I found this railroad lantern at an antique store at Northfield MN. It was very rusty when I found it. It has 'M.St.P.R&D.E.T.Co' on it. Does anyone know what railroad it came from? What reason would the bail have a leather covering on it? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, June 26, 2022 by Dave Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Minneapolis St.Paul Rochester & Dubuque Electric Traction Posted Sunday, June 26, 2022 by h v coll

A. The insulated bails were commonly offered by all the lantern mfrs and were most often sold to main line electrified railways (such as PRR, Milwaukee Road, New Haven, NY Central), trolley lines, interurbans and subways to limit the risk of the employee accidentally contacting high voltage components and getting electrocuted. It also had the advantage of making a firmer grip. Often the insulation was made of wrapped electrical wire; look closely and you may see that it is cloth and rubber-insulated wire rather than leather. Some employees wrapped their own. Bakelite and other insulating materials were offered for the insulation by some manufacturers. The link is to the 1918 catalog entry in the Archives here on the RRiana site for an Adlake lantern with a wooden bail, for the same reasons. Link 1 Posted Sunday, June 26, 2022 by RJMc

Q3934 Train Order Signal I am trying to determine the manufacturer of a train order signal I recently bought. Looking for info on locating manufacturer marks on the signal and old catalogs. I'm missing a few parts and am hoping to find info to help determine and locate authentic components. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, June 26, 2022 by Dick Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Is there any markings of GRS or US&S on anything ? I have the catalogs on both. Posted Sunday, June 26, 2022 by h v coll

A. h v coll I can't find any marks; someone thought the signal looked like a GRS. What's the availability of the catalogs? Thanks Posted Sunday, June 26, 2022 by dick

A. Look hard at the metal castings. They often had mold numbers which may also have counted as part numbers for replacement part purposes and may help to ID the maker. The lens parts were standardized and interchangeable among manufacturers and so may not only be easier to find, but can be realistically used regardless of mfr. since the RR's did that kind of mixing and matching a lot, anyway. The link is to a 1918 GRS manual in the Archives on this RRiana site on (mostly electric) semaphores with a lot of detailed drawings. There are a lot of references in the catalog to "RSA Standards" which refers to the Railway Signal Association. There are many references on the web to RSA publications which may have good technical info. RSA ultimately became the Signal Section of the Association of American RR's (AAR) which continued to maintain those standards. Link 1 Posted Sunday, June 26, 2022 by RJMc

A. Thanks RJMc, I've found several numbers on the various parts but no actual brand mark. I'll do more research. Posted Monday, June 27, 2022 by dick

Q3933 Thoughts on this Lantern? I picked up a train lantern (lamp?) yesterday at an old farm auction in Wisconsin. I have attached several pictures of the lantern. I was wondering if anyone could tell me anything about it? I cannot find any identifying marks. I have not been able to find anything similar with the fixed side-handle in the 4-sided shape. The lantern is just shy of 12 inches. Thanks, [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, June 19, 2022 by Bob Post a Reply Email a reply

A. The lamp is one of the many thousands of styles of "carriage lamp" which you can see by a web search such as at the Link. Some of them look very similar to yours. The relatively lightweight construction indicates that very few of these (if any) were used on railroads, but were used on horse-drawn vehicles and early automobiles and trucks before electric lights became common. On many of the web images, you can see the socket on the side for mounting the lamp. I think what now looks like a handle on your lamp is the broken off piece of the bracket from whatever vehicle the lamp was mounted on. The set screw was added to keep the lamp on the bracket in service. Link 1 Posted Tuesday, June 21, 2022 by RJMc

Q3932 Class Lamp Bracket A 3-color class lamp I purchased from an online auction has a different type of mounting bracket. Instead of the common horizontal ring casting at the base of the lamp, there is a vertical bracket mounted to the side of the lamp. Does the vertical bracket identify which railroad used this lamp? While cleaning soot from inside the body I discovered there is a plate with patent dates, including Great Britain patents, mounted on the inside of the lamp body between the lenses. Was this lamp from Great Britain? Never saw a patent plate like this on the inside of any A&W caboose markers or class lamps before. Thanks. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, June 12, 2022 by JC Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Don't forget that Canada was still part of Great Britain (as well as the now Republic of Ireland) and the British patent system was probably in use well beyond the England/Scotland/Wales core of the empire. Posted Monday, June 13, 2022 by ShastaRoute

A. As you stated, this is a class lamp used on the locomotives, not on a caboose. This mounting bracket is just one style of many that could be ordered, depending on which style was needed. Unless it is railroad marked, it would be near impossible to call it one from another. Still a nice find. Posted Monday, June 13, 2022 by h v coll

A. The 1907 Adams and Westlake catalog copy available in the Archives here on the RRiana Site (See Link 1) shows this as a No. 187 or No. 187 1/2 "Adlake Automatic Engine Classification Lamp" with a choice of the "F" or "R" type bracket. The illustration shows your type of bracket. The NO. 187 had green, white, and red colors and so could also be used as the rear marker on the loco tender or on any train. The 1/2 option had only green and white for class light service. The "automatic" part refers to the arrangement for changing the displayed color by throwing levers from outside the lamp housing (sort of like Volkswagen "automatic manual shift transmissons"). The catalog claims this lamp style was standard on many RR's. I am certain I have seen vintage photos of this type of bracket on the rear markers on a passenger train, I think on the B&O. They might have substituted a yellow lense option since some areas required multi-color markers for running in multiple track territory. Since the basic housings on class lights and markers, and the mounting brackets, were all standard that would not have been surprising -- just a matter of taste and the rules for each RR. Link 1 Posted Monday, June 13, 2022 by RJMc

A. Also here in the Archives (See Link) an Adlake No. 219 Tail Lamp is shown with a Type F Bracket, as on your lamp. This was in the 1912-1916 time period. The Type F bracket seems to support the lamp much closer to the lamp's center of gravity; this would result in less vibration and less wear on the carbody-side brackets. It is kind of surprising to me that the highly-cantilevered (and long since standardized) Type R brackets did not break off with all the vibration and pounding of daily RR service. Link 1 Posted Monday, June 13, 2022 by RJMc

A. Here is a 3rd type of A&W class lamp bracket, deep slots that appear to be designed to fit over a plate. Lamp is unmarked, but I was told this was a proprietary UP design, so probably not offered in the A&W catalog. VERY heavy. The slots are 3 inches deep, the bracket metal is 1/2 inch thick, and there are 2 unthreaded holes in one of the arms. Joe Cich Link 1 Posted Saturday, June 25, 2022 by JC

Q3925 Fount Burner Variation This fount with this burner came out of a late model Adlake switch lamp from the Union Pacific. I am not sure of the purpose of the two small metal plates on each side of the flame spreader. I have a large collection of lamps and have never seen this appendage. Have I missed something? [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, May 5, 2022 by TE Post a Reply Email a reply

A. As a guess, those look a lot like the wire loops that were used on lard oil burners to move heat from the flame to keep the oil warm enough to flow up the wick. May be an adaptation for extreme cold weather service -- UP certainly has some places where that could be an issue. Posted Friday, May 13, 2022 by RJMc

A. Correction: Its a Model 1307 above. Another possibility: since things were so interchangeable, it may not be an Adlake burner. But so far looking at the other mfr's catalogs in the Archives here doesn't show anything like your mod, either. Posted Friday, May 13, 2022 by RJMc

A. The notation on the top of the fount saying "Use Kerosene Oil Only", the co. name shown as Adams and Westlake (not Adlake) and the general look cause me to think that although the lamp may have been 'late model' this fount is much older. Posted Friday, May 13, 2022 by RJMc

A. There are excellent sections of Adlake catalogs in the Archives section of this RRiana site. Several of them have very detailed illustrated parts breakdowns -- since most RR's rebuilt valuable things like switchlights many times and needed replacement parts. Link 1 is to an Adlake discussion all about the wide variety of available burners, globes and wicks for switchlights in about 1940. Nothing in there clearly shows your mod, but the No. 90 burner comes close, possibly if your burner had a piece missing. Link 2 is the catalog pages with parts breakdown for the entire Model 1370 switch lamp -- again, not showing your specific mod but with a lot of very detailed info about the standard lamps, for future reference. Nothing required any given RR to stick to the AAR standards; this may well be something only the UP (or a predecessor RR) required and ordered as a special. Link 1 Link 2 Posted Friday, May 13, 2022 by RJMc

A. Good points all. Thanks for the input. I agree the fount is an older model. The lifting handle is just a half circle, bent hook. I hadn't thought of the plates being a warmth retention item for extremely cold winter conditions through the Rockies. Close examination seems to indicate that they were well manufactured, meaning, it doesn't look like someone just quickly soldered them into place as an afterthought of, "lets try this." My gut feeling is that the burner is an older version of a same modern one. I say that because while the design can be matched to a modern one in the catalogs, this one is overall, lighter in weight with slightly thinner metal pieces than all the other burners I have, and that's a lot. No markings on it at all. Regardless, it's always a treat to open up a switch lamp and see what is going on inside with interchangeable, replaceable parts. Posted Sunday, May 15, 2022 by TE

Q3923 RR Lighting? I have been trying to research the following lantern. It is up for sale online and have not seen one like it before. Would you have any knowledge or history on this item? Thank you, [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Wednesday, April 20, 2022 by Rodney Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Research "MINING LAMPs" or a similar topic. I was in a mining museum out west some time back and they had several examples of smaller lighting objects and especially version of the taller one on the left in the picture. Posted Friday, April 22, 2022 by TE

Q3920 Old RR Electric Lantern Requirement Since railroad lanterns were used to pass train signals, there used to be a requirement posted in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) that the lanterns have two bulbs and be capable of storing a spare bulb. The redundant bulbs were to avoid accidents from lack of train signals from a lantern bulb failure. Can anyone tell me what that former CFR number was? Thanks. Posted Monday, March 28, 2022 by Russ Post a Reply Email a reply

A. I do not recall ever seeing a hand lantern provision in 49 CFR, where railroad safety regulations are located. This doesn't surprise me because the hand lanterns have been standardized for so long by the railroads and lantern manufacturers -- long before FRA existed and long before any coverage of RR issues in CFR. The rules that existed then were Interstate Commerce Commission rules. Link 1 is to a Star Headlight and Lantern Co. website and their catalog for 1952, which says Star had focussed on electric lanterns since 1930 "exceeding AAR standards." And there are other references to electric lanterns as far back as the 19-teens (Link 2). The two bulbs available in most of these lanterns serve different functions: one provides a focussed spotlight, the other a wide-angle light for signaling. I suspect any requirement for lantern standards may have been similar to the requirements for watches, where the employee had to HAVE a watch which HE had to provide and maintain, and that watch had to meet the RR's standards. That was a rulebook requirement, not a Federal rule. Many RR employees provided their own kerosene lanterns and one RR cited in Link 2 required each employee to buy at least one lantern from the RR on employment. The AAR standards would have provided a benchmark for what lanterns were acceptable to meet any such rulebook requirement. Link 1 Link 2 Posted Tuesday, March 29, 2022 by RJMc

Q3919 Dietz FITZALL Raised Numbers A LOC-NOB red globe with 1/8 in. thickness. Appears to be similar to #852, but measures closer to W.T. Kirkman No. 0 Tubular Globe with minor difference of lower outside diameter being 3 3/8 in. (3 6/16 in.) rather than their specified 3 7/16 inches. Upper outside diameter is 2 3/4 in., and overall height of 6 5/8 in. The main question is what could 'C+2' reference since that does not appear to be a factory location code? (This is red glass through and through.) TIA! [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Wednesday, March 23, 2022 by ShastaRoute Post a Reply Email a reply

A. I was able to find a similar globe in a listing of what is obviously a Dietz "Monarch" hot blast. Photos were tough but it appears to read "C+3" and all else is equal. Posted Friday, March 25, 2022 by ShastaRoute

A. Dietz (as well as other lantern and lamp mfrs) globes were made by different glass outfits. These almost always bear maker and mold numbrs in code. C2 for example would be Corning glass and mold #2 for that globe. For mass produced globes like the Fitzall there were dozens of molds in use at any time. I've had numbers up into the 60's. Posted Friday, March 25, 2022 by James

A. Full list of those glass makers codes is found under Question 10 of F.A.Q's. at W.T. Kirkman's site lanternnetdotcom (Link 1). [And Thanks, James.] Link 1 Posted Saturday, March 26, 2022 by ShastaRoute

Q3916 Globe for Adlake 100 Lantern? What size globe is needed for an Adlake 100 Lantern? Thank you in advance. Posted Thursday, March 3, 2022 by JN Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Adlake 100s take a 4" globe that looks like a #39 with an 1 3/8" cut off the top. This leaves a globe that looks like it is upside down to the point that most are marked "TOP" so you put them in correctly. The other option is change out the globe retainer for a standard Reliable retainer and then you can use a #39 globe Posted Friday, March 4, 2022 by COD

A. The Adlake #100 takes a globe that is 3 5/16 in. bottom diameter X 3 1/2 in. top diameter X 4 in. in height. See Link. Link 1 Posted Sunday, March 6, 2022 by RJE

Q3915 Handlan Lantern for US Army? I found this globe today and am trying to figure out what it might go to. It’s 4-1/2 inches tall so I thought Handlan lantern, and it's etched 'U.S.A' so I thought possibly US Army, but I haven’t been able to find any historical reference for Handlan lanterns in use with the US Army, just Dietz and Adlake. It's Macbeth glass (High Speed MEG Co Made in USA), but I don't know how long Corning carried the Macbeth branding after the 1936 purchase and I'm not clear on the Handlan #345/358 production dates so having a hard time placing the globe on a timeline. Hoping this group can shed some light, thank you! [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Wednesday, February 23, 2022 by Jake Post a Reply Email a reply

A. This will fit the Dietz Vesta lanterns or a special order/special size Adlake Reliable that was made for the Army but not marked except for the maker. Posted Saturday, February 26, 2022 by COD

A. I had a terrific Dietz Vesta Navy dark lantern and was so pleased when I found one of these USA globes for it ... the lantern was all brass. President Wilson nationalized the railroad system during the World War I emergency - this lasted from 1917 until 1920. See Link 1 for interesting history. Link 1 Posted Sunday, February 27, 2022 by JMS

A. Wow. So can this be summed up defining the entire period that these military versions were in use? And, if WWI, then did the army ones also find use in Europe where US personnel operated trains beyond those of French railroads? Posted Monday, February 28, 2022 by ShastaRoute

A. The US military for decades used many tens of thousands (millions?) of kerosene lanterns on all kinds of operations, not just railroading. Every tent in an encampment needed one or two. Just put ' U.S. Army ' in the Search by word or phrase box (without quotation marks) to see a lot of prior discussion. Posted Wednesday, March 2, 2022 by RJMc

A. Ok, so I led the group astray…the globe was labeled 4-1/2 in. when I bought it - didn't think much to question it… then I read through Q2690 after RJMc’s response and that thread questioned whether or not a 4-1/2 in. globe would fit the Vesta and short Reliables so I put a tape on it… it's a 4-1/4 in. globe, doh! This makes much more sense and I think it's certain it would have been used on a Vesta or short Reliable. It still begs the question of time period. The only references I’ve been able to find on USA marked globes for these particular lanterns all cite cast marked globes (even the 4-1/4 in. globe survey here only notes cast USA marks). Yes, quartermaster records show the US supplied upwards of 200,000 kerosene lanterns during WWII; I’m sure they were used for many purposes, but I'm guessing this globe pre-dates WWII. The glass has somewhat yellowed and Macbeth was bought out by Corning in 1936. Would like to find a period correct lantern to put it on; at this point I'm thinking an unmarked short Reliable or pre-1936 unmarked or 'US' marked Vesta would be appropriate. I don’t know if this globe came standard on one lantern or the other vs. the cast globe or perhaps it came on neither and the U.S. Government simply had a contract for spare globes with Macbeth and they were swapped in whenever and wherever needed? I think we've nailed down the lantern(s) this globe belonged to; just hoping to dial in the time period. Thank you all for the valuable feedback! Posted Sunday, March 6, 2022 by Jake

A. Note the profile on this Vesta type globe is of the earliest style with the short top rim flange. They are found both cast and etched U.S.A. and yes thats for US Army. They are WW1 era contracts along with the Adlake Reliable hybrid model. The Army purchased extra fount/burners & globes for obvious reasons. Over their service life some of these old globes wound up in later short model Vestas up to WW2 although most later army Vestas came with the std. Dietz Vesta globe; plain or simply etched 'US.' I used to find cardboard boxes of these (cast & etched) with Army QMC storage stamps. Posted Sunday, March 13, 2022 by James

A. Just to note, there were also Naval Railway artllery sections operating in France in WWI. Presumably, they would have had a need for equipment of this sort. Posted Friday, April 1, 2022 by ShastaRoute

Q3912 3-1/4 Inch Corning Globe with Libbey Logo I have a Corning Kero globe (3-1/4 inch) with a 'Libbey Glass logo' opposite the Corning logo. This is the first one I have seen. I know that Libbey Glass dates back quite far, but why would their logo be on a Corning globe for a railroad lantern? Any thoughts??? Posted Thursday, February 3, 2022 by Dave Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Can you post a picture please ? The only "Libbey glass" logo I know of is a scrolling letter L . Thanks. Posted Monday, February 7, 2022 by JMS

A. Hello, I'm sorry but I cannot send a photo. The casting is so light that you would not be able to see it. The Libbey name is enclosed within a circle. The letter L begins at top left then proceeds downward slightly to the left before reaching the bottom. It continues unbroken to the right then loops up to form the letter Y. In between are the letters IBBE. This logo is extremely difficult to see in person let alone a photo. I hope this description helps a little. Posted Thursday, February 10, 2022 by Dave

A. I google searched and found an interesting story - see Link 1.I have no way to know if this is true, but it's what turned up. Link2 is Libbey Glass company information. If you scroll all the way to the very bottom there are illustrations of the circle logos with dates when they were used. Link 1 Link 2 Posted Thursday, February 10, 2022 by JMS

A. Hello, Thanks for the links. Great information !!!!! The logo on my lantern dates in the 1919-1945 era. This is why railroad lanterns are so fascinating. You never know what type of information will turn up. Posted Saturday, February 12, 2022 by Dave

Q3911 Adlake #1112 Switch Lantern Target Finish I am restoring an Adlake #1112 lantern and while stripping two or three coats of paint off from the targets, I'm ending up with an extremely hard red finish which is not removed with stripper or even a heat gun. Does anyone know what this finish is and what will possibly remove it? Is it ceramic or possibly lead based? Thanks. Posted Wednesday, February 2, 2022 by Jim C Post a Reply Email a reply

A. That is a baked-on porcelain finish, designed to withstand almost anything nature could throw at it, including the expansion and contraction of the base metal with extreme rates of temperature change. Only physical impact (bullets, for example) would typically cause it to shatter and flake off. Sometimes with great age it would develop cracks but usually the entire coating would not peel off. Only intensive and very aggressive sandblasting would be likely to remove it. It would be easier to find a different target, if the porcelain color is not to your liking on the one you have. Posted Wednesday, February 2, 2022 by RJMc

A. There are porcelain repair folks, but I doubt if the repair cost is cheaper than finding another target. As said in the prior response, they were designed to take a beating. I have found some that were bent, maybe from a piece of dragging equipment, with no damage to the face, except for a few minor cracks. If you go looking for a replacement, remember to match it to the lens size, plus the shape of the target, as there are many different ones out there. A&W made plenty of them, but not being in service for years, it could take some time. Posted Wednesday, February 2, 2022 by h v coll

Q3910 C&O Switch Lamp I've been collecting mostly china for a while, but I've just recently gotten into lamps & lanterns, so I'm not as knowledgeable about this topic. I recently acquired a switch lamp from the Chesapeake & Ohio, and I have a few questions about it. Currently, it is painted 'Fire Hydrant Red.' Is it safe to assume it was never painted this color by the railroad? If so, would it be beneficial or detrimental to repaint it black (which I'm assuming is the correct color)? It's also painted gold on the inside (again, I'm assuming not correct). I've seen similar lamps finished inside with silver paint, gray paint, mirror polished metal, and unfinished bare metal. How would these lamps have normally been finished inside in actual use? Lastly, the lenses are currently four different colors (red, amber, green, and clear). Would this arrangement have ever been used by the railroad or was this another modification made by a later owner? For clarification, it is definitely on a switch mount base (footed square post hole on the bottom) and not a caboose lamp base (rotating bracket). Thanks for any insight you can share! Posted Thursday, January 27, 2022 by Nick Post a Reply Email a reply

A. There is a very good reason for switch lamps to be painted black -- as are almost all signal heads. Any other color similar to the indication colors could cause the lamp body to be mistaken for an indication, bearing in mind that switch lamps had to be seen in widely varying ambient light conditions. This is particularly true if day targets are not used. Some special-application lamp bodies, such as derail position indicators, might have been other colors, but red would not be a likely one. Some RR's painted marker lamp bodies bright yellow, but in that case that fitted the correct function to mark the rear of a train even if the lamp was not lit. We have discussed lens colors on the site here many times in the past, and they varied widely; see prior Q 2971 for starters. To my knowledge the question of painting the inside has not come up here before. Most lamps in service quickly gained a layer of soot, but probably left the factory with metal on the inside with no finish added. The lens openings leave so little area on the inside of the lamp body that reflecting more light doesn't improve the operation enough to justify the added cost. Posted Thursday, January 27, 2022 by RJMc

A. As previously stated, I have never seen a listing for the inside color of a switch or marker lamp. From memory, black or bare metal silver was it. As to signals, many masts are painted silver at the bottom to show better at night for the brakeman walking a broke down train, but past head height was black so as to not give a false reading from the sun. Depending on the type of signal, and the location. some of these were a bear to paint, without getting anything on the lens. Many times, I used my pole gear, swung around with a can and brush, and did the best I could. You had to watch out behind you at all times for trains, as you could be blocking the signal. Posted Friday, January 28, 2022 by h v coll

A. Very interesting inquiry as I had been looking at an online image of the Burlington Zephyr approaching a station with passengers which had been colorized a few years ago. Not a bad job and don't know if they now have a way to scan grey tones for likely color clues, but they ended up with one switchstand base in a bright apple green like some sort of antique Ford Cabriolet. Sure gonna leave future generations with a Disney view of the reality of the past unless they dug up some corroborating proof of this implied practice. Posted Saturday, January 29, 2022 by ShastaRoute

Q3909 A&W Question I'm wondering when Adams & Westlake stopped using their 'A&W CO' stamp and changed to Adlake? Posted Wednesday, January 26, 2022 by DA Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Seems like it depended on the lantern style, but it appears to be in the teens. Question would be how many pieces did they have pre-stamped in stock that they continued to use. Posted Thursday, January 27, 2022 by h v coll

Q3906 Unusual Signaling Device? I came across this unusual 3 paddle item marked 'Adlake'. I cannot find it in any of my reference books. It has 3 'arms' joined together, but they pivot, red, yellow, and blue. What is it? I figure it is for signaling somehow. Any help is appreciated. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Monday, January 17, 2022 by Louis Post a Reply Email a reply

A. I saw a set of these years ago, and they were marked that they had come from a subway. May or may not be correct. Cannot help other than that. Posted Wednesday, January 19, 2022 by h v coll

A. What is the size of this item? What diameter are the lenses? Posted Thursday, January 27, 2022 by RJMc

A. About 14 inches in height, glasses are a little over 4 inches diameter. I got one on e***, so here's a better picture. Link 1 Posted Sunday, January 30, 2022 by Louis

A. Well, we are in very good company in not knowing. I forwarded the query to Adlake and got a quick courteous reply from Mike Rzeszutko, President of today's Adlake. They don't know what it is, either. He noted that a lot of historical material has been lost over the years. Posted Thursday, February 3, 2022 by RJMc

A. I don't have specific information yet, but I have seen a photo that these devices were mounted in the nose of F-units (diesel engines, like F-5's or F-7's) in order to change the classification lights. The light source and device was all mounted behind the nose hood so nothing was on the exterior to interfere with the 'streamlining' — like the typical cannonball style class lights. Well, with that being said, I still can't confirm or prove it, because I can't find the photo—even after searching numerous times; but I know for sure I've seen it… just hoping it helps! Thanks, Posted Wednesday, March 23, 2022 by KG

A. Last night I showed this at our Historical Society. Today I got a text from one of the members. Here is what he found: This is an antique R 1-9 Marker Lamp Semaphore. This handle came from the R 1-9 cars of the IND Subway, which were built in many waves by a few different builders (American Car & Foundry, Pullman, and Pressed Steel) between 1930 and 1940. There were over 1800 built. The last of them were retired and scrapped in the 1970s. A few still exist as part of museum collections, including the New York City Transit Museum and the Shore Line Trolley Museum in East Haven, CT. Each car had two operating positions – one at each end. Each driving position had two of these semaphores mounted over the interior end of the roof of the car. The color light shined through a clear lens mounted on the outside of the car. Changing the colors let the Towerman know how to route the subway train. This semaphore measures 14 inches long and 5 inches wide. Posted Saturday, March 26, 2022 by Lou L

A. Great info and thanks for coming back with it. The one aspect (so to speak) of this item that still bothers me is there doesn't appear to be a way to show just one color in the clear in front of the light source (and behind the outer clear lens). Did the user push one lever and lens up above the rest to give the single color indication? Also see prior Q 3811 regarding "route indicators" as used on various subway systems. Link 1 below, also referenced in Q3811 actually discussed the IND line specifically and how they used combinations of colors from these lights for particular route designations. The subway systems -- not being bound by any kind of regular RR rules -- called these "markers" while RR's called front-facing lights "classification lights" but they also had different purposes. Link 1 Posted Saturday, April 2, 2022 by RJMc

Q3902 Fresnel Globe in Armspear 1925 Lantern My father left me a short frame Armspear '1925' lantern marked for the B&O with a fresnel globe. Given the good condition of the piece I am thinking the globe is original. Does the use of the fresnel globe make this more likely to be made closer to 1931? Would the fresnel globe (instead of a regular 'short' globe) have been a specification by the B&O? Thanks for your response. Posted Monday, January 10, 2022 by Steve Post a Reply Email a reply

A. 25 is a patent date, not a made date. If to shows a patent date, remember it is always newer than that date. I cannot remember all the locations that used fresnel globes, but I do remember crossing watchmen using them. Posted Monday, January 10, 2022 by h v coll

Q3899 Unknown RR Lantern Marking I've been collecting railroad items for a few years now and Railroadiana has been an invaluable resource for information. I recently purchased a Dietz Vesta lo-top lantern that has very unique markings. I haven't been able to find any information about these markings on the Railroadiana website, or anywhere else on the internet. I believe the 'B&M' stands for Boston & Maine, but I was wondering if anyone at Railroadiana could identify the meaning of 'X-277'? Sincerely, [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Tuesday, December 28, 2021 by JPV Post a Reply Email a reply

A. The Boston and Maine had a LOT of grade crossings. As a guess, that X-277 designates which crossing watchman's shanty the lantern belonged in, or which crossing watchman it belonged to, to prevent lanterns from being 'borrowed' back and forth all the time. Posted Tuesday, December 28, 2021 by RJMc

A. I was reading your story and thought I would add that the 'X' number was a very common steam engine prefix like yours is. They used the X before a lot of steam engines, and it is believed it stood for experimental because when they made the first one or two they used the X for testing purposes. Then just like the challenger or the big boy they did away with the X and gave it a full number. Just my 2 cents worth but nowadays it's my nickels worth !!! :-) I fully believe that the number is for a steam engine crew who wanted to keep their lanterns on their own engine. There was a lot of pride and they depended a lot on different lantern styles like yours and also an inspection lantern and so on. It could have been for a switch house, it was a small house where you could get in out of bad weather when a man had to baby sit the switch due to so much traffic and so on. Posted Monday, March 14, 2022 by Ron

Q3898 Dietz #6 Lanterns When did the manufacturer marking on No. 6 lanterns change from R. E. Dietz to simply Dietz? Are R. E. Dietz lanterns found less frequently than Dietz? Posted Sunday, December 26, 2021 by Non Post a Reply Email a reply

Q3895 Globe Maker and Style? What maker and style of lantern does this globe fit? I don't believe it is for a barn or utility lantern, thus suspect railroad. It is 5-1/2 in. high, with top outer diameter 2-3/4 in., extended base bottom opening 3-3/8 in. The glass is 3/16 in. thick, which is at least twice as thick as barn lantern globes. Thanks. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, December 12, 2021 by Non Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Unmarked? Try searching "Dietz Globe" (might be a generic copy) and you will see similar ones. [At least one retailer has a chart to match it up to the lantern models.] And, of course, check back here to see if you get a more precise answer than this. Posted Monday, December 13, 2021 by ShastaRoute

A. Here is a photo of the type of lantern that I believe your globe fits [see link]. The measurements you gave and globe shape are not exactly the same but very close to the lantern globe in the photo. Earlier fixed globes in this style lantern were plastered in place while later styles were held in place by soldered guard wires and your globe would fit both of these criteria. Fixed globe lanterns were general use lanterns but also used by railroads. Link 1 Posted Wednesday, December 15, 2021 by VE

Q3894 Seized Lantern Founts I have recently purchased a couple of standard Adlake hand lanterns in which the founts have seized in the lamp (presumably rusted in) and I can't remove them. Is there anything I can soak them in to free them up? Thanks for any help you can provide. Posted Friday, December 3, 2021 by Jason Post a Reply Email a reply

A. This might be a good time to remind everyone of the lantern restoration page [see link] which has a bunch of general rust removal advice, although not with specific focus on seized fonts. Link 1 Posted Saturday, December 4, 2021 by Web Editor

A. From what I have found, there is no perfect answer, almost everyone is different. Just remember, WD40 and others like it are lubricants, not rust inhibitors. You might think of heat around the outside to expand the metal that is holding the font. Be careful as the contents are flammable and can also put off an odor when heated. Always be prepared for the unexpected as the fonts were never designed for what you are about to do. I have been lucky and never had a problem, except for some that are still stuck. Posted Saturday, December 4, 2021 by h v coll

A. A good MODERATE source of heat is a hair dryer. If you don't have one, or don't want to borrow somebody else's (at possibly great risk to your relationships) try the local thrift store. I have found many there in the $4.00 range -- I have often bought them to use as '1,000 watt dummy loads' to test portable electric generators. As to WD40, it is not even a lubricant. It is actually a degreaser, and acts as a lubricant only when it is still wet. Things may stick even harder once freed with WD40. There are probably thousands of brands of penetrating oils which can be tried. Things should actually be soaked in them for some time (at least days) to get results on really stuck items. If you can't actually submerge the item, paint the penetrating oil on repeatedly to keep the affected area wet with it. The link is a handy reference to some testing of which brand might be best for use on stuck bolts on cars. Their best result of all was to home-brew a mix of transmission fluid and acetone. But given the flammability issues, I would try some of the others first. De-rusters which contain phosporic acid actually chemically convert the rust to gray iron phosphate which then protects the metal from further rust and can act as an effective primer if any kind of coating is to be applied later, while also freeing the joint. Link 1 Posted Saturday, December 4, 2021 by RJMc

A. PB B'laster to break the rust? Posted Wednesday, December 8, 2021 by ShastaRoute

Q3892 Unusual Lantern Conversion I just ran across a very unusual D&RGW RR lantern that was converted from kerosene to 6 volt battery. It looks like a professional metal worker did the conversion. Very well made and it does function. I would enjoy any information. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, November 18, 2021 by David Post a Reply Email a reply

A. The more I look at the pix, the more I am convinced this is not a "conversion" but made by the lantern manufacturer. For example, the horizontal guard wires at the base are perfectly bent, in exactly the same manner as the other guard wire joints. An even better indicator is that where the guard wires cross the battery holder, there are "ears" in the casting to hold those wires in exactly the right places. And the (well-worn) switch is set into its own housing, obviously purpose-cast into the side of the battery box. And the ring sized to exactly hold the globe base is also cast into the top of the battery box. The only part that looks adapted is the blue top light and it appears to happen to have fit just right into where the kerosene top would also have fit. The lantern manufacturers were very flexible and would make almost anything a RR wanted (or anybody else with $$, for that matter)and they would always make use of patterns they already had to keep startup costs down. I suspect this was made to use to 'blue flag' yard or shop tracks, and/or to hang on the side of an engine while stopped to be serviced in a terminal, and the original globe would also have been blue. This would have been used in the time period before transistorized blue flashers became commonly available, probably 1950's. Posted Wednesday, November 24, 2021 by RJMc

A. A further thought on looking at all the heavy duty features built into this lamp. This is the kind of construction of lamps to be used in hazmat environments, such as to blue flag tank cars holding flammable materials while being loaded or unloaded, for handling explosives, or maybe even a grain elevator where potentially explosive dust is an issue and where open flames are banned. That's the kind of application that would justify the obviously great expense of making up that battery box casting. And the limited number of those places explains why so few of these have been seen. Posted Wednesday, November 24, 2021 by RJMc

A. I have one of these lanterns in very good condition, with cobalt top AND cobalt globe. Top is marked D&RGW RR, and THE ADAMS AND WESTLAKE COMPANY. See pic. Link 1 Posted Tuesday, December 14, 2021 by Doug

Q3889 Pyle National Marker Lamp I have a Pyle National Marker Lamp. Can anyone tell me what size original light bulb it was used in it. I am not running it and it is for looks. Thank you. Don Posted Friday, November 12, 2021 by Don Post a Reply Email a reply

A. The socket in most electric markers and class lights is a standard 'Edison Medium Base' female receptacle, the same as is used in regular household lamps. Markers and class lamps usually used a 15 or 25 watt, 32 Volt bulb which ran on DC voltage from the locomotive or passenger car. Illuminated number boards often used two or three sockets with the same size bulbs. Because the bases are the same, and even for 32 volt service the insulation was rated at 600 volts, household bulbs can be used directly to light class lamps and markers with household 120 vac PROVIDED that you either confirm that insulation is still good, and/or replace any wiring where time, wear, or weather may have degraded it. Posted Friday, November 12, 2021 by RJMc

A. The above answer refers to the larger 'cannonball' style marker and classification lamps. The later 'cat's eye' smaller style of markers, some also made by Pyle National, used a bayonet 'twist lock' base lamp often running at 12 VDC and very similar to some automotive turn signal lamps. If you are trying to match that lamp, be aware that the side pins on most turn-signal type lamps are not directly opposite each other; the pin configuration must match the socket for the bulb to fully engage and work in the socket. Some of the auto bulbs made for top lights and/or reverse lights may have the pins opposite each other since they only have a single conductor in the base. Once again, a picture of your item would be most helpful. Posted Sunday, November 14, 2021 by RJMc

Q3887 Class Lamps? On an online auction I recently purchased a pair of lamps that were described as classification lamps. However, they both have both green and red roundels. It was my understanding classification lamps only displayed either clear or green. Are these in fact classification lamps, or some other application? If they are classification lamps, when would the red indication be displayed? [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Wednesday, November 3, 2021 by Joe C Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Red lights on the front of an engine were used as markers when the locomotive was on the trailing end of a reverse move. Among the most obvious place to see this was on the front of some ALCO and MLW diesel locos where all three light colors were prominent with each color having a separate lens (see Link). Link 1 Posted Wednesday, November 3, 2021 by RJMc

Q3886 Hiram L Piper Lamp I'd been interested in a rail lamp for a long time and, just yesterday I stumbled into this repainted, Montreal based Hiram L Piper. As found in a 1960 catalogue of parts; with matching dimensions and lenses (4), it's got to be either a No. 8 or No. 12 Standard switch lamp. The catalogue says it's 19 lbs, crated. The actual weight is 11.4 lbs. It's not electrified, but has no fount. It's on a No. 54 lamp bottom [stamped 54 and its patent date is 1909-12-20. Most of the examples I find have CPR or CNR stamped on them. This one does have any other markings beyond HLP M, patented date and 'Piper Montreal'. Assuming that they only branded CNR and CPR because of the scale, I assume it was owned by one of the 100 or so railway companies early-mid 20th century Canada, but I’d like to try and date it. Anybody have info or tips? Thanks. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, October 31, 2021 by Jeff Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Greetings Jeff, I vaguely recall having this same discussion with the late Paul Roy, Canadian railroadiana collector and long-time Key Lock & Lantern and RCAI member. You're right that these lamps don't have manufactured dates on them like the lanterns do. He told me that you can roughly date your lamp by looking closely at the outer edge of the lenses, many are engraved very lightly with the date they were made (you may have to open your lamp and look through the lamp against a flash light to see, and you may even have to remove a lens to see the date clearly). I had a look at a few of mine, one CNR lamp for example had 1934 and 1935 date marks on the four lenses. This'll give a rough estimate of manufacture of 1935. I hope this helps you! Posted Sunday, October 31, 2021 by Steve B

A. Possibly unfortunately for the current discussion, the "1935" on many, many railroad lenses is a specification number, not the date of manufacture of the lens. That's why almost every lens which shows up for sale online is claimed to be "vintage 1935" when in fact many were produced quite recently. They often look brand new because they may BE brand new. Posted Monday, November 1, 2021 by RJMc

A. The Link discusses the long history of development of standardized colors for signal lenses, not only for RR's but highways and aviation as well, resulting in US national standards. As to "1935" a short excerpt from the document at the Link: "Revisions In 1935: The year 1935 witnessed a revision of the specifications for lenses, rounddels and glass slides. Experience gained in manufacture and test at Corning, combined with research at the Bureau of Standards and experience in the field, permitted the specification to be rewritten permitting use of higher transmission glasses. The 1935 specifications define color values in a manner that with proper test equipment any doubtful glass will be eliminated. This specification also covers heat resisting discs for search-light signals." Link 1 Posted Monday, November 1, 2021 by RJMc

A. The 1935 standard discussed above resulted from strong support from the Association of American Railroads (AAR) and its predecessor organizations. The Canadian (and Mexican) railroads have always been strong supporters of the AAR and its technical committees so the 1935 standard for lenses applied in Canada, also. Posted Tuesday, November 2, 2021 by RJMc

A. Thanks for your insight RJMc, interesting article too. I had another look at the lenses I was referring too, and sure enough they are marked Corning. That'll explain the 1935 dates! Well Jeff, what can I say, I tried to unravel the mystery but no, you can't date your lamp just by looking at the lenses as it turns out. I am out of ideas as to how to date this. Posted Tuesday, November 2, 2021 by Steve B

A. Steve B, RJMc: I enjoyed the read and thanks for the info. No closer to getting a picture of where/when, but's all good. Odds are that I'll never figure it out and should just enjoy it for what it is. Wish I could do that with my WW2 rifles of the world collection, lol. I've since temporarily wired it (no damage) and put a LED fire bulb inside. Its floating between my office and what I call my music studio, until I find it's home. I'm considering building a post for it. I'll periodically poke around and, revisit here. Maybe I'll get lucky someday. Side note: The fire bulb and red lens looked really cool as a backlight to our jack-o-lantern. Posted Saturday, November 6, 2021 by Jeff

Q3885 Installing a Peepsight on Adlake 275 Lantern I'm looking for information on how to install a peepsight on an Adlake 275 switch lamp. I am currently restoring a switch lamp that is missing the peepsight. There are peepsight replacement kits available for this lamp. My question is how to install it? Is the soldiering involved something that an amateur can do? If anyone has done this I would appreciate their insight in this application. Posted Sunday, October 31, 2021 by DBN Post a Reply Email a reply

Q3883 Lamp with White Lens Here is a Northern Pacific lamp. Why does it have a white lens? The other lenses are 2 blue and 1 red. Thanks, look forward to your answer. [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Saturday, October 23, 2021 by TR Post a Reply Email a reply

A. We asked around trying to find an answer and the consensus was that a prior owner of this lamp put the white lens in it because it was what he happened to have. We could not come up with any use for this type of lens by a railroad. It works fine covering the hole, and it does look like a fine conversation piece. Posted Friday, October 29, 2021 by JMS

A. Just "conjecture time"...could it have been used on an intermediate or secondary switch branching off of a main repair track, like a stub or even a runaround for engines? Blue at 180 degrees would be informative only to say the rip track is aligned. When the switch is thrown, red tells any opposing traffic not to cross the switch while showing an entering crew (facing white) that it is aligned for movement. If white were only informative, they would still be required to have clearance or orders to enter that track. Of course, I'm thinking special conditions for a particular place rather than general rules here. Any chance of that in the long past? Posted Sunday, October 31, 2021 by ShastaRoute

A. Of course, that makes no sense for a lamp set up as a marker. Posted Sunday, October 31, 2021 by ShastaRoute

Q3880 N.L. Piper Lanterns? Did Noah( N.L. Piper)make any railroad stamped lanterns or were they done by his son Hiram (H.L. Piper)? Posted Wednesday, October 20, 2021 by boxcarwingy Post a Reply Email a reply

Q3879 HPR CPR Switch Lamp I've recently acquired a Hiram L Piper CPR Switch lamp (1943). It seems to have had plastic lenses rather than glass. Were these lanterns made with plastic lenses? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Posted Wednesday, October 20, 2021 by Dan Post a Reply Email a reply

A. Greetings Dan and congratulations on getting your war-era CPR switch lamp. I live in Canada and have been collecting for 34 years now. I have several lamp examples, however I haven't personally seen any lamps from the CNR or the CPR that didn't have plastic lenses. All ones I have seen either have the plastic fresnel type for the lamps with kerosene burners, and later, some which were converted to reflective plastic Stimsonite lenses which were used just as the reflectorized targets came out in the early 1970's. Common sense however tells me that the very earliest lamps would most certainly have had glass lenses prior to the development of plastics, but when the switch to plastic lenses occurred I really don't know. I think that may have been well before 1943. Also It's quite common for a lamp to go through a few changes and updates in its life depending on the requirements of the railroad, and I have seen several converted to the plastic Stimsonite lenses which were formerly kerosene burning. I have yet to see a Canadian switch lamp which has any glass lenses at all, not even one, but it doesn't mean that they don't exist somewhere possibly. I Hope this helps you. Posted Thursday, October 21, 2021 by Steve B.

A. Thank You Steve for the information, you've cleared up questions that I had and made ownership of the lamp much more interesting and enjoyable. Posted Monday, October 25, 2021 by Steve B

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