Question & Answer Board

 Q2976 CPR Lamp  I recently acquired a Canadian Pacific railway Aladdin model B brass caboose interior lantern with wall bracket in mint condition and would like as much info on the lamp as you could give. Thanks .  Posted Wednesday, June 10, 2015 by AP   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. need a picture Posted Thursday, June 11, 2015 by mj

 Q2973 Dietz #6 Globe  Has anyone ever seen a globe cast DIETZ 6 RR around the top in smallish letters that is actually 5-3/8 inch tall? We know the standard/correct height for Dietz 6 frames is a 6 inch globe -- but this globe is definitely only 5-3/8 inch tall. Wondering if it is fake - ? Thank you for any assistance!  Posted Thursday, June 4, 2015 by JS   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. There are 5&3/8 versions of the Dietz #6, but they are very rare. I'd say your globe is legit. No reason for anyone to fake anything like that.  Posted Friday, June 5, 2015 by JFR

A. Have a 53/8 red cast Corning B&M with a small 6 at top. Also a Corning 53/8 clear cast U.P. with a small 5 at top. Many of my other globes have a small number at top. Could it be a code as to color or type of base ? Posted Friday, June 5, 2015 by Donald Cassaday DC

 Q2971 Switch Lamp Lens Colors  I have a question regarding switch stand lamps and the color of lenses used. I’ve seen the common lamps used on mainline switches with the 2 red and 2 green lenses, and the yard or siding ones with the 2 green and 2 yellow lenses. Did railroads sometimes use switch lamps with other color combinations than those mentioned above? I’ve recently seen switch lamps sold with 3 yellow lenses and one red lens, and another which looked like a mainline lamp with red and green lenses but there was also a blue lens substituted for one of the green lenses. I’m wondering if someone simply wanted to replace a broken lens to sell their lamp, or if the railroads actually used these different color combinations on their kerosene switch lamps?  Posted Monday, June 1, 2015 by Steve B.    Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. A partial reply to your question is that a lot of combinations will appear either in real working order or in what people have for sale that they merely have replaced with what they have. grew up in a town with a north/south spur line of the Nickle Plate (i.e., before that the LE&W). On the lamps that marked the track derail device, they use opposite side red lenses and opposite side yellow lenses. So I guess they were trying to say if it's a red lens showing don't go through and even if it's yellow...proceed with caution.  Posted Monday, June 1, 2015 by TE

A.  This could make for a long discussion. Many lamps up for sale have had replacement lenses put in them. - It has been over 40years now since Switch Lamps were in common use in the US. In actual service, switch lamps will always have just two colors and will be arranged with like colors opposite each other as TE mentions above. e.g.; red - green - red – green going around the lamp. Switch lamp colors I’m familiar with are Red & Green, Yellow & Green, Yellow & Lunar (“Lunar White” being a pale blue hue). Derails I’ve seen are Purple & Green, Purple & Yellow, and the Red & Yellow TE mentioned. -- Derail Lamps are Switch Lamps used on a Derail throw, which works much the same as a switch stand with a gear system that rotates the lamp 90°, back and forth. Frequently Marker Lamps show up on eBay minus the mounting bracket ring. Without that ring, they can be confused as being Switch Lamps. 3 Yellow and 1 Red is a common configuration for Marker Lamps on many roads: AT&SF, GN, PRR among them. – The Union Pacific and the CB&Q both used only Red & Green in their switch lamps; both in the yard and coming off the main line. The UP used Green & Purple in Derails and the CB&Q used Purple & Yellow. C&NW used Yellow & Lunar with day targets in their enormous Proviso yard in Chicago; but, in Omaha – Council Bluffs, only the engine shop yard on the Council Bluffs side had Yellow & Lunar, again with day targets. Somewhere I’ve read that lunar on some roads indicated a “Spring Switch”, which could be run through without having to open it. All other C&NW yards in the Omaha/C.B, area had Red & Green with no day targets, and an occasional Yellow & Green for no apparent reason. PRR and NYC both had Yellow & Lunar. The Pennsy liked day targets and most of their lamps had them. The NYC lamps I have and have seen photos of did not have day targets. Almost all Burlington lamps had two red day targets, but a few did not. Most UP lamps had no day targets, but a very few had just the two red ones. CB&Q lamps were generally marked “BR” for Burlington Route, but a few were marked “CB&Q”. Almost all switch lamps with the cast rectangular mounting base had the flat sides of the mounting socket parallel with the lens openings; Pennsylvania rotated the base on theirs 45° so the corners of the cast base lined up with the axis of the lens. – I’m having an offline discussion right now with DJB about lens colors. I claim that I’ve never seen an SP or an AT&SF switch lamp with red lenses! All of them I’ve ever seen have been Yellow & Green on both of those roads! …anyone with information on those roads?? ---- …. Red Beard  Posted Tuesday, June 2, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. In his "Illustrated Encyclopedia of Railroad Lighting" Richard Barrett was able to utilize many lamp manufacturing company catalogs, and in his descriptions of specific switch lamp models he often includes the original color(s) and how they were placed. If you can use the book to determine which model your lamp is, it's possible the book will tell you what the original color(s) the lenses would have been and their placement. Of course over the years, as is pointed out above, most of the original lenses have been replaced and not always in the "correct" colors.  Posted Tuesday, June 2, 2015 by JS

A. JS: Could you please write at length some of the color combination descriptions from the book? It would be helpful to document some of that here on this site. Many readers do not have access to a copy, thanks. ---- .... Red Beard Posted Wednesday, June 3, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. Gentlemen,Regarding switchlamp lens colors,Red Beard mentioned in his last treatise about lunar white lens being used in spring switch lamps.This is true at least in the Soo Line special instructions timetables from the 60's and earlier.These lamps showed green for the mainline route and lunar when hand lined for into or out of the siding. The reasoning for this was because of the speed restriction into and out of the spring switch when entering or trailing out of it.Lunar = Restricting. DJB Posted Wednesday, June 3, 2015 by DJB

A. Thank you fellas for all the great information here. I'm lucky to own two switch stands in my collection and both are getting switch lamps added on to them. It's nice to be able to have questions answered here in order to enjoy the hobby- and restore these items as accurately as possible to how they once were used. Thanks again. Steve B. Posted Wednesday, June 3, 2015 by Steve B.

 Q2967 Glass Shades RR?  I was wondering if anyone has ever seen these type of glass shades? Any info would be greatly appreciated. I picked these up in the Pacific Northwest just because they were so unique. Thank you,   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Wednesday, May 27, 2015 by Richard    Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Those are porch light globes made to resemble a lantern. In the mid to late 1900s, I'd say up through the 1970s, there were numerous porch light globes made to look somewhat like railroad lanterns. Today it is hard to imagine the impact railroading had on day to day American life. Railroads employed thousands of people and tracks and yards were everywhere. Everyone knew multiple people who worked for the railroad and the railroad hand lantern was a well known image of railroading and an integral part of American life. -- Your globes are meant to go on a wall mounted fixture where the bulb would be horizontal rather than a ceiling mounted fixture. The globe on the right in the photo is shown upside down to how it would be fitted in a fixture; the large crown like portion of the globe would be positioned at the top when mounted. -- Though highly stylized, the cast bird cage frame around the globe suggests a strong railroad lantern influence in the design. ---- .... Red Beard  Posted Thursday, May 28, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

 Q2966 Adlake Square Top Switch Lamp  Is there a model number associated with the Adlake Square Top Round Bottom Fork Mount Switch Lamp? It has 2 amber and 2 green 4 1/2 inch lenses and 2 yellow targets. I've seen where the same switch lamp with a cast iron post mount is called a 1112 switch lamp but cannot find what the round bottom fork mount is labeled as. Thank you for taking the time to reply to my query.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Wednesday, May 27, 2015 by RL   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. For comparison, in the 1907 Adlake catalog in the archives here on the site (see Link 1), the equivalent lamp is a "No. 169 Pressed Steel Switch Lamp" and they just add "arranged for fork" or "arranged for spring bottom socket base" to the No. 169 description. The "No. 169 1/2" adds the day targets. The No. 169 lamps have the flared base similar to yours. But the No. 169 has a round, not square top. By the 1940 catalog showing the No. 1112, and 1112.5 lamps,(in Link 2)there is no reference to fork mount lamps at all, and the lamps do not have the flared base. Also, in Barrett's Encyclopedia of RR Lighting, Vol. 2, there is no reference to Adlake switch lamps having fork mounts anytime after the No. 169. Things always got mixed and matched in the course of RR service; maybe somebody put a No. 1112 top section on a No. 169 body, or maybe Adlake adapted the No. 169 design sometime between 1907 and 1940 possibly for a special order. Link 1  Link 2  Posted Wednesday, May 27, 2015 by RJMc

A. Somewhere I have found a model number for the Adlake Square Top, Round Base, Fork Mount lamps. ..possibly buried in one of the almost three thousand questions on this site. Due to several computer crashes over the years I’ve managed to lose it; But, there was a model number for these. – the lamp in this question is a standard S.P. switch lamp; and they had thousands of them. The Union Pacific used the same identical lamp as well; though the U.P. used red and green 4.5 inch lenses. (the U.P. never used any yellow lenses in switch lamps, whether mail line or yard, and to date I have never seen a verified as original configuration SP lamp with red lenses in it.) The Western Pacific and Northern Pacific used this style lamp as well, though they used 5 3/8 inch yellow lenses and 5 inch greens. WP & NP also had a majority of Round Top, Round Base lamps, however, as did the UP & SP – Square Top ventilation lamps were introduced in the mid-1920s and the Round Top lamps were discontinued in favor of the supposedly superior ventilation of the Square Top, four sided baffle box. The square baffle box was certainly more durable and much easier to remove and clean than the perforated cone in the old Round Top lamps, which were difficult to remove due to the tab & button locking mechanism on the cone. The cones were also easy to crush during removal. – However, for some reason, the U.P. and the S.P. Had a preference for the round top design. Up until the end of kerosene switch lamps on those roads in the early 1970s, U.P. and S.P. yards were loaded with the old Round Top lamps. In all the railfanning and photo searches I’ve done, I saw fewer than 10% Square Top lamps on those two roads. Many U.P. yards I saw in the 1960s had no Square Top lamps! This leads me to believe that Adlake continued to make the Round Top, Round Base lamps for the U.P. , and maybe the S.P. too, for some time past their general discontinuance in the catalogs; for just from attrition and replacement, there should have been a much larger percentage of the Square Top lamp out in the yards, considering it was introduced in the mid-‘20s, and over the next 40 years more of them would have been purchased to replace worn out and damaged Round Tops. Either way the Square Top, Round Base lamp was a stock item, and not cobbled together from parts. The one and only that I have was “acquired” in about 1969 and was in near mint, right out of the box, condition. Of interest; it was a Derail Lamp with Green and Purple lenses. I wish I could say more about the W.P and N.P. lamps, but all the knowledge I have of them is from photos. The N.P. did have large numbers of the older Round Top, Round Base, fork mount lamps late into the last years of lamps though. – Another oddity is the standard Great Northern switch lamp. It was a modified Adlake No. 1307 Square Top, cylindrical body lamp. (LINK 1 for standard 1307 lamp) It had no cast base, but rather had the Fork Mount tubes running up inside of the cylindrical body, …BUT, the preexisting dimensions of the fork mount were just wide enough that the body had to have slits cut into it to accommodate the needed wide spacing of the tubes, so about a third of the fork tube bulged out past the cylindrical wall of the body, creating a vertical ridge on either side of the lamp!! -- Additionally of interest; the fork prongs on the N.P. and G.N. switch stands were several inches longer than the S.P. and U.P. ones. As a result, the fork tubes on the G.N. and N.P. lamps are equivalently longer. On the N.P. lamps, the tubes are so long, that they protrude up into the spherical portion of the lamp body; whereas on the U.P. and S.P. lamps, the tubes stop well below the spherical section! ---- …. Red Beard Link 1  Posted Wednesday, May 27, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. SEE Q1402 for a good photo of a GN Fork Mount lamp Posted Thursday, May 28, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. -- Additional Note on the G.N. Lamps: a stock 1307 lamp has a sliding side door. The G.N. lamps did not, rather having a hinged lid. It's not possible to engineer a sliding side door with the fork tubes inside of the lamp body and still have clear access for the oil fount to slide in and out! The fount had to be removed through the top of the lamp. They still used the No. 28 oil fount, minus the guide wings that normally hold the fount in place. The fit between the rounded ends on the No. 28 fount and the sides of the lamp body are extremely close tolerance making it a very tight fit. This made for a real tough task of removing and replacing the fount when it needed to be refilled. You pretty much have to wiggle the fount the whole way up and out of the lamp; a real knuckle buster of a process!! ---- .... Red Beard Posted Thursday, May 28, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. Hello Red ,in your nice switchlamp article you mention that you have not seen a verifiable SP switchlamp with red lenses in it.That begs the question of what color they used in these lamps to indicate when a mainline switch was open ? Being retired from the industry,my curiosity is up on this one.One more question...did the SP actually mark their switchlamps ? Their marker lamps were marked in most cases.Explain to us please.DJB Posted Friday, May 29, 2015 by DJB

 Q2965 Dressel Platform Lamp  I have what appears to be Dressel Platform or Caboose lamp. The lamp is 20 in. tall. It has 4 glass lenses: 3 yellow 1 red 5 in. diameter. It is electric as it has a sliding door that opens to the bulb and is marked Ul ESS. The glass has a Corning sticker on it that says AAR spec 69-40. Can you tell me anything about this lamp? Thank You,  [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Tuesday, May 26, 2015 by SL   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. yep thats a caboose marker lamp all right somebody took out the fuel font and burner and put a elec light in it.the railroad did not not use electric marker lamps back then in the good old days.  Posted Tuesday, May 26, 2015 by mj

A.  SL: Electric Marker Lamps date back to about the 1920s. Steam engines from that period onward had electric generators and some tenders began being equipped with electric sockets by the marker brackets so electrified markers could be used. By the 1930s, new streamlined and lighter weight passenger cars were being produced and they were built with internal electric systems powered by axle driven generators and sizable battery boxes to run the electric system when the cars weren’t moving. This made it possible to place outlets by the marker brackets on these cars too, so they could make use of electric markers as well. In the 1960s, many railroads began electrifying cabooses with axle driven generators and battery boxes; again making use of electric markers possible. In spite of these innovations over the years, many tenders and passenger cars never got electric sockets for markers; meaning that they still had to use kerosene markers. Electrified cabooses almost always were also wired for electric markers. Kerosene markers were manufactured and used up until the end of removable, externally mounted markers in the late 1960s or early 1970s. – Railroads were known for being very frugal. As electrified equipment became more prevalent, railroads converted many old kerosene marker lamps to electric by retro fitting the lamp with a porcelain or “Bakelite” (phenol formaldehyde resin) bulb socket, usually mounted to a homemade wooden base shaped to tightly fit where the original kerosene pot had been. – Your lamp has been repainted at some point, as the underside of the smoke cap is clean. That fact could indicate that the lamp might have been converted to electric by the railroad; as it would have been repainted by the railroad shop at the time of electrification! The cord that is showing in the photo is common modern lamp cord; that feature clearly indicates that a post railroad owner has at least replaced the cord. A railroad service cord would have been a thick black rubber coated cord nearly a half inch in diameter. – Look at the hole in the bottom of the lamp for the cord. If it is just barely large enough for the existing lamp cord, it was electrified by someone since it left the railroad. On the other hand; if the hole is a good, cleanly punched hole of at least a half inch in diameter, it may have been converted by the railroad. Other clues would be if there is any sort of heavy metal fitting in the bottom of the lamp that the cord passes through, and if the above mentioned wood base and industrial grade bulb socket are present. Those would indicate that the railroad did the conversion. Many eastern roads painted their markers yellow and also used the 3 yellow, 1 red lens arrangement. ---- …. Red Beard  Posted Wednesday, May 27, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

 Q2964 Lamp Info Needed  Can you please provide type, i.e., railroad and date range of use of this lamp? It is about 5.5 wide X 4.5 deep X 9.5 tall to top of chimney and 12.75 to top of bail. The name plate on the fuel vessel is: Romer & Co, Newark NJ. The burner is marked: Pat March 1864 on one side, the other marked CONVEX. Sheet metal painted black body, black painted brass glass bezel/frame, tinned reflector within. Back has a wide belt hook attached. Yes, the original (I think) glass is cracked. Thank you for your time and help.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Friday, May 22, 2015 by JM   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. This looks to small for rr,more likely steam tractor. Posted Sunday, May 24, 2015 by BK

A. Steam tractor, interesting; why not? My early searches seem to always reference Romer & Co associated with railroads. So, I assumed that this was the context for this lantern. Posted Sunday, May 24, 2015 by JM

A.  Charles Romer was a prolific manufacturer of railroad and express locks in Newark from the 1860s until after the turn of the century. He is listed for one year, 1861, in the Newark city directory as both a lock and lamp manufacturer under the company name Romer & Hover. As Romer & Company, his advertising in the Newark city directories reflects the manufacturer of various types of locks as well as brass trim and hardware until the mid 1880s when he again is listed as manufacturing both railroad and signal lanterns as well as dash, carriage and bicycle lamps. He was definitely a padlock manufacturer but whether his company truly made lanterns and lamps as he advertised is somewhat unclear. It's possible they were made by another manufacturer for resale by Romer.  Posted Monday, May 25, 2015 by MG

A. MG, great information. Makes much sense from a business perspective to "diversify". Potentially the Pat March 1864 could have been his or licensed for use in his lanterns or contracted. So, any info available as to when he offered a lantern of this type in his inventory? Posted Monday, May 25, 2015 by JM

A.  I have not seen a Romer catalog, probably rarer than the lanterns & lamps. Going by their advertisements in the Newark city directories it would seem that they sold lamps from about 1883 or so up through the 1891 directory.  Posted Monday, May 25, 2015 by MG

A. MG's reply above mentions "dash lamps". This refers to the original meaning of 'dashboard' which Merriam Webster explains as "a screen on the front of a usually horse-drawn vehicle to intercept water, mud, or snow"; term first used in 1842. It came to mean just the front board of vehicles. So dash lamps were used to light the way forward at night; they often had a spring clamp arrangement or what you have aptly called a 'belt hook' to clip onto the vehicle since there were no fixed brackets. The "dashboard" term migrated from wagons and carriages over to early automobiles, as well as horse cars and then electric street cars; usually keeping the same kinds of hangers. So I suspect you have a dash lamp -- possibly used on a wagon or carriage, or an early automobile, or maybe for a horsecar or a streetcar. Really no way to tell since the applications were so similar.  Posted Tuesday, May 26, 2015 by RJMc

A. RJMc, Thank you for the definitions and possibilities for use. So many times, myself included, we "want" to substantiate a given application, time period or use. I have collected Civil War things for decades, but, not so much anymore. Taking so many collecting "side trips" is invigorating in that I'll revisit my existing and suddenly see that a given item fits as well within other categories other than Civil War. I suddenly feel a bit stupid, embarrassed and enlightened to once again see the trees in the forest. Posted Wednesday, May 27, 2015 by JM

 Q2963 Case Iron Base  Does anyone have any ideas as to where this may of came from? I found it in an estate of a man who worked for Santa fe and brought home a lot of parts and pieces of passenger cars, several of which I have posted here for identification. I have one more. It's some sort of base about a foot wide and has R1630 embossed on it. From the font it looks older to me. The pipe sitting next to it screws in to the center. Any ideas or help on this obscure piece would be appreciated. Thanks   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Friday, May 15, 2015 by Nick    Post a Reply  Email a reply

 Q2962 Car Lights?  I was told these came off of a passenger car and were overhead lighting. The white tubes are milk glass white. Just curious if anyone has seen these before and know about what years they might of been in use if they are actually from a train car? Thanks for any help.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Friday, May 15, 2015 by Nick   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. A quick look says 'Yes,' from a passenger car. Probably from alongside or above a bathroom mirror in a sleeping car. I will look further for more detailed info.  Posted Sunday, May 17, 2015 by RJMc

A. Thanks for the response. I could see them being by a bathroom mirror. Thanks  Posted Saturday, May 30, 2015 by nick

 Q2959 Pyle Marker Light Marking  Does anybody know what the marking MLM-2X means on the small cannonball style Pyle caboose marker lights? Thanks.  Posted Saturday, May 9, 2015 by RT   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. from pyle national company bulletin no 1254-e date may, 10 1958 mlm stands for midget marker lights. this is in one of there catlogs Posted Monday, May 11, 2015 by mj

 Q2958 Lantern Marking  I have a railroad Lantern with the letters LRY&NCO on the top edge. I cannot find the railroad information. Can you send me in the right direction and how rare the Lantern is?  Posted Thursday, May 7, 2015 by RO   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Louisiana Railway & Navigation Company Posted Thursday, May 7, 2015 by MG

A. In operation 1903 - 1929 Posted Saturday, May 9, 2015 by DA

 Q2956   I purchased a lantern, marked 'The Adams', made by The Adams & Westlake Company - Chicago today. N.&W.R.R. is embossed on the top of the ventilator and in the glass globe. Also embossed further down the ventilator is the following (of what I think I can identify): June 21 '82 Aug 16 '92 Sept 2 '97 Nov 30 '97. There seem to be more dates beginning with EST, but they are very hard to read. I was wondering if you could positively date this? I'm thinking 1897, as that is the last year shown (to the best of my eyesight). Also, is there any way to open this up so I can clean the inside of the globe and burner? I have been able to soak some of the 'trash' out of it, but not all. The metal is rusted. My mother's father (my grandfather) worked on the N&W until 1945, when he had a stroke and had to stop working. I'd be very grateful for any information you could provide. Thank you in advance!   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, May 3, 2015 by skibear42   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. There should be a mall wire latch under the lid. Push it and the lid will release and open for globe removal. Tall globe lantern were generally made up util about 1917. Pat dates only show when pat. not when made, Posted Sunday, May 3, 2015 by BK

A. The Link below will take you to the Archives part of this website, which reproduces part of the 1907 Adams and Westlake catalog. It shows the "No. 11 Adams Steel Guard, Inside Wick Raiser" lantern, which looks to be pretty close to your lantern. There are two ways to open up the lantern: the small wire loop mentioned by BK shows up very well in the illustration in the Link; it hangs just below the brim at the front of the lantern in the illustration. Pushing that wire loop will allow the top to flip up so that you can lift the globe out. The bottom comes off by twisting it off. To release it, you have to pulling out on the spring steel latch which is about 1/2" high and wraps most of the way around the bottom. It locks over a peg. Usually (if things aren't too stuck together with rust, crud, etc) pulling out on the latch will allow you to twist the bottom part, moving the peg to a slot that will let the bottom -- including the whole burner assembly -- drop out of the bottom of the lantern. This operation will likely be somewhat tricky with a rusted old lantern; it is likely to be all stuck together and very uncooperative. I would advise finding somebody familiar with lanterns to help you with it the first time you try it.....good luck with it.  Link 1  Posted Monday, May 4, 2015 by RJMc

 Q2955 Dressel Railroad Lantern  Hello, I am looking to find out about a RR lantern. I checked with another website and was given the following info and suggestion to contact your website. Thanks for any info you can provide.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Saturday, May 2, 2015 by RL   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. This is a crossing gate lantern that had 2 red lenses. The extended shades are so the engineer of an approaching train does not see a red light and have to stop. Posted Sunday, May 3, 2015 by BK

A. this is not a crossing gate lamp its a train order lamp crossing gate lamps have 4 lenses 2 red and 2 clear  Posted Tuesday, May 19, 2015 by mj

A. Dressel did make 2 lens versions of crossing gate lamps. Ignoring the current lens color, this has the classic look of a two-lens crossing gate lamp. With the extended hoods, as BK mentioned, even more so. The questionable items are the wire bail without a mounting loop (though this could be a replacement bail) and that area under the lens that looks like a mounting sleeve (though it seems too small). If I had to make a decision, I'd say crossing gate lamp (that should have red lenses). But that bail and mounting sleeve thingy make me wonder...  Posted Tuesday, May 26, 2015 by JeffPo

 Q2954 Pyle Marker Lights  Does anybody know when Pyle started making these cannonball style caboose lights? Were they every used on passenger cars? How can you tell how old these are? Thanks.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Wednesday, April 29, 2015 by RT   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Hello. These are usually called 'Cat's Eye' markers. They were used beginning about the 1960's, and were definitely used on passenger cars as well as cabooses and locomotives until Federal law required brighter markers in 1977. Enter Q no's 2704, 2668, and 2355 in the 'By Q No.' box to see lots more description on these.  Posted Thursday, April 30, 2015 by RJMc

A. In the early 1970's Westerm Maryland RR had only one coach, for company service and excursions, but it always looked very distinguished with the cat's eye markers as clearly shown in the Link. Link 1  Posted Thursday, April 30, 2015 by RJMc

A. See the Link for another nice pic, this one in 1977 of the (original) Auto Train office car AT1, also with the cat's eye markers. By the 1960's and 1970's on most RR's there were no longer any requirements to change marker colors (just red) and there were onbobard electrical systems with inside switches to turn them on and off, so on most cabooses and psgr cars these were mounted and seldom removed from the car.  Link 1  Posted Thursday, April 30, 2015 by RJMc

A. these marker lights were made in the 1950s and vary early 1960s by pyle national company they had patends on the gyralite warning light for locomotives, cab light fixturs. classification lamps,marker lamps.and locomotive backup lamps. they were all being produced during this era 1950s. trans-lite purchased the pyle national company line of railroad lighting products in 1963 and still made this light but it did not say pyle on the top of the light it was blank. pyle did not incluaed the gyralite in the take over. Posted Thursday, April 30, 2015 by mj

 Q2946 Small Marker Lights?  I found these lights in my dads barn 15 years ago. I'm having difficulty finding anything close to them. Could you please help me? No name. 'KD27'.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Monday, April 13, 2015 by NK   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. These may also be automotive. Perhaps this was the manufacturer:  Link 1  Posted Wednesday, April 15, 2015 by JFR

A.  KD Lamp Company from Cincinnatti still makes a line of vintage truck clearance lights that are reproductions of their old models. I have not seen this particular model yet, but it is possible that these are not as old as you might think. Posted Friday, April 17, 2015 by KM

 Q2945 Dietz #3 Lantern  I recently acquired this conductors lantern. Sadly there is no globe. Any suggestions on measurements so I can find one? Also, any suggestions on cleaning it up? Products that work? Thank you so much.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, April 12, 2015 by Hope   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Hello: I'm not sure what the measurements may be, but as far as cleaning, click the link. Link 1  Posted Monday, April 13, 2015 by XX

A.  I think that the globe size is (Ht.) 4.75" X (top) 2.25" X (Btm) 2.5" X (Bulge) 3.75". A replacement globe is available from W.T. Kirkman Co. at lanternnet.com. Give them a call and make sure of this info. The replacement globe which is their number WT 203 is not cheap, but you will have a hard time finding an original globe for this somewhat rare lantern. Kirkman also has the globe retainer available if you need it. For some reason I can't copy the direct links to their page right now.  Posted Monday, April 13, 2015 by KM

 Q2944 Torches  I have 2 different cast iron torches marked PRR. One is a Dayton. The other one is marked CMT. The CMT is cast like a logo or trademark. Looking for some info, especially who the manufacturer was. Thanks.  Posted Sunday, April 12, 2015 by Steve    Post a Reply  Email a reply

 Q2942 Railway SIgnal Lamp  Please can you help me identify this lamp i.e what country and what year you may think it may be? The lamp opens from the top and has a red lens and clear lens both glass. I bought this from a local charity shop in the UK so I am presuming it is British? Regards,   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Wednesday, April 8, 2015 by Tony in UK   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Your lamp is, indeed, British. It is a Southern Railway brake van (i.e. caboose) side lamp. These were similar to caboose marker lamps, but were only used on "unfitted" freight trains, that is, trains where the wagons (cars) were not fitted with vacuum or air brakes, an arrangement which survived in the UK until the 1980s. They would be attached to either side of the rear brake van, red lens facing to the rear, clear towards the locomotive. In addition, a similar lamp with a red lens only would be attached to the centre rear of the van. Posted Thursday, April 9, 2015 by JAJ

 Q2941 Lamp ID Needed  I was wondering if you had seen anything like this before and could tell me what it is. I got this from my father many years ago and have looked everywhere to find out what it is. I found lots of lanterns but none with the angled spout. I have sent these picture to many other railroad sites and they have never seen anything like it. They all recommended contacting you. Can you let me know what it is? Thank You   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Wednesday, April 8, 2015 by Miles   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Hello, I believe this to be one of a pair of marine binnacle lamps that lit a ships compass from underneath. An unusual arrangement due to the angle. Most cast light from the side or downward. The brass construction is another " marine" clue. Posted Thursday, April 9, 2015 by GaryP

 Q2933 Dietz Vesta Restoration  I am restoring a Dietz Vesta lantern that had a heavy coat of gray paint on it. After the paint was removed, there was quite a bit of rust pitting on a large portion of the lantern and I could see why it might have been painted. Should I leave it as is or is there a silver paint that might look good? Any help is appreciated and thank you.  Posted Friday, March 27, 2015 by RD   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. You can try stripping off the rust using the Lye and hot water process. Use a plastic pail, fill with hot water as hot as it can get from the tap, take your lantern apart as much as possible removing globe of course and pot and burner and globe retainer and spring. Place the lantern and any rusty metal parts in the bucket of hot water and slowly add lye and stir with wooden spoon. Let soak for up to an hour. Don't burn your hands! Remove, rinse and use a brillo pad and soap and cold water. This strips the rust off and you should see 'clean' relatively bright metal. You can improve further by lightly buffing with WD-40 and extra fine steel wool. But be careful- if the rust is very deep this could leave small holes in the lantern but only if the rust is extensive. If that's the case, leave the rust, and your lantern will have to look like a well-used piece instead. I've fixed up many lanterns using this process. Posted Saturday, March 28, 2015 by Steve B.

A. If after all this cleaning you should decide to paint and don't like a silvery finish, an alternative is cold spray galvanize available at a welding supply. Posted Sunday, March 29, 2015 by DC

 Q2931 Tubular Lantern used on RR  I have a question regarding one of the lanterns I just found in the garage. It looks identical to the Defiance 'Perfect' N0 O. Lantern, however only has 'made in USA' on top cover; and 'N0 O. Tubular' on tank base. There is no manufacturer name anywhere. Is this one of Embury's lanterns he manufactured shortly after leaving Defiance?? My late father told us that he got it while working for railroad repairing tracks one summer back in the 1940's around Pittsburgh, Pa. Just would like to know who made it when someone asks, thank you, keep up the good work.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Tuesday, March 24, 2015 by GK   Post a Reply  Email a reply

 Q2930 Semaphore  In reference to a semaphore signal, what is a spectacle casting?  Posted Monday, March 23, 2015 by CH   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Hi CH,The spectacle casting on a semaphore signal is the part that actually holds the lens openings,lens and lense holders.In many cases its not even a casting.Its usually a piece of heavy stamped sheet steel that's bolted or riveted to an actual heavy casting.This casting is really a counterweight arm that causes the complete arm assembly,blade and lenses to fall by gravity when electrical energy is removed from the motor mechanism latch.I can go on with this subject but this should give you some idea to what you are asking about.DJB signal dep't retired. Posted Tuesday, March 24, 2015 by DJB

A. DJB, many thanks.  Posted Tuesday, March 24, 2015 by CH

 Q2925 Lamp Info Needed  I wonder if you could help me identify a railroad lamp which I acquired recently? It's quite heavy. I think it is very rare over here in England. Thanks.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, March 22, 2015 by JN   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. It's a British railway lamp for illuminating temporary speed restrictions. Where a speed restriction was imposed due to track ("permanent way" = "p/way") work, or the poor condition of the track, 3 temporary signs were placed; the first, showing the maximum speed in m.p.h. also carried a yellow fishtail shaped "caution" signal board, the second, a letter "C" (commencement) and the third, at the end of the restricted section, a letter "T" (termination). These were painted on translucent glass (later perspex) plates which fitted in the slots on the front of the lamp. This system was used until about 1990, when it was replaced by more modern battery operated equipment. "Havant", as marked on this lamp, is a town near Portsmouth, in Hampshire. I'm afraid that these lamps are not particularly rare, though they are not widely collected as they are relatively modern. Perhaps "unusual" would be more appropriate.  Posted Sunday, March 22, 2015 by JAJ

 Q2924 Dressel Erie Lantern  Just bought a Dressel Lantern with an embossed 'diamond E' logo on the lid as well as an etched 'diamond E' on the clear globe. Did Erie mark their lanterns with the diamond logo? Thanks.  Posted Wednesday, March 18, 2015 by Al   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. The Erie had several markings. They used the "diamond E", "ERIE" and "ERR". I have a Dressel and an Armspear, both with the diamond E.  Posted Thursday, March 19, 2015 by JN

A. I have an Armspear 1925 with the above mentioned "ERIE" in raised letters on the lid Posted Monday, March 23, 2015 by WC

 Q2923 Brass Genesy Electric Lantern  I recently purchased a brass Genesy Electric Lantern Co. K. C. , MO. Barrel-shaped body ( 1920's). This would be the style with a magnifying lens below the light bulb and a slide switch on the side of the body. What makes the one I purchased interesting is there is NO threaded hole on the bottom for a bulb (solid bottom) and NO evidence of four prongs where the lens would have been attached. Also, the switch is riveted to the body and does NOT move. Could this be a lantern that left the factory by mistake? The attachment is the nickel-plated brass model complete with bulb and lens.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Tuesday, March 17, 2015 by KFK   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. It appears to be heavily and very attractively plated, and in very good condition. Another thought is its a demonstrator or display model of some kind; but you would think the best demo would be turning on the light. Or maybe a first prototype? If you have a working one of these, do the holes for the bulb appear to be drilled into the case? That could indicate an incomplete unit taken off the assembly line before being finished, but the immovable switch does not support that theory.  Posted Wednesday, March 18, 2015 by RJMc

 Q2922 Kero Fuel?  I sent an Email to Adams and Westlake about the right fuel to use [in a Kero lantern]. Eric said none of the lanterns burn kerosene but to use lamp oil. All the lamp oil products I see on-line are paraffin based, some up to 99% paraffin. In the Railroadiana readings it says many times that Kerosene is the best lantern fuel and was the historic fuel. Do you have a kerosene fuel brand or source that you can recommend? I see the flash point should be above 140' F. I am in Minnesota near Minneapolis, St Paul. A local farm store here in MN has a clear, K-1 Kerosene but it is a mixture of Paraffinic, Olefinic, Naphthenic and Aromatic Hydrocarbon. Know anything about that Paraffinic?  Posted Friday, March 13, 2015 by Kelvin   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. This was taken Kirkman Lanterns web site. See link Always use 150 degree kerosene, or regular lamp oil for best results. 7. Never use gasoline, paint thinner, Coleman fuel, or any other explosive oil with a wick. 8. Avoid using colored or tinted oils as they will gum the wick. 7. Paraffin oil should not be used with 7/8" or larger wick due to the difference in viscosity. (Paraffin burns with a 50% reduction in light output.)  Link 1  Posted Friday, March 13, 2015 by JL

A. How I long for the days when you could go to the filling station and get old K2 yellow kerosene (referred by many as "coal oil" because it actually had a coal-like smell) and pay 25% less for it than a gallon of gas. Now it's more expensive than gas and is the clear K1 often used for heating in small home heaters. I do buy a couple of gallons of the new stuff every now and then to keep my outdoor switch lamp and hand lantern lit but I usually have to bear the brunt of some smart alec counter clerk saying, "That ain't gonna' keep you warm very long." I just tell them I'm going to start a brush pile on fire and that seems to satisfy their pesky need to know why I'm not buying five gallons at a time. Out at my in laws old farm, I did find a 35 gallon barrel mounted sideway on a rack that hadn't been touched for 50 years. It was used by my wife's grandfather when he still used kerosene lamps. I drain off a couple of inches of water that had formed from condensation over the eons of time and then drew off a gallon of the old stuff and used it in some lamps at home. It sputtered a bit at firs but then settled into the dull yellow flame so well know if lamps and lanterns of times past. Sorry to ramble like an old timer but that's my two cents worth on the subject of kerosene and lamp oil issuesl. Posted Saturday, March 14, 2015 by TE

A.  I'm pleased to hear that Adlake actually answered your email. Adlake has had a history of ignoring hobbyists; largely because they have been deluged with lengthy questions from people who will never be customers, about products they no longer make. - Unfortunately, the personnel at Adlake know very little about their historic product line. -- In a litigious society, they may be cautious about recommending Kerosene for lamps/lanterns to be burned indoors. -- Something to know about Kerosene!, ...once you've burned Kerosene in a lamp or lantern you will NEVER get all of that smell out!!, ..even if you burn lamp oil in it, it will still smell a bit like Kerosene for years, if not forever. -- Some people can't stand the smell of Kerosene in the house (wives especially!!) -- Sterno Candlelamp Softlight Lamp Oil is a very good product. It burns bright white and has no discernible odor, BUT it will make an old Kerosene lamp smell from reheating the old Kerosene residue. -- You will have to hunt for a restaurant supply company that sells the Sterno Oil; by the gallon it is $20 - $30 but worth it as it is so clean and odor free. -- Don't worry about any Lamp Oil gumming up your wick; wicks are cheap and easy to replace if it does gum up. You’re not going to burn it all that many hours over a year’s time anyway. You can also take the wick out of the lamp and hand wash it to get the gumming out of it. ..take the wick out of the lamp/lantern, soak it overnight with WD-40, then hand wash with lots of liquid dish detergent, rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse several times and dry outside in the warm sun. Wick should work just fine again. K-1 Kerosene from your Farm Supply will work just fine in your lantern, but it will smell. Petro Chemistry has its own language and "paraffin" & "parafinnic" have lots of meanings; far to technical to go into here; Google it if you want in depth information. Kerosene is actually a mixture of about ten different hydrocarbons and the exact combination can vary slightly and still be considered Kerosene. Paraffinic, Olefinic, Naphthenic and Aromatic Hydrocarbons are all legitimate components of Kerosene. We really do live in the age of "TMI", and that label is a good example. -- Go to your local small airport and see if they will sell you a gallon of Jet Fuel (NOT Aviation Fuel, which is gasoline) Jet Fuel is some of the best Kerosene you can buy, and usually cheaper than at the hardware store! ..just make sure it does not have any dye in it. ---- .... Red Beard Posted Saturday, March 14, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. K1 kerosene will work fine, and is probably the best fuel for the lantern. However, my wife complained about the smell of kerosene, so I switched to Ultra Pure lamp oil. Definitely wasn't as bright as kerosene, but worked fine for my purposes. And that worked great until my local Walmart quit selling the Ultra Pure stuff. Now I burn regular lamp oil. A bit more smell than the Ultra Pure stuff, but not as smelly as the kerosene. Hey TE, tell me about your "outdoor switch lamp". How do you have it mounted, and how often do you burn it? I've been thinking about putting one outside, but I worry about thieves.  Posted Monday, March 16, 2015 by JeffPo

A. JeffPo: If you go to the 'featured' section on the home page of this site [see link below], you'll see it pictured about half way down page three. There's probably a better way to mount it but I'm in an area where theft is minimal--at least for something like that-- so I took a landscape timber from the lumber yard (i.e., a few dollars) and had them cut it in 4 pieces of slightly different lengths. Then I nailed those together in a cluster of varying heights and anchored it in a hole dug with a pair post hole diggers. Then I marked off the four footed base of the lamp, on the top of the tallest post and sawed horizontally down an inch or so in all the various directions of the marking and finally chiseled that out. If you look close or enlarge the picture, you see that I merely used large, U-shaped fence staples from a farm store and hammered them over each of the four leg protrusions. A bit crude but it's stable. When this picture was posted, it had been there about 23 years and now it's around 27 years or 28. Time passes. It's burned constantly day and night all that time except when I'm gone on vacation and it will run out of fuel. I go through about a gallon of K1 a month and refill it every 4 to five days but it's never empty at that time. I do replace the wick about once every year to 18 months. Technically, I should replace the wick sooner even though it's still long enough but they aren't the easiest thing to axquire, other than going onto Ebay and getting a packet of them. I think Kirkman sells them for a couple of bucks a piece but I have not bought from them. I just enjoy seeing it lit at night and know that it's still functioning in the way it was suppose to. Hard to tell how old this model is at least as to when it was manufactured. Adlake made most of their models for a long time. This one did come off the railroad in the early 70's. I do know that for sure. Admittedly, burning K1 in the house or an enclosed area would still be somewhat strong. You should have smelled old K2. Whew! Actually, some of the older hand lanterns burned lard oil. That would have been something to keep thin in cold weather. TE  Link 1  Posted Monday, March 16, 2015 by TE

A. TE: Thanks for the description and link. That looks pretty neat. If I ever get around to doing some landscaping (we have no bushes, trees, or anything), I think I'm going to attempt something similar. Would love to have something in the backyard, glowing through the night. I do have several hand lanterns hanging in my screened back porch, but I only light them when we're out there. I like the idea of keeping a lamp going. Posted Wednesday, April 22, 2015 by JeffPo

 Q2920 Soldering Lanterns  I have a couple Dietz Vesta lanterns that need some minor soldering repairs. I have tried different solders, used flux, a propane torch and a soldering gun, but the solder just rolls off the lantern and doesn't stick. What am I doing wrong? Thanks for your help.  Posted Wednesday, March 11, 2015 by RD   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Could be either too much heat or or not clean enough. Posted Wednesday, March 11, 2015 by BK

A. Sometimes people put clear lacquer on lanterns to keep them shiny. Most of the clear coatings would resist soldering and are also electrical insulators. Some of the newer epoxies and urethane coatings will stand up even to propane torches, so you might not be putting the solder onto the actual metal. A good test would be an electrical continuity tester (even the very cheap digital meters will do this). So if you get good electrical conductivity, chances are you are working with the actual metal surface and it should solder (unless somehow you got one made of stainless steel, very unlikely). Posted Saturday, March 14, 2015 by RJMc

A. As a further comment, what kind of flux(es) did you try? Almost all electrical-type fluxes these days are rosin-based, or synthetic rosin base, are intended for copper and copper-based work, and are unlikely to do much good on plain steel or tin-coated steel. Traditionally, soldering of tinware was done with a flux of solid block 'sal ammoniac' which is the commercial name for ammonium chloride, and you put the hot tip of your solid-copper soldering iron onto the solid block and then applied the tip to the work, only then applying the plain, no-flux solder which was usually 50/50 lead/tin plumber's solder (mostly because that's cheaper; the 60/40 or 62/38 solders melt at lower temperatures and tend to flow better, and will work OK for what you are trying to do). Sal ammoniac is probably hard to find now. Zinc chloride-based liquid or paste fluxes are more commonly available than sal ammoniac and are likely to do a good job on tinware -- look for them in the plumbing departments of the big box or hardware stores. See if this approach improves things. Posted Monday, March 16, 2015 by RJMc

 Q2916 Lamp Info Needed  I am seeking some help identifying a railroad signal lamp that I bought several years ago from a man whose farther worked for the P.R.R. in New Jersey in the early 1900's I have not been able find one like it. The only markings I can find are some numbers on the top that read 11729. There is also a spot on the bottom that looks like there was some kind of identifying plate that is missing. Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, March 5, 2015 by WR   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. These are steam locomotive classification lamps that normally have red and white (clear) lenses Posted Thursday, March 5, 2015 by BK

A. WR, would you kindly send in a photo of the inside of that lamp. I'm particularly interested in what that square knob on top does, thanks. ---- .... Red Beard Posted Saturday, March 7, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

 Q2911 Vesta Lantern Number?  I have a 1923 BOSTON & MAINE Dietz Vesta lantern with the no. 17346 stamped on the top. Is the number a sequential number of that lantern for that year or something else?   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Friday, February 27, 2015 by PC   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Should have included this in the original question, the date on the lantern is s-1-23 so I doubt it's the sequential # of that year maybe the patent? Posted Saturday, February 28, 2015 by Phil

A. Yep knew about the date and plant, didn't know about the # thanks. Does the no. effect the value? Posted Saturday, February 28, 2015 by Phil

A.  The number is probably a railroad employee ID or inventory number. Given the haphazard job done on stamping the number in it was not done at the factory. I have Vestas from the NKP that have caboose numbers stamped into them. The S 1-23 means that the lantern was made in the Syracuse plant in January,1923. At that time Dietz had the Main plant in NYC, but I have never seen a Vesta that was made there, if they had it would have been stamped M (for Main) 1-23. Other models of Dietz lanterns were made at the Main plant and are stamped for that. Posted Saturday, February 28, 2015 by KM

 Q2908 Lantern ID Needed  I am a member of a team that is getting ready to open the Mississippi Coast Model Railroad Museum in Bulfport MS. We aim to teach the history of railroads with models. One of the items that we have for display is a modern era railroad lantern that has CSX logo printed on it. The only readable label is 'model 29'. It has a foldable handle that the grip is off centered that would help to hold at an angle. If you can help us with the name of the manufacturer and about the time it would have been made it would be helpful. Thank you for your time.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Monday, February 23, 2015 by TB   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Usually these are made by "STAR" Lantern and Headlight Company. See if you can find their website. Posted Monday, February 23, 2015 by JN

A. JN nailed it! That's a genuine STAR lantern. I used one in the mid 1070s when I worked on the Union Pacific in Council Bluffs, Iowa. It's hard to say how old yours is; could be any where from 1986 (when CSX started) up to recent. The handle was originally symmetrical, but has been bent, likely by accident, not to make it easier to use, as those handles are very easy to grip in any position as originally made. One feature of those hoop handles was to be able to slip it over your forearm when you had to climb on equipment so you didn't drop it. Bending it would interfere with putting it on your arm and serve no useful purpose. DO NOT try to straighten it back to its original shape as it will likely break. The fact that the CSX lettering is well worn and the handle is bent indicates that it has had lots of use and likely was in service on the railroad, not sold as a souvenir. ---- .... Red Beard Posted Monday, February 23, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. oops, 1070 would have been about the time of the Norman Invasion, ...I worked on the U.P. in the 1970s (LOL) ---- .... Red Beard Posted Monday, February 23, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. As shown in the Link, your lantern looks like a Star Model 292R. Actually its one of the most modern of a long series of railroad lanterns, since it has the rechargeable battery and charger jack and has the newer halogen bulbs, indicating it is likely 10 years old at most. The older series of these lanterns used 6 Volt throw-away batteries and screw-in incandescent light bulbs. See prior Q's 2575, 2547, 2195, and 870 for more discussion about the batteries and bulbs for those older styles. Those older lights are commonly available. On your light, the battery access is by unscrewing the clear front from the yellow housing; as discussed in the prior Q's, on some of the older lamps there was a back cap that unscrewed or latched on. CAUTION: the rechargeable batteries for these have either acid or strong alkali corrosive electrolytes inside. If the battery in the lamp has leaked (although this happens much less with the rechargeable ones than with the older throw0awys), treat any left over powder or liquid material as corrosive and wash it away thoroughly to avoid skin damage. The rechargeable batteries do wear out after awhile, and they are replaceable (but fairly expensive.) This lantern can be part of an interesting display of how railroad technology has truly progressed; from kerosene lanterns, beginning with batteries in the the early 1900's, and now to LED's in the Space Age.  Link 1  Posted Monday, February 23, 2015 by RJMc

A.  This brings back memories of many miserable nights spent carrying one of these. The one I was issued in 1979 was orange with screw in 510 GE bulbs that we often changed out with 425s to get a brighter spot. They were more expensive, burned hotter and drained the batteries down twice as fast, so hot the bulbs formed a layer of carbon inside turning them dark. It had a thin, heat shrunk rubber grip that began to move on the tube after getting wet. I wrapped it heavily with bull dog tape to get a thicker grip similar to the modern version. Like the scan my first lantern also had a bulge to one side from having been dropped off a switch engine. In the mid 1980s I remember a resurgence of the Conger lanterns but the terminal companies I worked for quickly went back to the Star model that was then found mostly in yellow. It was basically the same lantern but had been modified with a thick rubber grip. I don't remember the exact year the model in the scan was adopted but I think we began to get them around 2000. Rechargeable batteries were available but we used the cheaper company issue heavy duty Rayovacs. One drawback with these is that the screw in bulbs were replaced with a flat round assembly that gave a better spot but which got knocked loose rather easily and would not reattach tight enough to stay afterward. Another was that the lanterns leaked in the rain, evidenced in the scan by the brown film inside the base assembly. About this time ergonomic handled lanterns with an excellent faceted spot became available from another company but they were quite expensive compared to the company issued Stars. This lantern model in the scan is the one I carried my last night shift upon retiring in 2012. By then the UP had started issuing the Starlite 292 with a light assembly that screws off in one piece, sporting several thin o-rings for moisture, and a dual switch controlling the spot and lateral LED light assemblies. This was known as the "ball of light" and could be seen for quite a distance. I had a couple but retired using old Sparky as the new ones were too nice to ruin. Posted Tuesday, February 24, 2015 by MG

A. MG; that's a great account! - Where were you on the UP? In the 1970s I was checking cars and writing train orders in Council Bluffs, occasionally picking up a few shifts as car checker in the yard next to the Omaha shops or in South Omaha by the stock yards (we used to call that part of town "Aromaha". ..of interest; the South Omaha yard office was a small shack right across the street from a "House of Ill Repute" that apparently offered delivery, ..we'd see a big black Cadillac shuttle girls in evening gowns back and forth all night!..great sport for the ranchers who had trucked their cattle to market in the "Big City" -- I had several Congers and liked the way they felt and worked; but if you dropped it wrong, it would bend the body or the cap, and then the thing wouldn't stay together any longer, the cap would keep popping off! For some reason I never did care for the orange plastic STAR I had (and still have). They just didn't feel right in my hand and I didn't think much of the spot either; liking the Congers much better (though I went through several due to corrosion or dropping). ---- .... Red Beard Posted Wednesday, February 25, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. Red Beard...Union Pacific took us over in 1996, worked as a switchman and RCO operator in Houston until retirement. Most of the time before that as a switchman with HB&T. I too liked the Conger lantern, a compact little jewel. I just hated to mess one up as they damaged fairly easy.  Posted Thursday, February 26, 2015 by MG

 Q2905 Kerosene Headlights  Can someone with a kerosene, round case headlight (preferably without number boards) post pictures of the side door and chimney? Thanks very much.  Posted Tuesday, February 17, 2015 by KO   Post a Reply  Email a reply

 Q2900 Poyard Lantern  I recently came across a very cool lantern and I was wondering if you would be able to help with any info. I’m not into RR items, but I am into antiques and lighting so this caught my eye. It’s a Poyard, French made and appears to be made for mounting right on a train or some type of RR equipment. It’s large and heavy, though it does have a hoop handle so you can carry it. It’s square and has 3 lenses and on the 4th side are 2 large, heavy duty 'C' hooks for mounting on a rail of some type. Any help is appreciated. I’ve found very little info on Poyard lanterns, though when I do it’s good news   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Monday, February 9, 2015 by AV   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. This lamp was made for the Chemin de Fer de l'Etat or State Railway. This company was created in the 1870s, to take over from the C.F.de l'Ouest, or Western Railway of France, when it went bankrupt. It became part of S.N.C.F., the French National Railway, in 1938. I think that it is a crossing or signal lamp and was probably used inside a larger outer case. Posted Tuesday, February 10, 2015 by JAJ

 Q2899 Green Fresnel Lenses  Does anyone know if the railroads ever used the TRUE green fresnels, not the color teal fresnel but actual green??? If so, what time period? Any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated!!!  Posted Monday, February 9, 2015 by JT   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Yes, back in the 1800s railroads did use a number of different shades of green in signal glass, including some coming close to the pure green on a six color, color wheel; the blending of blue and yellow pigment in the subtractive color system. -- See Q1730 for some detail on early 'green' glass lenses. -- the paper I cite in Q1730 states that there were 32 different shades of green signal glass in use in 1890 and Corning Glass stocked a dozen or more lens sizes in each of those greenish hues at that time. Individual railroads all had their own standards for glass colors, and colors varied widely from road to road,. -- Which roads used which hues is a question likely lost to the ages; and what those exact hues looked like is probably lost as well. -- There is some confusion around the REASON for the Teal/Aqua color chosen for nation-wide standardization in the early 1900s; the color we all know as "Signal Green". Signal Green (teal-ish) was not chosen because it looked "Green" with a kerosene flame as many have stated; it was chosen as it produced a readily identifiable color that was visible at a significant distance, and it remained true to that same color at a distance as it did close up! Many "greens" used in signaling in the 1800s were very dim and not visible at any great distance, and actually separated chromatically over various distances and changed color the farther you got from the signal; especially when there were very fine moisture droplets in the air, which acted as prisms, further causing the light to separate into component colors and appearing more yellow than green in bad weather. - In 1905, the new 'Teal' color glass produced a light that could be seen at great distance and remained its true color as far as it could be seen. Modern traffic signals and aircraft starboard navigation wing tip lights are a similar color, as are airport beacons, all for the same reason. -- Of interest, at one point in the 1800s, green meant 'stop' and 'clear/white' meant proceed. This caused huge safety problems as if the green (stop) signal glass broke, the signal would then show clear/white, which would then be interpreted as meaning proceed instead of commanding the train to stop! ..very dangerous! ---- .... Red Beard Posted Tuesday, February 10, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. The odds are a true green Fresnel globe in a RR lantern was probably taken out of one the thousands of "nautical" decorative table lamps that were popular in the 1950's. I've got a pair of them in my family room. You'll regularly find many red and some green examples on ebay. Some are a close fit and look somewhat legit, other than the color. Chances are those globes will not have Kopp or Corning as a manufacturer, if they have any markings at all. The globes in my table lamps are unmarked. They also tend to fit better in Dressel lanterns with their flat globe seats rather than the cupped Adlake globe retainer. I used to see these globes from time to time at train shows, but none for a very long time. I guess the original table lamps the globes were being removed from are now collectibles in their own right. Another thing some folks did (do) was to try and fit clear or yellow "jelly jar" outdoor light globes in RR lanterns. As I said, the odds favor that true green is a non RR replacement. It would probably display nicely, regardless. Still, there's a chance they could be authentic, especially if they're marked Corning or Kopp. Posted Wednesday, February 11, 2015 by JFR

A. Thank you Red Beard and JFR for answering my question! I really appreciate it and that information is very interesting and informative.  Posted Friday, February 27, 2015 by JT

 Q2897 Armspear 450 Lamps  I was looking at your Armspear 1933 catalog pages. Thank you for those scans!! I have an Armspear 450 lantern. Soooo many sight say this is a railroad lantern but I find that it is a bridge or pier lantern, meaning nautical. Any help on this? Did they sit on Railroad bridges? I cannot find any information on these things. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.  Posted Wednesday, February 4, 2015 by BB   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. BB, you have asked an excellent question. The #450 is a waterway navigation lamp used on railroad bridges. As described, the #450 came with red and green lens panels alternating around the lamp. The spherical lens panels directed the light vertically and horizontally, so the lamp could be placed high on top of the center of the bridge and still be seen at rail grade level and at water level. It was designed to sit on top of the center of a Turn Bridge or Swing Bridge; a section of a river bridge that literally turned or pivoted on its pier. These were used where a bridge passed over a navigable river at a low enough height to where boats on the river could not clear the bottom of the bridge. The pier for the turning span would be placed on one side or the other of the deepest channel in the river; the portion of the river where larger boats had to travel. On most lines, the bridge would normally be kept in the "Open" position, with the bridge span parallel to the river, creating a gap in the rail line, allowing taller boats to pass the bridge unimpeded and without the bridge operator having to turn the bridge to clear each passing boat. In the open position, trains could not cross the bridge. When a train approached the bridge, the bridge operator would swing the span 90 degrees, closing the gap and completing the tracks across the bridge. The Bridge Top Lamp served two purposes, simultaneously giving the appropriate color signal to both rail and river traffic at the same time. The lamp displayed green in line with the tracks on the movable bridge section, and red to the sides of the movable section. When the bridge was lined with the train tracks, the lamp showed green down the rail line and red to the river traffic. When the bridge was turned so that river traffic could pass (bridge track parallel to the river) the lamp showed red down the rail line (as the sides of the open bridge span were facing the tracks) and green to the river traffic. -- To continue with your question; the #450 is both a "Nautical" and "Railroad" Lamp; it was used on railroad bridges crossing navigable waterways; so it is both! -- In Q2894, I talk about that lamp and the differences between it and the #450. The other lamps I talk about would have been used on bridges of all types and not just railroad bridges. The vast majority of Turn Bridges were on railroads for this reason; automobiles can easily climb steep approaches on either side of a bridge, so highway bridges can conveniently be raised high above the normal grade of a highway, allowing boats to pass underneath. Trains cannot accommodate such steep grades, so rail bridges need to remain at the level of the grade of the line, often very near water level, as many rail lines took advantage of level ground by running through river valleys. ---- .... Red Beard Posted Thursday, February 5, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. Link 1 below (http://photos.wikimapia.org/p/00/01/66/97/39_big.jpg) is an antique postcard of an opening turn bridge. It is of particular interest as it shows the signal and telegraph line supports. The frame and cross arms above the moving span are held up by a geared, rotating pole. The gearing is such that the pole turns opposite to the rotation of the span causing the frame to remain in a constant position with regard to the shore, thus the wires remain in line with the fixed portions of the bridge. --- Link 2 (http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4020/4464713212_81bfc18138_z.jpg?zz=1) shows a nice swinging span, closed and very close to water level, Note the bridge operators shack above the track in the center of the bridge span; a feature added to some old tin-plate toy train bridges and included in larger Erector Sets so boys could create a realistic railroad bridge. ---- .... Red Beard Link 1  Link 2  Posted Thursday, February 5, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. Hey Red, Thank you very much for the information. I greatly appreciate it. Now, to try to find the 2 missing lenses. I don't think they exist! I am going to have to get lucky to find lenses for this Armspear. Thank you again.---BB Posted Tuesday, February 17, 2015 by BB

A. BB: Here's where the fun part of collecting comes in! First look on eBay under Armspear; a guy has had a pair of channel marker lamps listed on there for a long time; 2 green lenses & 2 metal blanks. That will give you a good idea of what the actual lenses look like. Next, search eBay twice a week until you find what you are looking for. Search, one at a time; "Armspear", "Railroad Lens", "Railroad Lamp" and anything else you can think of. ..may take a few years. Write to W.T. Kirkmann as well, he might know something. ---- .... Red Beard Posted Tuesday, February 17, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

 Q2894 Unidentified Armspear Lamp  I have had this lamp for awhile and I started looking for the glass to go in it, and have been unable to even find anything that looks like it. The body is cast aluminum and the top is stamped Armspear mfg. co. New York. No # anywhere else on the body. I guess it held the red and green signal lenses in some no longer present parts.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, January 29, 2015 by Kimric   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A.  It looks to be a nautical bridge or pier lamp missing some parts. Try looking in the Railroadiana Online library section, clicking on the 1933 Armspear catalog for lamps that look similar. The #450 lamp appears somewhat close. Posted Thursday, January 29, 2015 by MG

A. ...Let's try that LINK again Link 1  Posted Saturday, January 31, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. On the main page, left column, click on "Articles & Library", then on, "Adams & Westlake Catalogs & Bulletins - 1940s Lamp Catalog", then "Bridge Lamps" ---- .... Red Beard Link 1  Posted Saturday, January 31, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. I’m going to direct you to some additional information on this site. – The first thing to remember is that lamp and lantern manufacturers created an amazing variety of products; many of which are not yet cataloged on this site; and some of which, there are no extant examples of either!. – The Armspear #450 lamp used an unusual and very beautiful Fresnel lens that was actually a segment of a semi-spherical shape; curving vertically as well as laterally and filling nearly 90 degrees of the circumference of the lamp. These lamps and their ilk could hold one to four of these curved panels, so they could be combined in multiple colors as well as all being the same color, all around. – The lamp you have has some similarities to the #450, but is distinctively different in that it would have used a cylindrical, not spherical, Fresnel lens or segmented cylindrical lens pieces and would have been more like the Adlake No. 1380 in LINK 1 [www.railroadiana.org/library/cat_AW_40s/aw_bridge_lamps.pdf]. The key identifying feature being the four straight vertical rods holding the top and bottom of your lamp together; the Armspear #450 having “T” cross section fins that curve outward instead of the straight rods. The Adlake 1380 also has cast aluminum parts for water corrosion resistance. Due to the position of the wick advancing knob, partway up into the area of the missing lens, your lamp would have had to use segmented cylindrical lenses to allow for a space for that knob to exit the lamp. These Fresnel segments were available in 60 degree and 180 degree segments. A lamp with four segment lenses needed metal mounting hardware between the segments to hold the Fresnel panels in place, which is why they only covered a 60 degree arc, and not 90 degrees. See the drawing of the Adlake No. 1335 lamp in LINK 1 as an example. The wick advance knob would have protruded through one of the metal panels that held the lens segments in place. Your lamp is missing both the glass and metal parts that held the glass in the lamp. Look on eBay at least once a week and you may well find some or all of what you need over time, as a tremendous number of things do show up there. Search “Railroad Lens”, “Railroad Lamps” and Railroad Lanterns” as categories. ---- .... Red Beard  Link 1  Posted Saturday, January 31, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. This is an Armpsear Spheroidal Swing Bridge lamp. I am considering making replacement lenses identical to the originals as no spares exist. Posted Saturday, April 11, 2015 by Paul Lubliner

 Q2885 Brass RR Lamp  I bought this brass Adlake lamp several years ago on eBay. It has the internal burner, but I carefully ran a small light bulb inside it to lighten it up. Based on the photo can someone help me identify what purpose this light served on the railroads?   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Saturday, January 17, 2015 by JPH   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Judging by e bracket, it is automotive, not railroad. ---- .... Red Beard Posted Sunday, January 18, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. I tested the lamp with a magnet and it does attract so it is steel plated. I also looked at the posted articles and it doesn't match any of these. There is a small window in the back, directly behind the main lens. It also has a handle so is there any possibility this could be a presentation lamp? Posted Sunday, January 18, 2015 by JPH

A. Not steel plated but made of steel then brass plated. Many ebay sellers do not know what they have, especially railroadiana.  Posted Sunday, January 18, 2015 by DC

A. The bracket that has the bolt which locks onto a rod is an automotive type. Many cars and trucks did not have generators for electric lights in the teens and in some cases the 1920's See Q 1783,1884,2399, 2446 and 2677 in the Archives for other examples. The lamps shown in those questions are all painted. Your lamp looks to me like it is brass plated and not solid brass, have you tried putting a magnet on it? If it is plated someone may have done that at a later date, and that may have been an attempt by them to increase the value of the lamp. Painted versions of these truck lamps are offered on eBay fairly frequently. Posted Sunday, January 18, 2015 by KM

A. Barrett's Encyclopedia of RR Lighting Vol. 2 shows a photo and gives a spec sheet for what appears to be exactly this lamp as a "Motor Car Lamp" where 'Motor Car' refers to railroad maintenance-of-way speeders, not automobiles. They further explain that in 1917 the State of Illinois passed a law requiring all RR speeders to have headlamps 'visible from 300 feet' and other states instituted similar requirements. That was no doubt due to accidents where speeders hit either RR employees or members of the public on the tracks, as well as providing a headlight for the vehicle operators at night. Speeders have been known to travel at up to 50 mph or more, so accidents could easily be deadly. There was such a large lamp market created by the laws that other major lamp suppliers also made them. The similarity to automotive-type products (of which there are many) is almost certainly no coincidence -- the manufacturers just changed the name to fit the new RR market. Speeders also were equipped with this same lamp as a taillight, just with a red lens instead of clear. The lamp pictured in Barrett was marked for the Southern RR; without such a marking or some really clear known history it would be hard to guarantee whether the individual lamp was RR or automotive/truck.  Posted Friday, January 23, 2015 by RJMc

A. Just a little clarification: The 'exactly' description refers to the design of the lamp, not the finish. As indicated above, the brass plating would have been highly unlikely for a lamp for actual use on the railroad (where black paint was the norm) and was most likely done later, unless the lamp was produced to a very special order.  Posted Monday, January 26, 2015 by RJMc

 Q2884 1925 B&O Lantern  A few years back I acquired a B&O Railroad lantern from a gentleman in Ohio. I was told that this lantern is a rare amber globe switchman's lantern. Is this true? Who would have used it? Is the amber globe the original color and would it have had the railroad name etched in it? Also, I noticed on the top of the lantern there are the numbers '1925'. Is this a date or something else? Did railroads really include the date on their lanterns? I really appreciate and welcome any information. Thanks.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Saturday, January 17, 2015 by TP   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. This is an engine lantern. The heavy base is the clue. B&O had marked globes either cast or etched. The 1925 is the patent date. The globe is not original to the lantern. Amber globes are not rare and would never be on a locomotive. Posted Saturday, January 17, 2015 by BK

A. Hi, To answer your questions: The 1925 is the model number of the lantern. I'm sure your lantern says "Armspear". They were the manufacturer of the 1925 lantern. An amber globe is desirable for collectors. It was a less frequently found color. A globe can be marked with the name of the railroad, either etched or cast into the globe when the globe was manufactured. Globes were also made with no name. As for the use, the fat, heavy bottom ring marks this lantern as used by an engine crew (steam locomotive). Steam locomotives bounced around a lot so the added weight helped the lantern stay put on the deck.  Posted Saturday, January 17, 2015 by JN

A. There is a brief paragraph on this lantern model on one of our web pages [see link]. The example shows a B&O red cast globe. Link 1  Posted Saturday, January 17, 2015 by Web Editor

 Q2879 Piper Candle Lit Railroad Lantern  I have exhausted my research on the internet trying to find even another image similar to this lantern so that I could get some history on it. It has Piper Maker stamped into one of the lids that lift up which can be seen on one of the photos I've attached. Lids open upwards on two sides with removable red glass plates inside. It is illuminated by a candle which fits inside a metal cylinder. Of all the research I have done, I cannot seem to find any information on railway lanterns that are lit by candlelight. I read Q844 in your forum and didn't see anything about a candle lit lantern such as this. Any information regarding it's age and use would be very much appreciated.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Monday, January 12, 2015 by KM   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A.  I am not sure that this is a railroad lantern and I am thinking that it might be a photographer's darkroom lamp. See Q 2826 in the Archives for other examples of darkroom lanterns. Light the candle in it or place a small flashlight in it and see if any light escapes when the lids are closed.  Posted Tuesday, January 13, 2015 by KMc

A. Thank you. I'll do some more research in that area then. The only confusing part is the Piper maker mark on it which suggested railroad, but maybe they made darkroom lamps as well. Thanks for the lead and appreciate the quick response. Posted Tuesday, January 13, 2015 by KM

 Q2877 Spring-Loaded Coach Candle Lamp  I just bought a pair of D&H spring loaded candle wall sconces without the chimneys. Know nothing about these. They're all brass. What do the chimneys look like and how does the spring mechanism work? I'd like to get them working if possible. Thanks.  Posted Monday, January 12, 2015 by Bob   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. These are from an RPO (POSTAL) car and were not used in coaches. The candles advanced in the holders by spring power as the candle burned and melted. While original chimneys are very hard to find, re-pros show up at train shows. They are not a universal size so be sure and have one of the holders with you. These were used from about 1907 to the 70's.While quite common most were not RR marked. Those marked with the D&H are quite rare. Posted Monday, January 12, 2015 by BK

A. Take a look on the W. T. Kirkman site. [http://www.lanternnet.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WKL&Product_Code=31-CL-550&Category_Code=] (LINK 1) If that Link isn't the right one look through the on line catalog. He has lots of good stuff on the site. (sometimes really long links don't automatically connect) ---- .... Red Beard Link 1  Posted Monday, January 12, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A.  See Q2299 in the Archives for a lot more info on these RPO candle lamps including the patent number that was issued in 1907 and assigned to Adams & Westlake. They were also made by many other manufacturers and because they had to conform to a government standard they all look very similar. In the early 1970's I had permission to go through a scrap line of RPO cars that belonged to the New York Central and I was able to save six of these lamps. I don't think there was a chimney left on any of them, but I have been able to get the replacement chimneys over the years. Because these lamps were small and did not contain kerosene many of them went home with employees in their lunch bags or grip and they turn up on eBay very frequently.  Posted Wednesday, January 14, 2015 by KM

A. I want to thank everyone for their replies. Posted Tuesday, January 20, 2015 by Bob

 Q2876 Switch Lamp ID?  Can anybody id this switch lamp? The only marking on it is on one of the feet in raised numbers -- 121, no other marking at all. It stands about 16 inches tall. The lens is about 4 inches across. If you look close at the pictures you can see 4 bolts in the middle of the lamp where it comes apart. Thanks for your help   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, January 11, 2015 by RT   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Hello, This is an armspear lamp. Your tag appears choked over with paint. The N&W and ACL with several others used this brand. GaryP Posted Sunday, January 11, 2015 by GaryP

A. Look up inside the base of the lamp, inside the hollow square socket where it sat on top of the switch stand. Some RR's had the mfgr's cast the RR initials on the inside of the socket to permanently mark their property in a way that was not subject to much wear or weathering and was certainly not easy to remove. Posted Sunday, January 11, 2015 by RJMc

A. Dressel seemed to be the only manufacturer that marked their lamps that way. Don't remember seeing that on any other lamps in 40 years of collecting. I have seen bases swapped out, but they are usually reassembled with screws and nuts or Pop rivets making the swap obvious. Posted Wednesday, January 14, 2015 by JFR

A. According to Barrett's Encyclopedia of RR Lighting, Volume 2, lamps split across the middle were made by Armspear, such as yours, and also by Adams & Westlake, between about 1890 and 1910. I suspect the middle split was a patented feature which probably caused other mfrs. not to use it. The original idea of splitting the lamp across the middle seems to have been to permit changing out broken or damaged lenses without unsoldering anything -- which required sending the entire lamp back to a shop, and meant having a spare lamp always on hand to replace any sent back. Beginning about 1900 and thereafter everyone switched to 'lens coupling rings' where just the one ring had to be unbolted and slid off to change a lens, and after that most of the mfgrs. used plain, cylindrical housings. Your lamp may be from the 1900 - 1910 period of transition where lamps were made with both features, or its brass coupling rings might have been added later to make disassembling the body unnecessary.  Posted Friday, January 16, 2015 by RJMc

 Q2875 MCRR Lantern Marking  I recently purchased an MC RR Railroad Lantern. The seller is calling it a Maine Central (MEC) Lantern. When I received it it did not say MEC RR on it but MC RR. I did a google search for MCRR and it came up with Michigan Central. Can you tell me which it is? Thanks.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Saturday, January 10, 2015 by BC   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A.  There are at least three other possible railroads with these initials and probably more that could have used this lantern during the era it dates from. This was a widely used model. Your best bet is to ask the seller why they think it to be Maine Central, as in, from an estate or barn sale in Maine. Even then, these things can travel or the years.  Posted Saturday, January 10, 2015 by MG

A. The Maine Central / Michigan Central question comes up frequently and has caused lots of controversy over the years. There are some few legitimate Maine Central lamps and lanterns that were factory marked “M.C.” Something to know is that lamp and lantern manufacturers produced thousands and thousands of their products; the initials stamped into the lantern caps for a given road sometimes, or even frequently, varied a bit from run to run. As MG mentions above, “M.C.” could have been several different roads. “MEC” or “MeC” would almost certainly be Maine Central. – The real question here is: were you promised a lantern marked “MEC”? If you were, and you are not satisfied with the purchase, send it back! – Another thing to know is that many on line sellers (on eBay) know very little about railroad lamps and lanterns and often make honest mistakes in describing what they list; others over inflate descriptions or intentionally misrepresent items. — If you got it on eBay and think it was misrepresented, launch a complaint against the seller. ---- .... Red Beard Posted Sunday, January 11, 2015 by Red Beard the Railroad Raider

A. Thank you both for your input. I did purchase this on eBay and it was advertised as a MEC Lantern but I believe this is a honest mistake. Thinking it might be a Michigan Central it would be a nice add to my collection so I'm going to keep it. Posted Monday, January 12, 2015 by Hoghead

 Q2873 Lamp/Lantern Info Needed  I was wondering if anyone knew how old this lantern is and also some history about this item? I just picked it up at a garage sale and was wondering what year it was made? It says on the top Adams and Westlake Co., If that helps at all.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Wednesday, January 7, 2015 by PJ   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Hello PJ, What you have is a caboose or bunk car lamp. It is of the older style as the fount has the ribs on the bottom and a filler cap. Later versions didn't have these. Also the hangars on your lamp are seperate. Most have a single plate wall bracket with the shade, globe spring, and fount holder mounted to it. Several other companies made similar lamps. Look in the library of this site under Handlan catalog and there are photos of theirs. I cannot give you an age but yours is definately not one of the newer styles. Maybe someone else can chime in on approx. age. They were made for decades and used on the N&W RR in cabooses through the 1970's. Hope this helps. GaryP Posted Saturday, January 10, 2015 by GaryP

 Q2870 Unable to ID Lantern  Greetings, I have come across many lamps and lanterns over the years and am usually able, with some research, to identify them. Not so with this lamp. It looks like it is marked 'Rochester, NY' on the side along with 'S G & L Co'. It has one large bulls eye lens but there is an insert inside that makes it possible to change the clear lens to blue or red. It has two handles, one on the back of the lamp and one on the top of the lamp which is also part of the insert that clicks into the lamp base. The burner is still in place. The original black paint has mostly chipped away but the lamp is still in wonderful condition. Any information you could supply is much appreciated. Thank you,   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Friday, January 2, 2015 by JR   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. This a track walker's (inspector)lamp made by Steam Gauge and Lantern. Posted Friday, January 2, 2015 by BK

A. The Encyclopedia of RR Lighting Vol 1 shows this same or a very similar design advertised not only by SG & L but also by Dietz, Adlake, and Peter Gray, probably among others. These were advertised between about 1880 and 1910 and discontinued after that. The cap with ridges is characteristic of items from that time period; later lamps all had the smoother styles. This design may have been shared by agreement among the various mfr's, or one co. may have made them and furnished them to the other co's. to sell, tactics which were not uncommon in many industries at that time.  Posted Tuesday, January 6, 2015 by RJMc

A. Additional info: all the ads mentioned above refer to 'clear, green, or ruby' selectable colors. In the time before 1910, that would be so the track inspector walking along the track could give trains 'Proceed, things are OK' with the 'clear' color, 'Caution' with the 'green' color, or 'Stop, danger' with the red color. The clear setting would also have been used for illumination and to examine possible track defects. One ad also mentions crossing watchmen using these.  Posted Tuesday, January 6, 2015 by RJMc

 Q2863 Penn Central Lantern  Have lantern with PC [Penn Central] logo on top. I see no other markings. Read somewhere that PC sold some lanterns out of gift shop. Is there any way to tell if lantern was used on railroad or if this is gift shop sale? I purchased this from railroad show in Columbus, Ohio. My first lantern, any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Friday, December 26, 2014 by BB   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Any gift shop would have been a private one after the RR went into Conrail. There were a lot of these sold (or stolen) at that time and they had never been fired. You can still find these on Ebay quite often. Posted Friday, December 26, 2014 by BK

A. BB, trying to answer your actual question; It is probably impossible to tell if the lantern was ever in actual railroad service or if it was a collectors' market item. (See LINK 1) Penn Central came into existance in 1968, right at the end of kerosene lantern use. As BK suggests, there were no doubt hundreds of lanterns that the PC bought with their emblem on them that never ended up being used. ADLAKE has also produced "collectors" editions with railroad logos on them. These were produced for the hobby collector market and were never actually owned by a railroad. Some ADLAKE lanterns were offered through "Railfinders", which was the last itteration of the Handlan company after Handlan had been through several owners and down sizings. (LINK 2) Either way you have a fine looking lantern, made by an actual manufacturer of railroad items. ---- .... Red Beard Link 1  Link 2  Posted Saturday, December 27, 2014 by Red Beard the Rairoad Raider

A. Thanks for the info. I like the lantern and it is in great shape. Would it be OK to light it up and if so, should I use kerosene or some type of modern lamp oil? Posted Saturday, December 27, 2014 by bbriggs1961

A. Hey BK. Nice looking lantern. It is up to you, as to if you burn your lantern. I prefer to use mine as this was what it was designed for. Some collectors like unfired lanterns, but your is not a rare item so, burn it if you want. It was designed for kerosene. Lamp oil (not parrafin) is O.K. and will be less smelly. Enjoy!!! GaryP Posted Saturday, December 27, 2014 by GrayP

A. I agree that lanterns were designed to be used. I burn mine. I also eat with railroad silverware and railroad china. I have an Erie lantern that was used by a towerman in 2 different towers. I have a local Erie switchtower near me that has been restored. During a recent open house at the tower I displayed the lantern lit. Now it has actually been operational in 3 different Erie towers. Quite a documentable career for a piece of railroadiana! By the way, I always use lamp oil. As Gary P stated, there is less odor. Posted Sunday, December 28, 2014 by JN

A. This is a much less common PC lantern. I have seen many, many PC Keros which have ADLAKE KERO on the top around the logo and have the ridges around the vent holes. They are also stamped on the bottom. Yours is the later style "bald top" Kero. No id stamping top or bottom and smooth sides around the vent holes. I only seen 3 or 4 PC's of this style. Kero lantern use was almost at an end and so was Penn Central, about to become part of Conrail (1976). There is also another version, perhaps rarer, that has the smooth sides around the vent holes and smooth bottom, but is still stamped ADLAKE KERO around the PC logo on top, a transition between the two variations I'd guess. I've only seen one of those. I've got a couple of the "Penn Central Souvenirs" brochures from the early 70's where they sold stuff like PRR prints, Metroliner trinkets and PC playing cards to the public. No lanterns were mentioned in any of them. Perhaps they were available in a later edition, if there ever was one. There may have been a room in the Philly office building/terminal where they may have sold some stuff to the public, but my memory is cloudy on that. From the PC crews I've talked with, new Keros were still showing up at the end, but in much smaller quantities. Many of them were being stolen rather than entering service. This could have been one of them. The PC marking also shows up on Dressels in the traditional terne coating as well as in a brighter plating. Posted Sunday, December 28, 2014 by JFR

A. Great info, thanks. This is my first lantern to collect and has really sparked interest in collecting lantern. Any advice on what to look for in a lantern? Posted Monday, December 29, 2014 by bbriggs1961

A. Dug out the brochures to double check. They were from 73 and 74. No lanterns. PRR uniform buttons were about the only real railroadiana in there. Some of the other stuff was PC advertising trinkets, railroad themed wall decor and PRR NYC HO trains. Looks like a brochure could have been issued in 75, Penn Central's last full year before Conrail. I did order the PRR print set in 74, but never got a catalog, if there was one, in 75. One issue with selling company marked lanterns to the public would be an employee carrying around a lantern purchase receipt to cover himself while stealing lanterns off the property with impunity.  Posted Monday, December 29, 2014 by JFR

A. You should make sure all the parts are there. Sometimes lanterns get electrified and the baffles (the fins in the top dome that make the lanterns pretty much wind resistant) get removed. These are hard to replace, Burners, oil tanks and wicks are easy to get. Adlake still makes all these parts and they do fit other similar style makes. If you want to keep a lantern original but want to use it, get a new burner to put in it when you want to light it. Otherwise keep the original parts in it for display. The globe color makes a difference. A blue globe demands a much higher premium than a similar clear globe. A lantern with the name on the lantern and a matching name on the globe is more prized, but will be more costly to buy. Also the rarity of the lantern makes a big difference in cost. A Dietz Vesta for the New York, Ontario & Western (O&W) commands a much higher price than a New York Central Dietz Vesta. Look through Ebay. You will see countless styles and railroad names. But the big thing is, if you see a lantern you like, get it, especially if you just want to keep it and display it. If it is special to you, it is priceless. Posted Tuesday, December 30, 2014 by JN

 Q2856 U.S.A. Army Lantern  Were US army Adlake Reliables originally painted olive drab or just tinned or galvanized? If they were painted olive drab, was it the usual WWI U.S. olive drab or something Adlake made up? Also, can someone tell me what these lanterns were actually used for in the army? Thank you all very much.  Posted Friday, December 12, 2014 by KO   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. See prior Q's 2690, 2402, 1946, and 740 for some of the earlier discussions about US Army lanterns. Just put the Q no. in the "By Question Number" search box, on the left of the text box, and hit 'Go' to see the extensive prior info. Posted Friday, December 12, 2014 by RJMc

 Q2852 P&LE RR Lantern  I have what appears to be a standard Defiance Lantern and STPG.Co Perfect No. 0 barn lantern except the clear glass globe is etched P&LERR. Has anyone seen this before? Is it a globe from something else substituted into the lantern? (It sure seems to fit like it was made for this style lantern.) Or even a total fake? Thanks for your help.  Posted Saturday, November 29, 2014 by MP   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A.  Is there any other marking on the globe that might indicate the age like a Corning CNX mark? The Defiance No. 0 lantern was made from 1901 to 1930. It is possible that the P&LE used the lantern at grade crossing construction projects for traffic safety protection. Or the globe came from a Dietz Acme Inspectors lamp and was put into the lantern as a replacement when the original globe was broken. It is hard to know without knowing the age of the globe and the lantern.  Posted Monday, December 1, 2014 by mccown

A. The only thing I can see is embossed in the glass near the top of the globe. It is C 4 and under that is what looks like M - E G Co. Does that mean anything to you> Thanks. Posted Thursday, December 4, 2014 by MP

A. MEG Co refers to the Macbeth Evans Glass Company, a globe manufacturer in Charleroi, PA. They made exceptionally nice globes. Posted Friday, December 5, 2014 by PEK

A. Thanks! I would still appreciate if anyone knows if this was a true P&LE RR lantern or if this might be a globe stuck into a barn lantern. Posted Friday, December 5, 2014 by MP

 Q2850 Cupper Lamp  Hello I am from the Netherlands and I've found your site while searching possibilities to attempt to identify this great lamp that I bought at local antique shop. Is there any assistance your organization can provide? Its an outstanding piece.. I think its a signal lamp, but I really have no clue.. Its is a Cupper lamp. the diameter is about 30 cm and the depth is about 18 cm. With best regards,   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Tuesday, November 25, 2014 by RM   Post a Reply  Email a reply

 Q2849 Bullseye Lantern  Could anyone who has any model of a bullseye railroad lantern post a picture of the front of it? Preferably showing close detail of what held the bullseye glass piece onto the lantern. Thanks, it'd be much appriciated.  Posted Monday, November 24, 2014 by KO   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Look up "Dietz No. 30 Train Railroad Beacon" Item No. 171570308109 on our favorite(?)auction web site for an inspection lamp that has the bullseye on the front of the globe and its prominently pictured with very good detail. There is nothing obvious holding the bullseye onto the globe mechanically, so either adhesive was applied or some form of melt-on welding was used to fuse the two pieces of glass together.  Posted Saturday, December 6, 2014 by RJMc

A. If you just search for the words above, looking at the photos of the several other items that come up, shows another lantern (Item No. 361012806635 ) , with the bullseye mounted on a bracket inside the globe rather than fastened to the globe surface. That second listing also has very good detailed photos, including the lever arrangement that apparently switched the bulleye in and out of the light path. (These references for your info only; I am not a party on any of these listings.)  Posted Sunday, December 7, 2014 by RJMc

 Q2845 Unusual Globe Base  Has anyone seen a globe base like this? Is it a reproduction? It looks poorly made, you can see waves in the glass. Thanks.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, November 20, 2014 by KO   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Hi KO,Your globe sure looks like a Canadian tall globe because of its base.I have globes from the CPR,CNR,CGR and GTR and they all have that unique extended base flange.Lets see what other collectors have to say about my hunch. DJB Posted Friday, November 21, 2014 by DJB

 Q2844 No. 1 R.R. Lantern  I have a brasstop, bell bottom lantern that is embossed 'No. 1 R.R.' on the brass top. No other markings are found. The globe, fount, and burner are missing. I am very curious who may have been the maker? It is about 10 inches tall. Any ideas? Thanks,  Posted Thursday, November 20, 2014 by RR   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A.  It might be Rogers or Howard & Morse, they both made No.1 lanterns but their catalog names are not exactly "No.1 RR". Try to give us an estimate of the height of the globe,it may have been a six inch or a 5&3/8 one. Does it have one or two guard wires? Photos will really help us out here, someone may recognize the profile of the brass top and the pattern of the vent holes. Posted Sunday, November 23, 2014 by KM

A. Hi RR, I have a lantern in my collection from the Dietz Co. and the model is a A-#1,embossed on top of the ventilator dome along with the Dietz circular logo and has double cage wires. This lantern takes a 6-1/4 inch globe which I believe is referred to as a tubular style and also has a Sangster or pinch-type fount with a burner that uses a 15/16ths wick. This was a street railway/interurban lamp that has a red embossed globe with large TMER&LCO lettering. This was a large Milwaukee area electric line. The frame is not RR marked but the pair were obviously together for a long time when purchased at a local auction about 30 years ago. This suggests that your lamp may be an early-model Dietz with its mfrs. markings only present on the globe and fount, which you mention were missing. DJB Posted Thursday, November 27, 2014 by DJB

A. I have sent 3 pictures of the lantern in today [see link]. I estimate the lantern globe would need to be 6 1/4 to 6 1/2 inches tall, with a 3 inch top and 3 1/2 inch base, and a max width of 4 3/8 inches. A dietz 6 inch, 5 3/8, and 6 5/8 inch tuberlar globe were tried and all are too wide to drop into the cage. The lantern has 2 horizontal guard wires, plus top wire. The bail attachment to the frame is rather unusual, as will be seen in the pictures. The base has a 3 inch opening for a font, but may not be original. A bit rough, but a 3 inch pinch pot fits OK. I do have two Dietz 'A No 1' lanterns, which are taller than this lantern, and use a 6 5/8 inch globe. The bell on this lantern is 6 1/4 inches wide. It stands 10 1/4 inches tall. It has a flat steel lid latch soldered to the top, which is 5 1/2 inches wide. Link 1  Posted Sunday, November 30, 2014 by RR

A. I have finally found the globe and fount that came with this lantern when I acquired it in 2011. The globe is tubular and is embossed "Pat May 4, 1869". (Same date as John Irwin's hot blast lantern patent, 89,770) The globe measures 6.5" tall, 3" top fitter, and 3.5" bottom fitter.The globe just fits down inside the wire cage. The fount was a rusty 3" pinch pot, full of candle wax, no markings visible, but is same measuremwnts and fit as a marked Dietz 3" fount with a patent date of "Nov 25, 1890". The bail attachment shown in the pictures, (see link) may be the clue to who made this lantern, if anyone can recognize it.  Posted Saturday, December 6, 2014 by RR