This page shows railroadiana items of unusual interest. These images
were sent in by collectors for others to enjoy; the items are not
for sale. As images are replaced on the "front page" of
the website, they will be archived here. See links to other pages
of Featured Items at the bottom of the page. A special thanks
to those who have sent in images.
 Tinware. "Tinware" is
a category of railroadiana that includes a broad range of containers,
cans and other metal objects that were used in railroad operations
and maintenance. Many tinware items are marked for a railroad, but
the markings tend to be simple railroad initials. Shown at right
are some rare exceptions -- a torch, oiler, and fuel can, all marked
for the Delaware & Hudson Railroad using that railroad's famous "script
logo". More pictures of these as well as other tinware items
can be seen on our tinware page. Photo
by Tom Stranko; click on image for larger version. |
 "Tall" Vesta
Lantern. Most railroadiana collectors are familiar with
the Dietz "Vesta" lantern
model. Many railroads used them, and collectors have no trouble
finding them in the railroadiana market. In fact, so many Vestas
were made for the New York Central Railroad that they have become
an inside joke within the hobby. However, the very early versions
of the Vesta used a "tall" globe and are anything but
common. The lantern shown here is a rare, early bellbottom model,
but even here we can see the lines of the version that would eventually
become so well known to collectors. Image by permission; click
on image for larger version. |
 Promotional
Blotters. In this age of cheap ballpoint pens, blotters
hearken back to a different era. When fountain pens were in vogue,
blotters were used to take up excess ink on the paper. Advertisers
used them as a means of promoting business, and railroads were
no exception. This beautiful die-cut blotter was used to advertise
Southern Pacific's premier train between San Francisco and Portland,
the "Shasta Daylight". It dates to 1958 and showcases
the train's striking color scheme. |
 Authentic
Versus Fake Railroad China. The china shown here is a
rare, authentic egg cup in the "Virginian" pattern from
the Virginian Railway. Some years ago a controversial collector
made and sold reproductions of this and other railroad china pieces.
Although he never represented this china as authentic, there is
a danger that future sellers will -- either fraudulently or innocently.
With the popularity of internet auctions where buyers can't physically
examine the items offered, this danger is greater than ever. The
key to telling the real from the fake is the back stamp and how
the decoration is glazed. Read
more on this reproduction china. Image is by permission from
the collection of Anne & H.B. Bryant; click on image for larger
version. |
 China
Back Stamps. To railroad china collectors, the back stamp
provides important information. A back stamp consists of words,
possibly a logo, and other codes placed by the manufacturer on
the back of each piece of china. Properly interpreted, back stamps
show the history of the piece. Shown here is the back stamp on
a 10 1/2" plate made by Buffalo China in the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad's Centenary pattern. Many manufacturers produced this
pattern, but Buffalo produced just one run. Read more about back
stamps on our Centenary web
page. Image by permission; click on image for larger version. |
 China. Of
the numerous patterns to be found in railroad china, none is as popular
among collectors as the "Centenary" pattern of the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad. First introduced in 1927, Centenary is unrivaled in its
combination of beauty, elegance, history, and variability. The pattern
was produced for decades by a number of manufacturers in many shapes,
so collectors have a myriad of variations to look for. Read more
on our Centenary web page and
another page about B&O's own
Centenary booklet. Image by permission; click on image for larger
version. |
 Sign. Depot
signs are by definition a rarity because they were not mass-produced
but custom-produced for specific places. One type of depot sign was
the train destination sign, usually displayed next to the platform
gate when that train was ready to board. Nowadays such signs are
usually electronic displays, but once they were painted wood or metal.
Shown here is a destination sign for a Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
train (believed to be an RDC) originating in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Image by permission; click on image for larger version. |
 Lantern. The
lantern at right is a "#39 Standard" model made by Dietz
and marked "H.C. Co." for the Hudson Coal Company. It dates
to the pre-WWI era and has a clear cast globe with the script logo
-- "The D.&.H." -- of the Delaware & Hudson [Railroad]
Company. This is not a mismatch. The Hudson Coal Company was a subsidiary
of the Delaware & Hudson Company, which did not officially add
the term "Railroad" to its corporate name until 1930. Read
more about Hudson Coal Company
lanterns and the Delaware & Hudson
connection. Image courtesy of Tom Stranko; click on image for larger
version. |
