Question & Answer Board

 Q4097 China Logo Info?  Haven't seen this logo before (T.R.R.). The B/S is from the 1930's indicates for export. Any ideas?   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Tuesday, December 17, 2024 by Ex Sou Ry   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Many thanks to PEMI for coming through AGAIN! It’s either the Tela or Truxillo Railroad in Honduras, both of which were owned by the United Fruit Company, so that’s why the logo is pretty much the same as the company’s steamship china mark. Both date from the 1910s. Posted Saturday, December 21, 2024 by Ex Sou Ry

 Q4096 DL&W RR Lock Info?  I am looking for any info on a Fraim lock made for Delaware Lackawanna & Western that has a dual keyway. What was each key and what was the lock was used for? Thank you all for your knowledge.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Monday, December 2, 2024 by M   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. What is the size of the lock? Any markings on the back side? Posted Tuesday, December 3, 2024 by RJMc

A. The lock is normal switch size of its time. There is nothing on the back. The shackle has DL&W on the front and 19 (Fraim Keystone halmark) 11 on the back Posted Wednesday, December 4, 2024 by M

A. Here are more images... Link 1  Posted Thursday, December 5, 2024 by M

 Q4095 Shenango & Allegheny RR Lock  I obtained a lock near Albion PA that I believe is a Shenango And Allegheny Railroad (a forerunner to the Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad) lock. Please look at the pictures and look at the keyhole opening. Can we anyone confirm the key opening as matching that of any Shenango And Allegheny Railroad keys? It's a 'straight opening,' and not curved like more modern railroad locks.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, November 21, 2024 by GH   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. The lettering stamped into the back of the shackle seems to say " C N o 15". A "C" on this kind of lock usually means "Car Lock" rather than an "S" for "Switch Lock" and having a specific individual number makes this use for the lock more likely -- and makes it far less likely to match other keys and locks. The very light wear on this lock is also consistent with use as a car lock. Switch locks were used by the tens and hundreds all up and down the railroad, with many or most operating employees having the matching key. But there were relatively very few car locks, all used by agents at stations and freight depots, used for shipment security with very few persons having keys, by design. This would be more conclusive if the shackle and lock body had an extra hole for a car seal wire to pass thru; but not all Car Locks had that feature.  Posted Monday, November 25, 2024 by RJMc

A. Thank you RJMc. I never knew that. That also answers a question about an A&GW RY lock I have. It has the extra hole you are talking about and it too has a straight key cut. I always wondered what that extra hole was for.  Posted Wednesday, November 27, 2024 by GH

A. All that said, I am still puzzled myself about how that system worked in practice. The agent at Albion, PA would supervise loading of a high value shipment, maybe as a carload or in a strongbox, and apply Lock No. 15. But what happened at the other end -- say Erie, PA? Was key No. 15 already there, as part of a whole set, or did key No. 15 somehow get sent there? And just the example of the A&GW presents greater complexity; the shipment might originate in the New York metro area and arrive in Cleveland,OH. It would not make sense to have the key travel with the shipment; too much temptation to those enroute. Often seal numbers and probably these car lock numbers were recorded in the shipment paperwork. The seal wire through the shackle provided evidence that the lock had not been opened enroute. Posted Thursday, November 28, 2024 by RJMc

 Q4094 St. Louis Car Company Seats  I'm trying to identify approximate years when this set of rail / trolley car was made and what type of rail vehicle it was in. I bought these seat supports a few years ago on ebay. Don't recall what the seller said about the history. I have read that Scarritt Car Seat Works made seats for St. Louis Car company. Thank you. Sincerely,   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, November 10, 2024 by JL   Post a Reply  Email a reply

 Q4093 Baldwin Locomotive Works Number Plate  I have a Baldwin Locomotive Works number plate. I hope someone could figure out the code on back. Thanks   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, November 10, 2024 by DHK   Post a Reply  Email a reply

 Q4092 Rayo 39 Question  I’ve acquired my third Rayo 39 in about three weeks, simply chance encounters. The most recent has a CNW Ry CNX cast globe, with a P & A burner. Frankenstein, or not? Of the others, one has a plain globe and Dietz Convex, the other has a cast '39' globe and a plain burner. What’s correct?  Posted Sunday, November 10, 2024 by JR   Post a Reply  Email a reply

 Q4091 RR Tag  I am seeking any information on the railroad associated with this tag. The tag identifies as being from the Troy and Buffalo RR. However, I cannot find any information on this road. The tag was purchased from an online auction. According to the seller it was found in Lake Erie near Buffalo along with several other tags from various other older railroads. I am familiar with the tagtown website and am certain this is a very old tag. Thank you.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, October 3, 2024 by HE   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Bill Edson's Railroad Names says a "Troy and BOSTON" existed from 1852 to 1887 before going into the Fitchburg and then Boston & Maine. But no Troy and Buffalo. Posted Friday, October 4, 2024 by RJMc

A. Only one of the photos posted. The front of the tag reads “ Troy and BUFo RR.” The other photo should post soon. Thank you. Posted Friday, October 4, 2024 by HE

A. Here's the other image. Link 1  Posted Friday, October 4, 2024 by HE

A. There are many places named Troy. For example there is Troy, Ontario, Canada, located near Hamilton, ON, near Lake Erie and much closer to Buffalo, NY than Troy, NY is. However still no record of a Troy and Buffalo RR. The link is to a very informative listing of Ontario railroads over time, but no Troy and Buf.  Link 1  Posted Tuesday, October 8, 2024 by RJMc

A. There are also "Troy"s in Michigan, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, per Google maps but all those are a bit too far from Buffalo NY for there to be no information about what would have been a lengthy railroad. YES this tag is very old ! How I wish I had started collecting stock certificates - watching them now I see roads I never have heard about (and probably never will again). Much as I like Edson, his book isn't complete.  Posted Monday, October 14, 2024 by JMS

 Q4090 CPR Lock  Would anyone have any info on this lock please? History, maker? Thanks.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, October 3, 2024 by Ron   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Hi Ron, I could be wrong but I believe that these were made by Yale & Towne. It is a 5 or 6 lever lock, used as a general purpose lock or tool house lock on the Canadian Pacific Railway. This is an early version without the usual spring-actuated dust cover or "drop", and would normally have a length of chain attached to the clevis. These locks were not keyed alike making it tricky to find a key that matches, although most were master-keyed and the Foreman would carry a master key which would open all of them. Your lock likely dates from the 1940-1960 time period. These locks are difficult to find, even in Canada. Yours has nice stamp markings. I hope this helps you. Posted Thursday, October 10, 2024 by Steve B.

 Q4089 Item Info Needed  I purchased this item at recent railroad auction. Not sure what it is? Could please help me identify this item? Thank you very much.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, October 3, 2024 by MF   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. A very old baggage check. Looks dug. Northern Railroad (of New Hampshire) . There is a check just like your pictured on the link page. Link 1  Posted Friday, October 4, 2024 by DA

A. tool tag maybe?  Posted Monday, October 7, 2024 by Ex Sou Ry

A. There are other roads (Chateaugay Railroad for one) using this shape of tag, the shape is confirmed, it's for baggage/luggage not tools.  Posted Monday, October 14, 2024 by JMS

 Q4088 Unusual Marker Lamp  I am looking for information on a marker lamp purchased in an online auction. It has a design I had never seen before, and I am wondering if it is a railroad design or whether it had been modified by a collector. Is this a prototype that never went in to production? What would the illumination have been? Has anyone ever seen one of these? Lamp has 4 Corning 5 in. Spredlite lenses, 1 red / 3 clear, and 4 Corning roundels, 2 green / 2 yellow. It is obviously not a kerosene lamp, yet there is no hole anywhere in the lamp body for an electrical cord connector (Pic 1). In the base of the body where the fount normally sits there is a pair of spring guides riveted to the base (Pic 4). Their spacing is sized for an object 2 in. L x 4 in. W x in. H. There are also guides on the underside of the top cover (Pic 2) measuring 3.5 in. in diameter. The round top (Pic 6) has storage underneath for roundels when not in use (Pic 3). On the inside of the lamp body the 3 clear lenses have a semi-circular slot on the bottom of the lens opening to hold the roundels in place (Pic 5). The red lens has no such slot. In use it seems the roundels could have easily vibrated out of these shallow slots. The lamp doesn’t have a manufacturer's stamp anywhere, but the mounting bracket and locking mechanism look like Adlake (Pic 7). The wick adjuster and peephole window openings are blanked over. Thanks.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Saturday, September 14, 2024 by Joe   Post a Reply  Email a reply

 Q4087 Lamp ID?  I have had this lamp for several years and intended to use it for bushcrafting. It has an Adlake screw knob but no other markings. I think it may be railroad based on the Adlake knob. It didn’t have a globe when I got it. Any help/info would be appreciated Walter Riddle   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Saturday, September 14, 2024 by WR   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. What a terrific little lamp! But you must realize, Adlake made all kinds of lamp and lighting products and they were sold to any kind of customer; "Adlake" isn't a synonym for "railroad." Without actual railroad markings and no other provenance, there is no way to document it has any railroad history. I've never seen a lamp quite like this, but I would suggest that being copper it may have been made for use in a region or for a company located where there was more moisture in the atmosphere, such as along a seacoast or large lake or river or canal. I'm sorry to not be more helpful.  Posted Wednesday, September 18, 2024 by JMS

A. The copper construction noted above would also be more typical of shipboard use. The background objects in the pic make it a little difficult to tell which are parts of the lamp, but the shield which seems to be mounted to the lamp also may imply trying to protect a wall behind the lamp from the heat of the flame -- maybe the ship's cabin wall.  Posted Thursday, September 19, 2024 by RJMc

A. What appears in the pic to be a shield may actually be a reflector, maybe tarnished. The relatively small size suggests to me possibly a canal boat cabin light; see Link 1 for a very similar example (although not a cabin light). A very interesting side note: there are very old canal tunnels in the UK that take HOURS to get thru!! Illumination has always been essential in those. The fairly small round wick means total available light was reduced in favor of longer operating time. That suggested another entirely different use: see Link 2 for a coal miner's lamp. A web search turned up hundreds of these, most made of brass and many with the smaller type of wick, since long shifts underground would dictate a very long-burning lamp. Trying to service the lamp underground would not be not only very inconvenient but very hazardous. The brass construction not only helps to resist corrosion but helps to limit risk of static electric sparks which might detonate mine gas.  Link 1  Link 2  Posted Thursday, September 19, 2024 by RJMc

 Q4086 'Heritage' Kero Marking  I recently purchased what I believe is a 'Heritage' Kero lantern with a lid stamping of 'DGN&O'. This mark is not listed in either your Heritage or actual railroad use list. I was wondering if any of your viewers may recognize it. There is a Genesee & Wyoming shortline here in Texas named Dallas, Garland & Northeast, but their marking appears to be DG&NO. My lantern may be another line or maybe a stamping error? Anything that you can tell me would be greatly appreciated.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Monday, September 2, 2024 by Jim   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. I wish I could give you a definite answer but I'm afraid this is just a supposition. I would suggest (but may be mistaken) this lantern is a new one, almost certainly made for a heritage road. I found a list of USA heritage lines on Wikipedia (Link 1) and maybe there is a heritage road not listed, but DGNO (the reporting mark of DG&NO) is a difficult mix of letters to find a name for, so Dallas, Garland & Northeast would be the strongest suspect. My best guess would be the stamping is a mis-mark/error : a "Friday Night Special" (hurrying to leave work) or a "Monday Morning Special" (too much of a weekend). Certainly there are other lines with mismarked lanterns. From an actual fallen flag railroad, I've seen a half dozen "Ruthland" marked lanterns, a misspelling error for "Rutland." I truly would suspect that if it really was made for the Dallas, Garland & Northeastern, the stamping error is the reason your lantern, in what looks like brand new condition, isn't with the road it was intended for. Wish I could be more helpful. You may have a sleeper that will gain value over the years if you want to keep it. You might also contact the railroad and ask (Link 2).  Link 1  Link 2  Posted Wednesday, September 4, 2024 by jms

 Q4085 Lamp ID?  Can someone assist me in identifying this railroad lamp? And years used? The only marking is G.R.S. Co   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Monday, September 2, 2024 by Brian   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. The intials should be for General Railway Signal Company to begin with. Posted Thursday, September 5, 2024 by ShastaRoute

A. Hi Brian, your lamp is a Dressel train order signal lamp and if it’s marked for GRS, that’s General Railway Signal Co, a signal manufacturer. Can you send a photo of the opposite side with the bracket? Also, does it have a manufacturer tag on the inside? Thank you. [Send an image as an attachment to an email to this site, and we will post it - Web Editor] Posted Thursday, October 3, 2024 by TM

 Q4084 Large Portrait of a Conductor  I bought this very old large photo at a thrift store years ago knowing nothing about railroadiana. Was wondering if someone could make out the letters on his lapel pin. I don't see any other identification on him and there is nothing decipherable on the photo or frame to help with identification. Also does anyone know if these RR's keep any photos of conductors they employed and how would I go about seeing them if so? Thank you all for any help at all. I'd be elated to return this to any family left of his. The measurements of this, including cardboard it's attached to, is 12 in. x 15 in.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Monday, September 2, 2024 by RG   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. A very interesting picture. The gentleman's lapel brass says "C B & Q" which stands for the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad, almost always known colloquially as "The Burlington" or "The Burlington Route" or just "The Q." The Burlington ran from Chicago west to Denver and northwest from there into Montana. What makes the picture interesting is that the buttons on the uniform don't seem to match for a regular CB&Q uniform where the buttons would also have said "CB&Q" or maybe "Burlington." The buttons in the pic seem to have several different patterns, none of which I can clearly make out. The Q did have extensive commuter service in the Chicago area; maybe some buttons might have gotten traded around, but generally the buttons and other brass matched for the railroad. As to photos, I don't think any railroad took any kind of systematic pictures of train crews until very recently -- up into the Amtrak era. Each railroad employed and qualified its own crews and there were no "licenses" until Federal regulations began to require them about 1980. Some larger RR facilities such as major shops did issue photo ID's to control entry onto the property, but they were not required for train crews. Posted Tuesday, September 3, 2024 by RJMc

A. Given the inconsistencies noted above, and the lack of any other ID, other possibilities include: maybe an actor in a play or movie, or in a museum. Railroad uniforms and hardware have been widely collected for years, and until fairly recently there were never any restrictions on selling or buying it, either brand new or used.  Posted Saturday, September 14, 2024 by RJMc

 Q4083 Adlake Switch Lamp?  Full cast aluminum body. Adlake marked. Early electric model? Has 1162 marked on it and 62 73. Cant find any data; hoping for an expert to help ID. May have been from steel mill. Midwest for sure. Had a block of wood in it. Thanks in advance.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, August 11, 2024 by Vincenzo   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. See prior Q's 2706 and 2989. Its almost certainly an Adlake Model 1162 lamp. The cast-in numbers are the mold numbers for the parts - not dates. This type of lamp was made over a very extended period of time, and they lasted forever, so is very hard to date. On some of the various models such as this one, whether the castings were made in cast iron or in aluminum was a buyer's option; the designs stayed the same. And just to avoid future surprises, if you mess with the electrical connection studs and nuts, be prepared for 1/4 inch x 24 threads....NOT 1/4 x 20 NC, and NOT 1/4 x 28 NF. The RR signal community stayed with the 1/4 x 24 thread including in places such as inside switch lamps -- and they are not happy trying to mate with either of the other threads. Posted Sunday, August 11, 2024 by RJMc

A. Great info RJMc. Thanks. Id love to see a catalog w this in it. Since Adlake made these type for years, its odd not to see any on the websites… I have redone this one faithfully to original except the bulb. The japanning was still great so I didnt need to paint it either. I will post some pics ..thanks again for your reply…Vinny Posted Sunday, August 18, 2024 by RJMc

A. Hi Vincenzo, regarding your question about your electrified switch lamp, here is an Adlake ad from 1952 advertising their lamp as being available in both 'cast or sheet metal, oil-lighted or electrically from line' (See pic). There was also a third option prior to this which is largely unknown and rarely discussed; which was the use of radioactive rods which gave illumination 24hrs a day without the need for any maintenance. This experimental and somewhat hazardous use of the radioactive rods only lasted for two years and was discontinued. I don't know what year Adlake began offering the electrified lamps, and it may have been prior to the use of this ad in 1952. I hope this helps you.  Link 1  Posted Monday, September 2, 2024 by Steve B.

 Q4082 Adlake Kero with Fresnel Lense  I have come across a couple of Adlake Kero Lamps with red fresnel lenses. Did Adams Westlake make Kero lamps with these lenses, or were these lamps pieced together by railroad workers (or collectors)? Thanks in advance for your response.  Posted Sunday, August 4, 2024 by John   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Fresnel lenses were commonly used for users such as grade crossing watchmen, where warning was the main function rather than providing light. They were an option for purchase with new lanterns. Put the word "Fresnel" in the word or phrase search box to see many earlier Q&A's about them.  Posted Wednesday, August 7, 2024 by RJMc

A. Hi John, to help you out further and if you are in fact actually referring to the hand lanterns as opposed to the switch and signal lamps that are "fixed" to something. As RJMc indicated there were options for railroads when ordering lanterns if they preferred the fresnel type globe. Some railroads (like the Southern Railway for example), specified that they wanted red fresnel globes for equipping in their cabooses for emergency signalling. A search of Southern railway lanterns will show you that a large majority (used for that purpose and with the red color) had fresnel globes. You'd then be able to determine when buying that type of lantern, that in all likelihood the fresnel globe in it was legit and not a replacement. In order to determine these things you need to look at several other known examples of the same type of lantern made for the same railroad and make comparisons. You can also look at databases on this site and others that lists known globe colors and types seen by collectors. You can also contact historical associations for different railroads and ask if they have a particular model of lantern in their collection inventory which has a fresnel globe. There are times when a globe becomes broken and someone might have a spare fresnel globe and insert that one into a lantern to increase the value for sale. When that is done it's kinda obvious as it will stand out as a one-off example, then you'll likely determine it's not authentic. Such cases are somewhat rare, but do happen occasionally. Some railroads (like the CNR) used both types of globes (standard and fresnel for their blue signal lanterns) so you should be aware that some examples can have either type of globe and still be considered authentic and not replacements. I hope this helps you. Posted Friday, August 9, 2024 by Steve B.

A. Before WW2 most railroads in the United States used “round style” lantern globes including the Southern Railway. That said, Steve B is correct in that Southern Railway did like and use Fresnel globes (mostly after WW2). Fresnel globes were sturdier, cast light further (safer) and were cheaper to buy. But there was no rule as to which style globe train crews were required to use for markers or for flagging. As late as the1970’s kerosine lanterns (with either style globe) could be found on the rear of Southern passenger trains and in lockers of well-stocked cabooses. I even remember seeing a “tall globe” lantern in the road foreman’s office. This was probably just a keepsake as it disappeared about the time he retired.  Posted Wednesday, August 14, 2024 by Ex Sou Ry

 Q4081 Bookends?  I found these, I believe they are iron bookends or decorative brackets with Pullman and large letter P. If you have information about these, I would love to know. Thanks so much,   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Wednesday, July 24, 2024 by Brian   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Looking at the shape, I suspect these are wedges probably used in a heavyweight Pullman car truck or maybe a draft gear assembly. The date code is for 1917 -- if my Roman numeral translation is correct -- which is definitely the Pullman heavyweight era. The use of iron says this was for a fairly high-wear application where the taper would keep pressure and the alignment of the mating parts despite wear on the mating surfaces, in some application such as a pedestal liner or a draft gear. They just happen to also work as bookends. The link is to a very interesting site where apparently ALL of the engineering drawings of the British Pullman Company are archived where you can see the complexity of all the parts and maybe see your parts depicted, although the British practices were somewhat different than North American. Link 1  Posted Sunday, July 28, 2024 by RJMc

 Q4080 Baggage Tag ID?  I found a RR baggage tag with my metal detector earlier this year. I am trying to find out what RR it is from. The initials are P. & N. B. R. R. made by J. Robbins Boston. I found it in Massachusetts near the old Nashua, Acton and Boston Railroad bed. I was also curious about its approximate age. Thank you for your time. Regards,   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Wednesday, July 17, 2024 by Ron   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Sorry; quick runs thru all the "P" listings in Bill Edson's Railroad Names book (in both the "steam" and electric railroads" sections), and in Gross's "Trolley and Interurban Directory" "P" section provide no likely ID's for P&NB initials. Canadian RR's remain a possibility since only US RR's are covered in the Edson book. Posted Sunday, July 21, 2024 by RJMc

A. I hope this isn't too late to help you and you check back in. Go to the Tagtown website (Link 1) which is TREMENDOUS for dating old New England tags in particular. Your tag is VERY early. The specific John Robbins information (Link 2)shows one with the same mark dated pre-1860. The Tagtown site owner might be able to help you ID the P&NB. It seems strange that a Canadian railway would buy tags from a company this far away, but stranger things have happened. GUESSING on an American P&NB,and this is just a guess, start with the "NB" (since there would have been fewer places with those initials) in the Nashua NH / Boston MA area - like New Bedford (MA) or possibly New Brunswick (NJ)- and then try to find what would have worked for the "P" such as Portsmouth, Plymouth, Peterborough etc. which would not have been too far apart for a first half of the 1800s railroad line. Some of those old shorter lines never made it into the directories printed up for us today. (How I wish I had started collecting stock certificates to make up my own list !!!)  Link 1  Link 2  Posted Sunday, July 28, 2024 by JMS

A. Might be worth looking for anything with a “North Branch” name considering those early roads often were in an extension process in a general direction. Posted Friday, September 6, 2024 by ShastaRoute

 Q4079 Headlamp ID?  I have owned this lamp for over 60 years. I think I bought it at an Ohio antique shop. Is it a railroad headlamp? And what vintage? Thank you in advance.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Wednesday, July 17, 2024 by Bruce   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Just looking at the hook-type mounting bracket on the rear of the lamp causes me to suspect this was used on a horsecar, trolley or electric interurban line, probably between 1880 and 1910 or so. Essentially all of the headlights used on the cars in those services were hung on the front of the car with that hook engaging a metal strap. Since all but the horsecar lines were electrically powered, they went to electric headlights very early on as soon as robust bulbs became available. The headlights were often only put on the cars and night and taken off and stored during the day. Ohio was a hotbed of trolley and interurban activity; what part of the state do you think this came from?  Posted Saturday, July 20, 2024 by RJMc

A. Thanks for the help. Possibly I found it in Toledo but I have a vague memory of buying it in a shop along the Ohio River nea Gallipolis, which is diagonally across the state.  Posted Tuesday, July 23, 2024 by Bruce

A. Thanks for the help. Possibly I found it in Toledo but I have a vague memory of buying it in a shop along the Ohio River nea Gallipolis, which is diagonally across the state.  Posted Wednesday, July 24, 2024 by Bruce

 Q4078 Adlake Marker Light Question  I purchased an Adlake lamp. Atop the lantern are the words 'The Non Sweating Adlake Lamp Chicago'. On the rim of the lantern below the top are the letters C.T. Co. embossed in the metal. Further, the previous owner attached a paper note stating 'Conestoga Valley T. Co, Lancaster Co., Trolley Marker light'. The exterior of the lantern has a single 5 inch lens. Also it has two rotating brass switches on the exterior. Upon looking further I found that these switches are attached to one of two lens (red/green) inside the lantern. The switches will engage/disengage the respective lens to which it is attached. I am a fairly new to this, but I searched online and I cannot find a similar Adlake having these switches. It appears to me that it is some type of signal lantern with the switches enabling the user to quickly change the lens color. That is my guess and I may be completely incorrect. Are those two interior lens considered to be semaphore? Asking because I also searched online for this topic. The lamp is round, 13.5 inches tall and has a slide door to access the interior. The burner and font are present. I believe it may have some relationship, as stated on the note and the presence of the embossed C.T. Co, that it was used by the Conestoga Traction Co. Can you provide any additional information such as date manufactured? Any help is appreciated. Thanks,  Posted Wednesday, July 17, 2024 by Harlan   Post a Reply  Email a reply

 Q4077 ALCO Plate ID?  I’m a British collector of Railwayana. Recently I’ve acquired an ALCO Worksplate amongst other plates. I’ve been desperately trying to find out which locomotive this plate came from but to no avail. I would therefore be most grateful for any information about this plate. Sincerely,   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Wednesday, July 17, 2024 by Richard   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Looks like NP #5118. Posted Tuesday, December 17, 2024 by Tracy

 Q4076 Segregated Restroom Plate  I just read your reporting on the cast iron fakes for directions to rest rooms on the B&O. I am suspicious because restroom is all one word, and there is no space between B&O and Railroad. Thanks,   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Wednesday, July 17, 2024 by WTC   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. I misspoke on the word restroom. Here is two words but is spelled as one.  Posted Thursday, July 18, 2024 by Tim Weaver

A. I would be suspicious simply because it's cast iron. Has anyone ever seen one of these in cast iron before? (in any hobby collecting area) Just my observation though. White/colored signs are one of t-h-e most widespread fakes.  Link 1  Posted Saturday, July 20, 2024 by JMS

 Q4075 Unidentified RR Deopt - 1900s  I have an early 1900s real photo postcard showing an unidentified railroad depot, possibly located in the northeastern U.S. based on the location of the seller. Even after hours of reverse image searching and combing through various sites, I still have not been able to find a match for this specific depot. Is there any chance you could take a look at the photo and help me figure it out, or at least help narrow it down to a specific state/region? Thanks in advance. [Note: the top photo is the original image sent; the bottom is a digitally modified version to bring out detail.]   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Wednesday, July 10, 2024 by Tyler   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. To get the discussion started, I think the first best clue is that the locomotive is NOT a cconventional engine with tender; looking closely at the connection between the rear of the engine and the first combine coach shows that the engine is of the Mason Bogie (or also called Mason Fairlie) type (see Link). It has a single long frame carrying both the boiler and the coal and water tank. These were of 2-4-4T or 2-6-4T types. This is a good clue because not many RR's had them. It is hard to tell from the pic whether the track is standard or narrow gage; being able to determine this would much further limit what RR is shown. It is clearly an early pic because both the station and the loco have oil lantern-type lighting, not electric. The loco has a straight exhaust stack, not balloon. The brick construction of the station itself, obviously planned to handle many people, and of the large industrial buildings in the background are further clues, but not distinctive enough so far to pull out a specific place. With the possibilities now narrowed down, further searching may turn up a definite answer.  Link 1  Posted Monday, July 15, 2024 by RJMc

A. Thank you for the information RJMc, I appreciate it! I was hoping someone would be able to provide info about the train itself to help narrow things down. Do you know of any useful online databases where I could find a list of stations utilizing narrow (and/or standard) gauge tracks during that time period? Posted Monday, July 15, 2024 by RJMc

A. NOTE: I presume the second prior reply is from Tyler, not RJMc. Another prominent clue in your pic is the switchstand target in the foreground. The white circle was not universal among RR's. An online search of photos turned up a similar one (See Link) which is reported there to be a style used by the New Haven RR. This is not an absolute indication; but it does strongly support a Northeastern US location for your pic. As to station lists, yes, the Official Guide to the Railways always had a section in the back listing ALL of the RR stations in North America. But this will be of little use in your search because there were thousands, and maybe tens of thousands of them listed in each edition of the Guide. And they are indexed by location name, not by RR name, and no gage reference is included. A more effective search technique is to search on a RR name and ask for "historical station images." To match your pic, first look for any that have large brick buildings in the background. I have been looking for a while, and have seen similar brick station architecture on Boston and Maine stations from the early 20th Century, but no matches to the surroundings. Link 1  Posted Tuesday, July 16, 2024 by RJMc

A. To confirm the info above about the List of Stations in the back of the "Official Guide of the Railways", I looked at a printed Guide from 1959 which I happened to have on hand. The List of Stations occupies about 240 pages covered on both sides with fine print; about 300 stations per page side, for a total of well over 70,000 stations showing only the city, town, or other location, the initials of the RR(s) serving it, and what schedule listing showed that place in the main entry for that RR. The list covers stations in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Central America. There are scanned copies of the Official Guides available for sale on the web; they are searchable and are very handy references about historical RR operations, but won't help much in identifying the mystery station in the pic. Posted Wednesday, July 17, 2024 by RJMc

A. Sorry about the name confusion, I think I put yours into the "Who" box because my sleep-deprived brain interpreted it as "Who are you replying to?" at the time. Oops... Anyway, thank you so much for the additional tips and information, I will dig further into New Haven RR research to see what I can find. Cheers! Posted Wednesday, July 17, 2024 by Tyler

A. Another possibly helpful clue may be the way the chimney is capped with square side openings. Having now looked at MANY depot pix, that configuration is NOT common. And many RR's used the same designs for almost all depot details, so any other pic we can find with that type of chimney is likely a very good clue to the RR in your pic. So far I have found one Lehigh Valley RR station with something similar, and one Lehigh and New England roundhouse with similar chimneys, but really nothing identical having now looked at pix from about 12 different RR's. Link 1  Posted Friday, July 19, 2024 by RJMc

 Q4074 RR Lamp?  Is this a RR Lamp? I have found no evidence of this lamp in my searches. It has the word Borden’s on it, and that is the only marking. Can you offer any information? Thank you,   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Wednesday, July 10, 2024 by Kris   Post a Reply  Email a reply

 Q4073 Baron Lantern Globe Marking  We have an Baron lantern with a globe in it that is cast AHA&S near the top. Can anyone help ID it ? TIA.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Tuesday, July 2, 2024 by JMS   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Hello. When you say a Baron lantern, I am assuming you refer to the company(ies) that Richard Barrett refers to as "The Barons of Ohio" in his Illustrated Encyclopedia of Railroad Lighting, Vol. 1. As described there, companies under the Baron name operated in Ohio beginning in 1875 into the early 20th Century. Studying the lettering on your globe makes me think the AHA&S is the ID for the globe manufacturer. Most lantern manufacturers did the metalworking, and purchased the globes from glassworks which in most cases were separate companies. I noted on close examination that the lettering on your globe seems to be A. H A&S. Looking at Ohio historical records of glassmakers, a good (but not perfect) fit seems to be the A. H. Heisey Co. of Newark, OH. The "&S" could be "and Sons"; Wikipedia says "The company was operated by Heisey and his sons until 1957, when the factory closed." The Heisey company specialized in fine glassware and colored glassware particularly; it also made automobile headlights and many other products. I have not confirmed whether they may have made railroad products, but those would fit well in its widely varied product lines. So, quite a bit of speculation, and others may well have additional views or info.  Link 1  Posted Saturday, July 6, 2024 by RJMc

A. RJMc, thank you for some truly introspective information. We have the Barrett book and were confident about the Baron lantern, but the glass mark threw us. We've never seen AHA&S before. I would think Heisey is a particularly good guess especially with the Ohio location, but there is an "extra" A -it's AHA&S, not AH&S. Based on their history it seems they could produce lantern globes but I would think they would be written up somewhere, and more common than the one we found in 40 years. We sold the lantern so at this point it's just fun to investigate and learn. Quite a while ago I did acquire several Heisey marked (the usual raised H within a diamond) glass inserts that fit several different railroad lines "supreme set" silver plated frames. They were the exact shape including the tall rim edges, of some of the supreme set glass inserts shown in the Maffett silver holloware service books. They fit the UPRR frame I have perfectly and they fit the frames of the fellows I sold them to.  Link 1  Posted Sunday, July 7, 2024 by JMS

 Q4072 MCRR Key Question  I have a question regarding the Michigan Central Key Marked MCRR on one side and ST Louis on the other. I already know that these keys have either the A&W Hex or Oval Logo dating from between 1898 and 1930 and that some keys have an 'S' on them indicating a switch key; also that the Wilson Bohannon bronze lock type #81 is used with this key. The Lock I have opened by this key is marked MCRR only. In Don Stewarts Key book there is an illustration of this key on page 49. My question is: what is the reason for the ST. LOUIS on the key, when the town of St. Louis, Michigan is 30 miles away from the Michigan Central right of way?   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, June 20, 2024 by LT   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. ST LOUIS appears in order to differentiate this key as Manufacturer's Connecting which ran in St Louis, from any other road using MCRR as a reporting mark. This was for the benefit of both the maker and the receiver, so that the wrong key was not sent to some other railroad than the St Louis one. Similarly, if a Brakeman was working for several different railroads, he would not confuse keys if he was on one MCRR from the other MCRR. It DOES NOT indicate that the key was made in St Louis, only intended for use there. Oddly, I've never seen a Monongahela Connecting key with a city or state name stamped on the reverse so that you don't try to use the key on the Michigan Central. I own a Mon Con key marked MCRR, with a totally different cut than the Michigan line and know it's Mon Con by way of where I found it. While some keys have travelled far distances from their original place of use, generally the fruit doesn't fall too far from the tree. I am pleased to solve this mystery for you, LT and others.  Posted Friday, June 21, 2024 by Non

 Q4071 MP&Ry Lock  What railway was this lock for? I'm guessing P & RY stands for Power and Railway. I can't come up with an ID in reference books nor online.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, June 20, 2024 by Non   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Joseph Gross's Trolley and Interurban Directory, in the very- helpfully-broken-out nationwide "initials" section, identifies MP&RY Co. as the Monongahela Power and Railway Company (local system) located in West Virginia. The main data in the WV state listing shows three apparently isolated local systems incorporated about 1921, all operating under the same name and initials, in Clarksburg, PA, and Fairmount and Parkersburg, WV. (I suspect the Clarksburg they mean is really the WV one....) All the systems apparently underwent a name change to the Monongahela West Penn Public Service Co. at different times. No further disposition is shown.  Posted Friday, June 21, 2024 by RJMc

 Q4070 Rail Photo Question  Small format. Removed from an album and pencil lettered 'Logging Camp'. (Then vacu-sealed in a plastic coffin.) Badly damaged. Undated. Found in Springfield Oregon where the nearest mountain logging/milling was Mohawk Valley/Marcola/Wendling. Appears to be high elevation terrain with vast completed lumber. Central building of unknown useage. No logs visible. Very different from typical shots. Any information that may help locate this operation is welcome, including any explanations of what we’re viewing and when. TIA   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, June 20, 2024 by ShastaRoute   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. This is certainly an intriguing photo. The remaining trees are huge, possibly redwoods (see Link) which may provide additional geographic info. As to the railroad I note in the center there are two very distinctly different track gauges; the narrower one apparently serving only the operations in the large building. I see no evidence of any motorized highway-type vehicles, and also no evidence of any kind of electrical power plant; no boiler house. But hydro power was widely available in the Pacific northwest of the US, and a Canadian location (or elsewhere in the world) should also be considered....The threat of fire was a huge issue for places like this; I don't see any fire suppression capabilities. The placement of poles almost suggests an electric railroad operation, although their placement is very sparse to be supporting any kind of trolley wire.  Link 1  Posted Friday, June 21, 2024 by RJMc

A. Good points. What’s really odd is things look like they are in the process of being loaded onto (spine, bunk ?) cars that might go out directly or to a reload point, but there’s no presence of a single human nor animal. And no power units, wagons, bicycles, canoes, or goat carts. Yet the whole place looks to be fully developed for long term workers…even patches seen through the trees. Could the building be a drying facility? Everything here is boards with no raw logs. And what’s with those vented? columns at the front of that central plant?? Posted Tuesday, June 25, 2024 by ShastaRoute

A. Right. I also noted the lack of any single person. Maybe they were all in church? Although no church is evident in the buildings. Also, for a picture of this apparently early period, the high angle of the view is unusual. Maybe taken from the top of a chimney, which would explain why we don't see a power plant in the pic.  Posted Tuesday, June 25, 2024 by RJMc

A. Ahh…a potential location of the missing locomotive, high up this side of the canyon directly underneath the character with the camera, possibly perched on the tender? Notice a track structure heads off to the left. Posted Tuesday, June 25, 2024 by ShastaRoute

A. And some laundry on a line in front of the house dead center with what may be the upper bodies and heads of two people further out front. Posted Tuesday, June 25, 2024 by ShastaRoute

A. The possibility of the large building being a drying facility is interesting. Note that the narrow gauge tracks seem to go right up to the front of the building but NOT into it. The framing across the front of the building looks like what is used for a theater stage or an airplane hanger, allowing the whole front of the building to be opened to let very large loads out. There are some vaguely similar structures when you search online for pictures of lumber drying buildings, but most of them have/had steam heat. I have been wondering if this is a photograph of a model, not a real location, but someone would have to have put most of a lifetime in creating the level of detail in the pic.  Posted Thursday, June 27, 2024 by RJMc

A. Pretty old thin photo paper torn from an ancient brown paper scrapbook. Well beyond the skills of even a top-notch scale model builder in an era probably before HO-gauge brought intense detail manufacturing. Larger scale modelers were often crafty, but this would challenge even Hollywood’s best talent and some of them were amazing. (I’ve been in a major studio several decades back and seen one of those huge hand-built dioramas. Mind boggling!) Posted Monday, July 1, 2024 by ShastaRoute

 Q4069 Button ID?  I work at an archaeology department identifying items and I can't find anything on the company behind this railroad uniform button. It's a little corroded, but much of the design is still visible. The only visible word is 'RAILROAD,' which hasn't helped much in narrowing down the button's maker. Any help in figuring out the origins of this button would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, June 20, 2024 by Abby S   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. There are two good RR button books by Don Van Court, one is Railroads and the other is Transit, uniform button identification. He is against cleaning buttons but from your pictures I'm going to say that if this was mine I indeed would try to GENTLY clean it. IMHO the condition is so bad it's worth the risk to try. The green tarnish is only going to worsen and keep on corroding unless it is stopped. Do not use anything harsh. If you can get brass wool (like steel wool but it is BRASS) it is very expensive but will NOT scratch. The big trick will be to make out what the letters are. It looks to me (GUESSING) like maybe Y&H or H&Y but there is definitely an & ampersand there. Best of luck, this one looks really interesting. Is there a maker name on the back.  Posted Sunday, June 23, 2024 by JMS

A. The lettering style on the button is VERY close to a historical Pittsburg and Lake Erie logo (see Link 1) which was first used in the 1880's but which they continued to use thru most of the 20th century. It is possible the button is from P&LE when the most flowery typestyle was in use. Some Atlantic Coast Line logos also had this general style of lettering. Link 1  Posted Tuesday, June 25, 2024 by RJMc

A. The Waterbury Button Co. was founded in Connecticut in 1812 and has been making all kinds of buttons ever since -- including railroad, military, fire dept., high school band, etc etc etc. (See Link 1 for just the railroad section). Check the back of your button; it could well be a Waterbury product. The Waterbury website has a huge number of excellent images of buttons past and present. They label the lettering style of your button "entangled" (most appropriate !!) and many samples in this style are shown. It can take hours to sort thru the vast selection all pictured on their website. If you want more of the same button, they can produce new ones for you. They may even retain the original tooling dies if they made your original, and stamping out more can be very economical meaning that collectors need to be very cautious about finding new-appearing "old" buttons.  Link 1  Posted Tuesday, June 25, 2024 by RJMc

A. This is a known button from the Louisville & Nashville. It is in Don VanCourt’s great book Uniform Transportation Buttons: Railroad. I hope this helps. If you are on Facebook, feel free to join the Railroad Button Collectors group that I manage. Cheers! Paul Hubbard Posted Wednesday, June 26, 2024 by Paul Hubbard

 Q4068 Lantern ID?  A friend recently gave me this lantern to decorate my train room where I am building a Lionel layout. I have a few other lanterns but I am by no means a collector nor am I knowledgeable about lantern history. I don't recognize the initials embossed on the lantern and would appreciate any information that anyone could share. Thanks in advance for your consideration and help.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Wednesday, May 29, 2024 by Wayne   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. The "BR" may stand for "Burlington Route", a nickname for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy RR. I think I have seen other lanterns from the Q with this marking. Other opinions?  Posted Wednesday, May 29, 2024 by PK

A. I agree, it's almost positively certainly Burlington Route. I don't know about lanterns but a lot of tableware and silver dining ware is marked BR. Unless I am mistaken, the 4-46 on an Adlake Kero model should mean it was made in the fourth quarter of 1946. You can actually look up the patent dates online, they probably refer to some part or another of the lantern (not the complete lantern) Posted Saturday, June 1, 2024 by JMS

A. Here is really good information about the CB&Q (Link 1)  Link 1  Posted Saturday, June 1, 2024 by JMS

A. Thanks for information. I appreciate your help.  Posted Sunday, June 9, 2024 by Wayne

 Q4066 Lantern info?  I would love to know the age and history of this lantern I just purchased. I can't find one with the red as a circle in my searches.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Tuesday, May 21, 2024 by KW   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Congratulations on owning this beautiful lantern! Your lantern was made by E.T Wright, a Canadian manufacturer of lanterns which was in operation until 1933. Judging by the early patent date of your lantern, I would suggest that it was made in the early 1900's for the Canadian Northern Railway, a railway which existed until being merged into the Canadian National in 1923. This early example you have has an additional feature mounted on the frame known as a "bullseye" which was used for signalling. The bullseye on your lantern features a convex fresnel lens which magnifies the signal a greater distance, which in your case would be the red signal for "stop". It is very rare to find a Canadian lantern with a bullseye and often lanterns which had them often have the bullseye missing or broken. The clear cast globe was used to be able to see at night while walking the track, while the bullseye would provide a signal to stop. Your lantern is a complete and early rare example which is highly desirable by lantern collectors and is approximately 101-116 years old. Posted Friday, May 24, 2024 by Steve B

A. As indicated by Steve B, lanterns like this were provided to trackwalkers (track inspectors) in the days before every employee carried a two-way radio and it could be miles between lineside telephone boxes (and telegraph was often in use, anyway). And even warning a dispatcher might do little good since the locomotives didn't have radios, either. In mountainous territory particularly, things such as rock slides and broken rails could -- and did -- happen at any time and the track walker needed a way to stop an oncoming train short of any newly-discovered problem with the track or a tunnel. Fusees and torpedoes work for this function but since fusees only last a relatively few minutes, the trackworker would have to carry a lot of them. Times have really changed since then....the inspection and warning methods have changed, but many of the hazards have not. Posted Friday, May 24, 2024 by RJMc

 Q4065 RR Lantern Question  I do collect railroad lanterns but I don't consider myself an expert by any means. I pulled out one I had packed away and for some reason it just struck me as looking weird. There are no railroad identification marks and it is a Dietz. It look like one that you had a similar picture of saying unusual and an Adlake. I was just looking to see if this was something that was broken or if this is the way it is supposed to be. Thank you   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Sunday, May 12, 2024 by R   Post a Reply  Email a reply

 Q4064 A&W 1909 Lantern Globe Removal  I Recently acquired this Adlake Reliable lantern. Looks just like the Adams crossover model seen in the bottom right of this gallery [see link]. Does anyone know how the globe is supposed to be removed? There doesn't seem to be enough clearance to just pull it out the top of the cage; the globe rubs against the top rail and I'm, afraid I will break it if I force it. I don't see any obvious latches to remove the cage.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Saturday, May 11, 2024 by DB  Link 1     Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. It look like a standard Cnx globe which fits the reliable and many other tall globe frames. It should come right out without a problem. Maybe the frame is bent?  Posted Sunday, May 12, 2024 by Ex Sou Ry

A. Thanks Sou, I got it out. Standard CNX globe indeed. Had to force it a little; I really can't tell if the frame is bent or not. This threw me off because other lanterns I've seen had more clearance. Posted Thursday, May 16, 2024 by DB

 Q4063 Help in Identifying Item  I would appreciate help identifying this New York Ontario & Western item. It's been in my collection for many years and not sure what it was used for. It is made of thin metal which has some firmness, but can be easily bent (such as being attached to a telephone pole). Thanks for your time.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Saturday, May 11, 2024 by Jim   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. This was made by a device a lot like the old-fashioned Dymo Labelmakers, but fed with a roll 0f metal tape rather than colored plastic tape. (The only reason that the Dymo's are now "old fashioned" is because almost everyone uses computer-printed labels of one form or another.) Many RR's and many other industries used the metal labels to mark almost anything. They could be spot-welded on to metal objects (shovels), soldered on (switch lamp frames), or as with yours, apparently tacked on to something such as maybe a phone pole, or maybe the bottom of a piece of furniture. No way to tell where a particular label was used. The pic does not indicate size,but this might also have started as a section cut from a metal boxcar seal which would usually be much narrower than the embossed metal tags.  Posted Thursday, May 16, 2024 by RJMc

 Q4062 PRR Caboose Markers  I am adding marker lamps to an HO gauge model railroad PRR caboose, and I want to make sure they are prototypically correct. What color lenses did the PRR use in their caboose markers, RGGG or RYYY? Or did it depend on the region? If both, which one was more common? Thanks.  Posted Saturday, May 11, 2024 by Joe   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Although your question is about caboose markers, the Link is to an article in the archives here on the RRiana site with all the history and details about classification lights and markers used on PRR locomotives. Its possible the PRR Magazine may have printed a similar article on caboose equipment; if not, it is reasonable (??) to assume that the marker provisions on the rear of tenders were very similar to that used for the rear of trains.  Link 1  Posted Monday, May 13, 2024 by RJMc

 Q4061 Southern Railway '927' keys and locks  Is anyone able to tell me the story or the meaning behind Yale Southern Railway locks which are only marked with the number 927? (see photos). I have checked a Yale catalog and this number isn't a key code. I am wondering if these locks (which don't open with a standard Southern switch key) may be from a railroad that was absorbed into the Southern? The keys are also only marked 927, and there are reports that some Southern Railway lanterns are also marked with this number. Any information you can give is greatly appreciated! Remember: 'Spring comes soonest in the South!'   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Friday, May 3, 2024 by SB   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. I own an Adlake Kero short globe lantern with the number 927 on it. From what information I could obtain The Southern Railway would order these Kero's marked 927 to deter theft. Their reasoning, I believe, is that lanterns without railroad initials would be less desirable, however, the number 927 still identified them as Southern Railway lanterns. Where the number 927 came from has not been definitively proven. As far as the keys and locks are concerned, I cannot venture a guess as to why they would be marked 927. Posted Monday, May 6, 2024 by Dave Y.

A. An old Trainmaster once told me they started marking lanterns with 927 after seeing some marked Southern Ry at the local flea market. They (wrongly) figured this would cut down on theft and didn’t understand most lanterns were being “appropriated” for use as a lantern not as a collectable. This is the main reason the vast majority we see today have clear globes. Sorry, I have no first hand knowledge on the locks and keys except I've seen them from time to time over the years.  Posted Tuesday, May 7, 2024 by Ex Sou Ry

 Q4060 Dietz Vulcan 39  I recently purchased a Dietz Vulcan 39 lantern stamped PS for Pennsylvania System. It has an unusual handle in that it is wooden. I can't recall ever seeing a tall globe frame like that before. Also noted that the frame is painted which is another thing I have never seen in a tall globe lantern. The PRR began electrification in 1905 so the handle makes sense if this was used near catenary. Also the frame painting as holding a metal framed lantern, even with an insulated handle, near catenary could prove fatal. I have seen short globe PRR and Washington Terminal lanterns with wooden or rubber handles. Has anyone else seen a tall globe lantern for any electrified road that had an insulated handle and is painted ? All input appreciated.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Friday, May 3, 2024 by AS   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. The first PRR electrification in the 1900 to 1910 time period was in the tunnels serving Penn Station in New York. As clearly shown in the pic in the Link it was third rail, not catenary. From the point of view of trainmen getting on and off cars, although the third rail voltage is much lower, the risk can be a lot higher because of how close you must get to the third rail compared with the (far) overhead catenary -- making that insulated handle even more desirable. The third rail system remains active in Penn Station supporting operations coming in from the ex-LIRR lines and serves the West Side connection on the former NYC to Harmon.  Link 1  Posted Saturday, May 4, 2024 by RJMc

A. I remember older guys saying the wood handles were for cold weather as they were much better to use than metal handles during the winter months (wouldn’t freeze up). These would be very popular on the P/S because the line ran through some pretty cold areas in the winter. Over the years I’ve seen several wood handles many of them cracked with age. Finding one in good shape makes a nice find!  Posted Tuesday, May 7, 2024 by Ex Sou Ry

 Q4059 Dietz Lanterns  I’ve got a couple of Dietz railroad lanterns from the 1920s and was wondering why they made them to where you had to take them apart to refill with kerosene instead of a cap you unscrew? Posted Thursday, April 11, 2024 by MS   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. From the earliest days of railroading brakemen and other employees were frequently climbing on and off moving equipment and climbing up and down ladders to get to hand brake wheels, with lantern in hand. Or, often, with the large hoop lantern bail over their arm. And the lanterns were used to pass hand signals at night, involving vigorous motion of the lantern. During all this activity, any arrangement with an easy-to-use screw cap would risk not only frequent loss of the cap but splashing-out and spillage of the kerosene with risk of fire. Marker lamps and switch lamps were much more stationary and so had tanks with easy-to-fill threaded caps. To reduce accidents most railroads today actually ban boarding or alighting from any moving equipment, access to the roofs of cars is prohibited, and every employee has a portable radio to pass signals. So you will seldom see the kinds of activities the kerosene lanterns supported other than in movies or maybe at a museum.  Posted Friday, April 12, 2024 by RJMc

 Q4058 L&N Lantern with SAL Globe  I have a Louisville & Nashville Armspear Lantern dated 1925 that has a red Seaboard Air Line globe in my railroad collection. I know that the L&N and SAL are part of the 'Family Tree' that eventually became CSX. I also had - at one time - a PRR Lantern with a NYC globe. These two Railroads merged to become Penn Central. My question is: are these mix matches of lanterns and globes something that actually occurred on railroads through mergers or is it more likely they were matched later on? Thanks for any help you can provide.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Tuesday, April 2, 2024 by John   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. The RR name marking on a lantern globe makes really no difference in the function. The answers to prior Q's 994 and 1021 give some discussion of how the various RR companies cooperated to arrive at standards that were used industry-wide to purchase items such as lanterns and globes. Use of the common standards guaranteed that the RR's got large quantity price discounts on all purchases, and that the items themselves were widely interchangeable. The various RR's served common terminals and so swapping of components was not uncommon and globes probably got broken very often and replaced with whatever was on hand (or nearby) regardless of the name on the globe. The later relationships of the companies probably has little to do with what globe may be seen in which lantern; of course that same interchangeability means that subsequent owners have also done a lot of swapping -- there is really no way to tell after the fact.  Posted Wednesday, April 3, 2024 by RJMc

A. The '1925' is a model number, not a date of manufacture. Put 'Armspear 1925' in the word search box (just the text, not the quote marks) to see several earlier Q's about this model. Regarding SAL and L&N, an Official Guide to the Rwys. from 1965 shows those two pre-merger lines both serving major terminals in Atlanta, Birmingham and Montgomery, AL, and of course many places in between so there were plenty of places a globe might have been swapped either before or after the lantern left service on the railroad.  Posted Sunday, April 7, 2024 by RJMc

A. Lets say you were a conductor working out of a big yard serving different railroads. If the globe on your lantern got broken you’d go to “supply” for a new one. The person working there would grab the first available and send you on your way. You’d thank him and slap it in place and go on about your work. Neither you nor the supply person would give a care as to the RR marking as long as it worked and fit the lantern. This is how many mix and match combos came to be. Posted Tuesday, May 7, 2024 by Ex Sou Ry

A. Nice lantern. With a little TLC it will clean up real nice! Posted Tuesday, May 7, 2024 by Ex Sou Ry

 Q4057 Presentation Lantern  I'm wondering if you can give me any information on my presentation lantern. I believe it is silver over brass and that the globe is not correct . Any info would be appreciated. Thank you.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Tuesday, April 2, 2024 by Mary   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. As for the metal, a good jeweler should be able to tell you for certain if the plating is silver and identify the underlying metal. If you look in St. Louis city directories (business preferred) you should be able to reasonably date when the maker, Hart & Duff was in operation. A good reference librarian should be able to help you, or even use Google Books (not "straight Google")(Link 1) The St. Louis Public Library (link 2) is worth contacting. This lantern would be gorgeous with a two-color globe, which is what it deserves. You're correct, the Vesta globe is totally wrong (way too young) but if it fits, that is a huge help finding another that will. Good luck - it's lovely!!  Link 1  Link 2  Posted Saturday, April 6, 2024 by JMS

A. Mary - I just did a quick Google Books search and Hart & Duff was at 113 Broadway, St. Louis, late 1800s-early 1900s. Apparently they were listed as a hat company, but they were a purveyor of all kinds of railroad items including lanterns (may have had an outside company making them, for Hart & Duff?) I would go to the horse's mouth, St. Louis city library reference section. Best of luck !!  Posted Saturday, April 6, 2024 by JMS

A. Nice lantern frame and yes, it is most likely nickel-plated brass (even better than silver). Once of the great things about this hobby is there is enough to go around so everyone can have something special in their collection. But the globe pictured is for a Dietz Vesta for sure. I would suggest you go to a live railroadiana show like the Gaithersburg Show for example. This would give you the opportunity talk to other serious collectors one on one where you MIGHT pick up a lead and find a correct replacement globe for this lantern. One of the reasons I enjoy going to the railroadiana shows as it gives me the chance to talk to folks, gain knowledge and see some cool stuff.  Posted Tuesday, May 7, 2024 by Ex Sou Ry

 Q4056 PRR Black Keystone Patch  I have a black PRR keystone 1 inch patch, but I cannot find any info on it. Usually I only find the red patches. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks,   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Friday, March 15, 2024 by Nancy H.   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Collar insignia? Posted Sunday, March 17, 2024 by da

A. I believe DA is correct this is NOT a "patch" and never was; it is an insignia, likely from a collar or lapel of a uniform jacket or possibly vest. The uniform makers would embroider these insignia directly onto fabric. Clearly, the garment in this case was black fabric (likely wool or a wool blend). Regardless, the "thread" is metal, either silver or gold bullion (I'm sorry, I can't tell for certain from the photo). When the garment this was on was discarded, someone cut out the insignia to save it.  Posted Wednesday, March 20, 2024 by JMS

A. These lapel markings were popular during WW2 and were made to conserve material for the war effort. Posted Sunday, March 24, 2024 by Ex Sou Ry

 Q4055 Question about a Key  I recently found a key metal detecting near a railroad that appears to be a railroad key of some type. Unfortunately I cannot find any information on it. I would like to know how old it is, what it was for and which rail it may have belonged to? Thanks.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Saturday, March 9, 2024 by Mark   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. There is some possibility that this is a RR key. However, at one time keys like this, and the padlocks they opened, were in wide general use by all kinds of busineeses, farms, utility companies, and many, many other users. They were commonly sold over-the-counter in hardware stores and lock shops. The number 12 on the key is quite likely a number for which key blank it was made from; there was typically a selection of over 20 or 30 sizes and configurations of blanks for keys like this in any well-stocked lock shop. Since there is no marking on the key to indicate a RR, the only way anyone will have of associating it with a particular company or a particular function is if someone happens to recognize the bit pattern, which is again possible, but pretty unlikely; or possibly if there was more specific info from someone who knew its history. The blank for this key can still be purchased, typically at the really 'veteran' older lock shops found in some cities, where they may still retain inventory of blanks purchased years ago. Posted Monday, March 11, 2024 by RJMc

 Q4054 Tags Used on Freight?  A friend and I were metal detecting the site of a general store that was active from about 1880-1910. There was a grain elevator next door, and a railroad track ran alongside the elevator. Across the road was the train depot. Between us, we found six brass luggage tags on the land where the store and elevator were. (We have not yet been able to search the spot where the depot was.) I thought it was odd to find so many luggage tags across the road from the depot, which made me wonder whether these tags were also used on goods that were being moved by train and delivered to the store? Any information you can provide would be appreciated.  [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Saturday, March 9, 2024 by Devon, Northfield, MN   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. A further question came to mind -- without any real basis -- was the Post Office located in the general store? I am not aware of RR baggage tags being used on parcel shipments, especially since they were supposed to be returned to the originating carrier for re-issue, but it might have happened.  Posted Thursday, March 14, 2024 by RJMc

A. A further suggestion: "Luggage" tags with one slot are part of sets of two: One tag would be attached to the parcel and the other serve as a claim check, given to the passenger checking the item to reclaim at the end of the trip, by matching their tag with the one on the luggage. The large two-slotted tags were for unaccompanied baggage. The two on each end of your picture are the type called "shells" - a paper tag would be inserted into slots on the long edges (in your photo they're on the other sides), held in place by inserting straps through the short end slots, then attaching those straps to the parcel. Also - This little group of buildings created a busy area where a lot of train related business was going on: travelers checking things in or picking them up; freight and baggage cars being loaded or unloaded; stage coaches and hacks looking for passengers. Tags of all kinds could have been dropped willy nilly anywhere. (And there might well have been Post Office involvement via a mail car, on any number of trains.)  Posted Thursday, March 21, 2024 by JMS

 Q4053 Holder for Kerosene Lamp?  I'm wondering if this is the holder for some kind of wall mounted caboose lamp? The moving arm brings that cap down to a fixed horizontal position. Is that cap a snuffer perhaps? Not sure what the front long area is for unless the lamp was shaped as fairly squat with a reservoir that extended forward. Thanks,   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Thursday, March 7, 2024 by Ed   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. I think the round cap is the giveaway; this is probably a juice squeezer. Searching for 'antique juice squeezer' images brings up a lot of pix of different varieties, but all basically the same idea. Link 1 shows only the bottom of a 1905 model that looks a lot like yours; Link 2 is the full view of a slightly different model. If yours is fairly small, it might have been used at a bar to squeeze limes.  Link 1  Link 2  Posted Thursday, March 7, 2024 by RJMc

A. Doubt it’s a squeezer for anything. The whole apparatus is about 12” tall and made of very light, bendable materials. There are only two small bolts holding the thin metal cup to the arm. The cup descends at an angle and only becomes completely horizontal at the bottom of the cycle unlike a squeezer which is designed to be horizontal the full time a squeezer is engaged. You couldn’t put any pressure on it or it would break. Its only apparent function is to gently come down on to the top of something to close it off which is why I believe it is a snuffer of some kind maybe for a kerosene lamp or even a candle inside a glass cylinder. Just wondered if anyone had ever seen a lamp with a mechanism like this. It also has a holder for a container that keeps whatever it is in place and centered for the cup to come down on. There are mounting holes on the back so that it can be mounted/hung on a wall Posted Friday, March 8, 2024 by EPD

A. I don't think any juice squeezer would have been wall mounted (mounting holes are clearly evident) and this may be off, but TO ME the surfaces of the piece look somewhat "scuzzy" and not "finished." To me they look like an aged industrial piece, not something smooth and easily cleaned that you'd want around food. The surfaces of actual juicers that RJM posted are smooth (still, despite age) and factory finished, to be easily cleaned and appropriate for food use.  Posted Saturday, March 9, 2024 by JMS

A. With all due regard to everyone's observations, Link 1 is the full pic of the 1905 Juice-o-Matic, a part of which was in the earlier link. And it might have been for squeezing out tomato juice; a lot easier to squeeze than lemons or oranges. The item in the pic and your item continue to look extremely similar to me. Link 1  Posted Friday, March 15, 2024 by RJMc

A. I agree the finish is very rough....to the extent that the item may have been heavily corroded at some time and then very roughly refinished. The original finish might have been much more suitable for food handling.  Posted Wednesday, March 20, 2024 by RJMc

 Q4052 Lock for Real?  This lock is from an Ohio estate making Atlantic & Great Western RR a possibility. The smaller stamp is Adrian Mich across the bottom and ‘something’ Co arching across the top. It seems to be functional, and reading about Adrian MI indicates strong railroad history and manufacturing history. There is a large stamped S on the other side of the shackle. Is it real and what company in Adrian MI is connected?   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Friday, March 1, 2024 by Joyce   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. The Atlantic and Great Western RR betweetn 1860 and 1880 was the broad-gauge (6 feet!) predecessor to what ultimately became the Erie Railroad main line between the New York City metro area and Cleveland, and Dayton, OH. The lock certainly looks appropriate for that time period. A view of the keyway would help to match it to other known samples. I am having a very hard time trying to make out the manufacturer name; no historical references -- so far -- in the Adrian, MI area seem to come close. It might help to try side-lighting that lettering to make it more readable, or maybe try putting baby powder over it to bring up the raised lettering by covering up the background.  Posted Saturday, March 2, 2024 by trnbob

A. Please either tell us what it says or as trnbob asks, post a clear picture of the small stamp at lower right. What's there now enlarges so blurry it is not readable. SORRY ! The "S" simply stands for "switch" which is the function of this type of lock. I would suggest finding Adrian Michigan city directory(one or more) from the later 1800s - you can try a Google search for them, or a good library reference department should be able to help you. This is a good looking lock, it deserves to be more closely identified, especially since it seems to have been manufactured by a rare maker.  Posted Sunday, March 3, 2024 by JMS

A. Here's a close-up of the manufacturer's mark. Link 1  Posted Thursday, March 7, 2024 by Joyce

A. I believe the makers mark says Ill. Mfg Co for Illinois Manufacturing Company, which was engaged in the manufacture of railway brass and bronze supplies. They were located in Adrian Mich. Posted Thursday, March 7, 2024 by DA

A. Here's a picture of the keyhole. Link 1  Posted Saturday, March 9, 2024 by Joyce

 Q4051 A&W Switch Lock  I am a volunteer in the collections department of the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum in Tucson, Arizona. We are principally interested in the Southern Pacific and Union Pacific railroads ... these are the two lines that have operated in Southern Arizona/Tucson since the 1880's. The attached photos are of a switch lock that was recently donated to us. We have determined that the maker is A&W Co. of Chicago as shown stamped on the lock. Most importantly on the face is stamped 'So. Pacific Co' - right up our alley !! We have tried to research A&W Co. and do know it was a manufacturer of locks. I have found several A&W switch locks on-line, but cannot find information about the company itself --- other than in Chicago I don't know the years in business,relations with other Railroad companies, other RR products made, connection to Southern Pacific, etc. I have not yet looked through our inventory but I believe it is the first A&W lock we may have ... so very interested. I would appreciate any information you may have on A&W Co. or where we might look to find more about this company. Thank you in advance for helping us on this little project. Regards,   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Friday, March 1, 2024 by Debbie, SATM Collections    Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Hello. A&W stands for Adams and Westlake Co., a predecessor of today's Adlake which continues to supply locks, keys and many other items of specialty hardware -- including lamps and lanterns -- to the railroad industry. Just to start, Link 1 is to an article about the history of A&W and Adlake. Putting 4044 in the Question Number box on this Q&A website will bring up a very recent discussion about locks like yours, and it explains the CS4 marking on your lock. Putting Adlake into the Word or Phrase box will bring up a huge number of prior Q&A's about many of the various kinds of things we have previously discussed here on the site. The second link it to the page in the Library on this website discussing railroad locks in general.  Link 1  Link 2  Posted Saturday, March 2, 2024 by RJMc

 Q4050 Monon Railroad Telegraph Key and Sounder  My grandfather worked as a telegrapher on the Monon Railroad from 1923-1937 in Indiana. Are you able to provide information on who manufactured the telegraph key and sounder used by the Monon Railroad during this time? Do you have similar manufacturing information for the glass insulators used on the poles along the telegraph lines? Thanks very much.  Posted Saturday, February 17, 2024 by KS   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. There was always a lot of variety in things like telegraph keys and sounders on railroads. That said, the railroads had strong partnerships with the Western Union Telegraph Co. and often the equipment in stations was provided by WUT and used to handle the traffic of both companies. There are good photos at Link 1 of the most typical basic types of keys and sounders, as well as relays also typically found in stations. Many telegraph operators brought their own much more sophisticated sending keys, called 'bugs', often made by the Vibroplex Co., and which could send much faster than the basic keys. The Link 1 site also covers a lot of info about insulators, which were even less standard than telegraph instruments.  Link 1  Posted Sunday, February 18, 2024 by RJMc

A. For insulators - try the National Insulator Collectors - a great, very active group !! See Link 1.  Link 1  Posted Monday, February 19, 2024 by JMS

 Q4049 Bell Identification  Shown here is a bell we have on display in our fire station. We believe it was manufactured by G.H. Holbrook Company in Medway, MA. There are 3 markings on the bell: 1. GHH 2. 1840 3. MASS. The bell was given to the Payson Tucker Hose Company No. 1 in 1885 by Payson Tucker, the General Manager of the Maine Central Railroad. It was mounted on top of the fire station and was used to alert the volunteer firemen of a fire in the village of Winthrop, Maine. Because of Payson Tuckers affiliation with the railroad, some have speculated that the bell came off a locomotive. I was curious of your opinion as the bell appears larger than most locomotive bells I have seen? The bell is 21 inches in diameter at the base and 22 inches tall.   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Saturday, February 17, 2024 by DC    Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Yes, this is way too tall, and the mount is wrong, to have been on a locomotive. The mount is typical of the bells used on churches, schools, and firehouses. Posted Sunday, February 18, 2024 by RJMc

 Q4048 Lima Builders Plate  I recently bought a Lima locomotive works Inc. shovel and crane division builders plate front, serial #2948. Quick question: is the plate real and if so was it used on a crane or possibly a locomotive? Either way any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.  Posted Monday, February 12, 2024 by Warren   Post a Reply  Email a reply

 Q4047 Baggage Tag Info and Age?  I found a RR baggage tag with my metal detector this afternoon. I am trying to find out what RR it is from. The initials are P. & N. B. R. R. made by J. Robbins Boston. I found it in Massachusetts near the old Nashua, Acton and Boston Railroad bed. I was also curious about its approximate age. Thank you for your time. Regards,   [Click on image for larger version.] Posted Monday, February 12, 2024 by Ron S   Post a Reply  Email a reply

A. Sorry, having no luck with figuring this one out. A run through Bill Edson's comprehensive "Railroad Names" of US lines yields no likely candidates, either in the railroad section, or the interurban and trolley section. The Initials Lookup page in this RRiana website yields no likely candidates either. A hunch that "NB" might be New Brunswick, Canada, didn't pan out either. I haven't looked into the Trolley and Interurban directory yet.  Posted Tuesday, February 13, 2024 by RJMc

A. NB could also be New Bedford. Check out Tagtown for info on Robbins tags (link 1). This one looks truly old and I don't recall seeing a Robbins marking where this one appears. You might write Tagtown's owner with questions. Good luck !!  Link 1  Posted Thursday, February 15, 2024 by JMS

A. When I found my copy of Gross's all-US Trolley and Interurban Directory, it did not have any P&NB candidates either, anywhere in the U.S. Posted Sunday, February 18, 2024 by RJMc

A. This may not be a baggage tag. Similar tags were used as employee ID's for payroll purposes (long before paper or plastic ID cards were common), as well as tool checks. Put 'brass tag' in the search box to see much prior discussion about tags like this. These kinds of checks would have been used on temporary local construction RR's also, ones which never carried checked baggage. There were many small lines which existed for only short lifetimes and which don't show up in any of the databases we have been looking in, even though they were incorporated railroad companies. Sometimes they will show up when an extensive historical search picks them up in local newspapers for example, but its very hit-and-miss.  Posted Monday, February 19, 2024 by RJMc