Monday, October 4, 2010

Rail Road Lanterns

Did you ever wonder what it was like to work on the railroad back in the steam locomotive days? Well, both of my Grandfathers did. Told you that back on my blog titled Along the River. I will probably have more old railroad stories to tell you in future blogs.



Anyway, I have some old kerosene railroad lanterns from three different railroads. I thought that you may enjoy seeing them. When I look at them, my mind goes a wondering back in time and tries to imagine what it was like during the time they were in use.




I will start with the B&O. My Father’s Dad was a conductor on the B&O. In this first picture, if you look real close, you can see “B&O RR” in black on the lower part of the glass. It is hard to see:

This is a picture of the top of the B&O lantern. The B. & O. R.R. is shown in raised letters on the top of the lantern:


The next two pictures are from the old Pennsylvania Rail Road (PRR) on which my Mother’s Dad worked as an engineer. The first one shows the red glass:


And this one shows the top with the keystone logo with the PRR inside:


And the next two pictures are P&LE (Pittsburgh and Lake Erie) railroad lanterns. This is of the side:


And this is looking at the top:


OK, to end today’s blog, how about a picture of all three:








Don't forget, you can click on the pictures to enlarge them.

9 comments:

  1. Neat stuff sir.. Ever mention that my grandfather was a railway mail clerk on the AT&SF?

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  2. Nice stuff Dizzy. I could spend the whole day look'n and touch'n stuff like that. Something bout antiques brings out the "man" in ya. Old gold mining stuff really sets off my mind of years past.

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  3. Ben, no you didn't mention that. When I workded for Pullum-Standard for 17 years, we made a lot of railroad cars for AT&SF

    Yep BB, I know what you mean. Trying to picture the people that used them and what all was going on around at that time. Speaking about gold prospecting, do you still have that dry-washer? Is it motor driven or hand bellows?

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  4. Great examples DD, they light up my life just looking at them... I had many such lights in my sailing days... only one now, I'll show you sometime... an old Miners light, I bought when I was in Boston...

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  5. Ben, got it.

    TFT, yes they mean a lot to me since my both my granfathers were railroad men.

    Boston, were you at the tea party? Oh yea, you ain't quite that old, but happy birthday anyway. Everyone go to his site and wish him a happy birthday - http://theflyingtortoise.blogspot.com/2010/10/birthday-boy.html

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  6. Memories are coming back of riding on the B&O and the L&N railroads. Those were the days!

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  7. I'm too young to have been around steam engines. However, I love them dearly. Every time I see one I am like a deer in headlights. I just stare at the metalwork and drift off into wonderment.

    I also love building a good fire when I do BBQ's. I think I could handle keeping a steamer on the boil. I think I was built for it.

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  8. Gypsy, thanks for stopping by and glad that I brought back some memories for you.

    Pipsqeek, you sure did miss a lot. Those old steam locomotives were wonderful, dirty, noisy, but I loved them. The lonesome whistle at night, etc.

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