LeverettRailfan- where you at?

Leverettrailfan is a good lantern enthusiast-I'd ask him.

Something similar

David,

Here's something similar to what you show. Q2280 Handlan Light. http://www.railroadiana.org/pgQB.php?status=searchmore&whatsearch=category&criteria=RR%20Lighting&limit=281

Scroll down till you see the Q2280. It appears to be for an electrical connection.

Note: Just found another site. http://jerrysrrstuff.com/info_page_lights_lanterns__parts

Scroll down till you see the Adlake Cannonball style switch light. Apparently it's a switch lantern, not a caboose or engine marker.

Bernd

Comments, Hopefully Helpful

Hi David,

These are a beautiful set of lamps! Here's what I can tell you:

My best guess is that you have a set of lamps for a switchstand or similar apparatus, not for use on a locomotive, caboose, or passenger car. If they we to be used on a locomotive, they would technically be called classification lights or lamps, not markers. If used on a caboose or passenger car they would be called marker lamps. Note the "foot" at the bottom of the lamp. The ones I've seen like this were attached to switchstands, usually at the top. Also the metal guards around each lens might well be for protection from debris picked up and thrown by passing trains. This is my guess, at least. The top should open to reveal whether there is a kerosene wick and fuel assembly in it. If it is kerosene lit, the brass inlet mat allow for lighting or wick adjustment. There are no threads on the brass collar, so it doesn't look like there is an obvious attachment mechanism.

Also notice the extension around each lens. It looks like it was made to take an optional "reflector" like your last lamp, again pointing towards switchstand usage.

'Hope this helps.

Best Regards,

Geoff Bunza

Electric Switch Lamp

I agree with Geoff that it's likely a switch stand lamp.  Key feature is the four lenses.  The class lamps and marker lamps that I'm familiar with only have three.

I also suspect that it's an electric lamp, as it doesn't appear to have a chimney or other provisions for a kerosene burner.  The brass fitting is likely the fitting for securing/sealing the electrical cable coming into the housing.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. 

Sorry - not for a switch

Sorry - not for a switch stand.  The knurled brass thingy is where the electric cable would enter.  The cable would have a plug on the other end to plug into a locomotive's outlet near there the lamp was attached.  The cabeese used kerosene lamps, because of a lack of on-board power.

Are you sure

Milt,

Are you sure. According to Jerry's RR Stuff that is a switch lamp. http://jerrysrrstuff.com/info_page_lights_lanterns__parts

I'm sure that a guy selling railroad antiques knows what he's talking about.

Bernd

Choices

Engine or switch stand - lots of good information. I knew I came to the right place with everyone having various background information. OK - here's what I'm going with and why -

1. The "Jerry's" site has a clear picture of the Adlake Cannonball style; however, I don't see any guards and am not sure where a railroad would use an electric one on the ground. Remember, the unit itself and the electric attachment would have to rotate when the switch was thrown. There are a number of factors which mitigate against that type of installation.

2. The base of the lamp is very short and has no way of securing to a rod/whatever on a switch stand.

3. Looking at the knob, it has a threaded hole and what appears to be a rubber grommet to keep out water. Definitely an electrical connection. 

4. I remember that on the Nickel Plate Railroad, where I worked, the steam engines had these "smaller" lamps where the heavy, small base slid into a sleeve. The correct lens would be rotated to show forward as the base is equally formed all the way around. (Think mounting sideways instead of vertical as shown in the photo.) A short heavy duty electrical cord would be flexible enough to suffice.

5. Lastly, the guards are most likely to protect the lenses from debris (at speed) during movement.

Unfortunately, the people currently at Adlake couldn't provide any historical photos or information for a product they produced many years ago - a sad case for historical preservation. 

Many thanks to all -I come to appreciate this web site more and more as time goes by and am glad to have so many "friends" to support me in this hobby. Visiting daily, it's like having coffee and a chat with personal friends and enjoying a wide ranging "bull session" that's fun, entertaining and informative. My best to all. Thanks.

Internet Search

I've done a bit more searching. I believe it is a switch stand light. Here's another site that shows a Cannon Ball Switch light. Notice that anything called a switch light has a different mounting foot than a marker light would have. Displayed on the site is also a marker lamp bracket that would slip into the bracket on the caboose/engine/passenger car. Scroll to the bottom to see the pictures.

http://www.adlake.com/online-store.html

All you wanted to know about "lamps" and "lanterns". http://www.railroadiana.org/lamps/pgLamps.php Explains how the foot of the lamp fits into a switch stand.

Bernd

Found one

http://rrslideshow.com/jdemike/v/jdemike/album04/GTW_High_stand_Eburg_3_72.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

http://rrslideshow.com/jdemike/v/jdemike/album04/GTW_low_stand_Olivers_3_72.jpg.html

Check the above link. It shows both a high and a low GTW switch stand with an electric lamp and "stone" gaurd.

Bernd

Oops - should have looked

Oops - should have looked closer at the base...!

Thanks

The research is overwhelming - switch stand lamp it is. . . . many thanks for all the good information and interest. 

Sorry I'm late...

I agree it looks like a switch lamp. Switch lamps tend to have those "feet", and for running lamps on a loco they had clear lenses which had colored lenses that could be slid in place behind the clear so it would display either green (train has a following section) or  it would just be illuminated white (extra), or be turned off (timetable train). We're it a caboose lamp, I would think it to be a different shape better suited to being fixed to a car body, and perhaps in some cases be lacking a lens on the side which faced the car body. That's my two cents, if anyone finds this practical, useful, interesting, or otherwise useful or entertaining (Maybe!?) :D

-Leverettrailfan