Railroadiana Items In Your Collection

Garrett76 posted:

Bill DeBrooke posted:

Bill DeBrooke posted:

I have had this piece for some time.  I think I know what it is but any thoughts would be appreciated.  There are no markings to indicate road or manufacturer.  The name Bud Ely who I assume it belonged to is on the inside.

I came across the case that held this item.  His address is listed as Kansas City, Mo.  I suspect he worked for the katy.

I think it is a morse tape printer.  A search of those terms reveals images with similar mechanical internals- the motor, linkages, mechanical keyboard, etc.  Are there any holes on the sides where additional items could be connected?

I don't believe it is a printer.  There is no tape and no apparent place for tape.  I believe typing converts to Morse Code.  I don't really see how it could receive the same.  But, I could be wrong.

Bill DeBrooke posted:

Garrett76 posted:

Bill DeBrooke posted:

Bill DeBrooke posted:

I have had this piece for some time.  I think I know what it is but any thoughts would be appreciated.  There are no markings to indicate road or manufacturer.  The name Bud Ely who I assume it belonged to is on the inside.

I came across the case that held this item.  His address is listed as Kansas City, Mo.  I suspect he worked for the katy.

I think it is a morse tape printer.  A search of those terms reveals images with similar mechanical internals- the motor, linkages, mechanical keyboard, etc.  Are there any holes on the sides where additional items could be connected?

I believe typing converts to Morse Code.  I don't really see how it could receive the same.  But, I could be wrong.

Youre right. Several machines were made to do this from the 40s to the 60s. The Codetyper was the best known.

I've never before seen one with such early keys, though.

This is a Southern Railway wall lamp I picked up at an antique shop.  Not sure when or where it would have originally been used.

jstraw124 posted:

This is a Southern Railway wall lamp I picked up at an antique shop.  Not sure when or where it would have originally been used.

The name, 'Southern Railway Co.', was created in 1894.  Sometime after that I presume.

p51 posted:

Bill DeBrooke posted:

Garrett76 posted:

Bill DeBrooke posted:

Bill DeBrooke posted:

I have had this piece for some time.  I think I know what it is but any thoughts would be appreciated.  There are no markings to indicate road or manufacturer.  The name Bud Ely who I assume it belonged to is on the inside.

I came across the case that held this item.  His address is listed as Kansas City, Mo.  I suspect he worked for the katy.

I think it is a morse tape printer.  A search of those terms reveals images with similar mechanical internals- the motor, linkages, mechanical keyboard, etc.  Are there any holes on the sides where additional items could be connected?

I believe typing converts to Morse Code.  I don't really see how it could receive the same.  But, I could be wrong.

Youre right. Several machines were made to do this from the 40s to the 60s. The Codetyper was the best known.

I've never before seen one with such early keys, though.

I think it's an early portable teletype sender (vs sender & receiver/printer in one unit)  As noted they used Morse code which eventually became converted "automatically" to a printed tape of words pasted onto a telegraph sheet where previously it was decoded and typed by hand.  There are a few versions but it didn't come into existence as a funtuonal idea until the early 1900s nor regular use until the 1920s.  There were only about a half dozen makers of these early machines; I think a telegraph equipment site might be the place to begin a good search.

Anybody have anything new?

Here is an Erie caboose lamp I picked up a few months ago.

I want this:

A GG1 horn.  Leslie 200. Off of GG1 4810:  

My Grandad's PRR railroad lantern:

He was a Telegraph  Operator on the Pennsy:

This photo taken by his brother in his tower, c. 1910

Ensley Tower near Dents Run, Pa.

Lew

moed321 posted:

I want this:

 

Where did you see that?

This showed up today.

Big Jim posted:

This showed up today.

No photos but I have the Thunder on Blue Ridge lp.

Picked up this interesting little booklet at an estate sale last weekend - only $5.00.

This one showed up Monday.

I have no idea why they put it on there, but, the last track says it is a cab ride inside a Niagara. What a disappointment that track was! That makes two Niagara recorded tracks that I have that were disappointments!

Here is my 1965 EMD builder's plate, and a Paul Strang photo of the locomotive it was mounted on, Rock Island GP35 #309. The plates were mounted on the cab sill directly under the locomotive's unit number.

Gage to check wheels to comply with Interchange Rule 41.1.c

Passenger car repair track foreman's keys

From 7811 which was built for the Santa Fe and later ran with AMTRAK.

John in Lansing, ILL

Now if I only knew what these came off of?

My D&RGW Timetables. I am missing '61.

We rode the Royal Gorge in '60, '61, '62, '63 and '64. The train was truncated in '65 losing the Dome and ending the run in Salida so we skipped it.

Tin the 1960 Timetable there is a "90" notation in my Dad's handwriting in the margin between Grand Junction and Fruita. That meant, of course, 90mph.

Lew

CRR of NJ bell bottom lantern with a clear cast globe.

NJCJOE posted:

moed321 posted:

I want this:

 

Where did you see that?

I watch for PRR items on ebay and review completed auctions and saw this had sold as a BIN and I missed it.

Edmund Schwartzel 060518 posted:

NJCJOE posted:

moed321 posted:

I want this:

 

Where did you see that?

I watch for PRR items on ebay and review completed auctions and saw this had sold as a BIN and I missed it.

I would have paid double or triple for what it sold for in a heart beat!  Family is from that area, have people there now and would have loved to have had that.

1948 Operating Rules for NY Central

New Haven conductor's lamp

Rahway Valley hand-completed financial statements and track spike

Dressel switch lamp

Erie switch lock

My Grandad's railroad lantern:

He was a tower operator on the PRR.

Cross-pollination here.  His last tower was at an interchange with the NYC.

The glass is proper Pennsy though.

My Dad's brass Yale BR&P Ry lock:

My Reading Ramble lapel pin, from the Oct 23, 1960 Iron Horse Ramble:

Got another of the signs up at the new place.

Have the usual lanterns, locks, signs, etc. My Pappy got me started by giving me a pair of CRR of NJ lanterns when I was 10 and things just took off from there.

Oh my.  I've got lots of stuff.  Mostly Southern Railroad.  My favorite piece is a brass "presentation" lantern given to my father many years ago.

Bill

I've got a B&O caboose lantern, some track spikes and nuts from a 100 plus year old B&O wooden trestle which spanned Hammond Creek at the beginning  of the B&O's Patuxent Branch ( which came off the B&O's Washington Branch ).  CSX dismantled the trestle some years ago. 

Only thing I have is a New Haven Railroad coffee mug that I bought 25 years ago, which has almost completely faded. 

It now looks like a ghost NHRR coffee mug. LOL, Arnold

This item in my collection is very useful as a small anvil:

For several years we lived beside the Somerset-Johnstown branch of the B&O. One day the Sperry flaw-detector car came through and left a paint mark on the track. It must have been a bad flaw because several days later a crew showed up with a piece of re-lay rail and proceeded to replace a section of rail. They needed to cut off a bit to make it fit and I later carried off that bit they had left behind.

Found this clock last year at a shop in Adamstown, PA. It's an employees time clock for punching your time card in and out of work. Still works although the ink ribbon could use replacement.

Wanted to share my small obsession with B & O China. Been collecting for years, early Lamberton in the photos but we have another large collection of  Shenango that we use everyday. 

It aint much but its what I got; a reprint of a New York Central Poster and my railroad tin-sign collection (still growing). The big tins are reissues from recent years, but the small ones are Vintage Post Cereal tins from 1954 and 1955. They're hanging under my loft while the poster has been framed and hung in another part of my room.

And yes, we do plan on replacing the ugly push-pins soon with something smaller and less protruding, we're just having trouble finding small enough nails that can fit those tiny holes.

Just planted this in the yard. A concrete whistle post from the Lehigh & Hudson River.

NJCJOE posted:

Just planted this in the yard. A concrete whistle post from the Lehigh & Hudson River.

Should be a whole crop of sprouts in the spring!

I would love to have more. All I have is a heavily faded New Haven coffee mug, my favorite mug, that I bought 25 years ago at the Choo Choo Barn. LOL, Arnold

rail posted:

NJCJOE posted:

Just planted this in the yard. A concrete whistle post from the Lehigh & Hudson River.

Should be a whole crop of sprouts in the spring!

Wouldn't that be nice.

It's a CZ kind of day so from my Timetable collection:

Here are some photos of an Adams & Westlake "Queen" conductor's lantern. It has a patent date of 1868. The first photos show what the lantern looked like when I first got it and how it turned out after I had the nickel re-plated and added an original green over clear globe.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Joe,

  You now have a beautiful lamp. Merry Christmas to you and all. 

Tom 

I recently found this Lee Jeans "Buddy Lee" advertising doll at an antique show. It is from the 1930s, and most likely from a display in a Milwaukee Road company store. These were not sold to the general public. It has a 6-32 nut molded into one foot to fasten it to a base or display. I had to repaint the facial features and boots. It is about 12" tall without the base.

NJCJOE posted:

Here are some photos of an Adams & Westlake "Queen" conductor's lantern. It has a patent date of 1868. The first photos show what the lantern looked like when I first got it and how it turned out after I had the nickel re-plated and added an original green over clear globe.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Wow, what a beauty!

NJCJOE posted:

A few more items from my collection.

 

A switch stand of unknown origin.

 

CRR of NJ brass fire extinguisher.

 

Great Northern marker lamp.

 

Lehigh Valley whistle sign.

 

1 track sign.

 

Miscellaneous stuff.

 

Headlight from Erie Lackawanna MU.

Perhaps I asked this question a couple of years ago, but is your Dressel Great Northern marker lamp marked for the RR?

I have an old railroad lock that I picked up at a train show this year. I think it is marked with Northern Pacific, but I haven't seen it since I bought it, so I am not sure. My wife wanted me to buy it. She also wanted me to buy an old tie plate with track spikes. I wasn't really into it, but she said it would look good on the wall in my train room and it was only 5 bucks, so I bought it. I might add a lantern at some point. I really want a semaphore head, but that isn't going to happen.

I have a full-size Milwaukee switch stand that holds my mailbox. I welded the switch arm in the up position which is parallel to the ground and attached the box to it.

Dick 

Jeff B. Haertlein posted:

NJCJOE posted:

A few more items from my collection. 

Great Northern marker lamp.

 Perhaps I asked this question a couple of years ago, but is your Dressel Great Northern marker lamp marked for the RR?

You did. I mistakenly said that lamp was from the GN Ry., however it isn't. I do have a square top Dressel marked for the GN Ry.

Here is a wooden PRR station sign (BLOXOM) from Cape Charles, Va.

NJCJOE,

I have a switch stand that is original, unpainted but weathered very nice. I notice yours has been restored. It appears to have been powder coated as apposed to spray painted gloss black. Is that correct? If so, did you do it your self or have someone do it for you?

One of these days, I'll post photos of my 22 RR lanterns and some of my other unique items, especially the ATSF lighter with a music box that plays the Santa Fe them song.

Ray

My wife bought me this crossbuck for Christmas. Since it's new old stock (never used), I don't know if it truly meets the definition of railroadiana, but I still like it. 

John

This weekend I was able to move to my house stuff that had been in storage, including a dozen lanterns and a bell.

Sinclair,

NICE bell. What engine did it come off of? I would kill for a bell, but they are currently out of my budget.

RAY

Ray of sunshine posted:

NJCJOE,

I have a switch stand that is original, unpainted but weathered very nice. I notice yours has been restored. It appears to have been powder coated as apposed to spray painted gloss black. Is that correct? If so, did you do it your self or have someone do it for you?

Ray

No. I clean my switch stands with a wire brush and scraper the best I can. Then I simply paint with a brush using Rustoleum gloss black paint. Mine typically last 5-10 years before they need to be redone.

Finished a little project.  Made a display for my two B&O wrenches.  Walnut frame around a scrap piece of “African mahogany” (industry term for assorted African trees that have some similar qualities of mahogany).

Hay Joe, 

Noticed your L&HRRR whistle post on the forum and it reminds me of when I had gotten mine in the Allamuchy area of N.J. in the woods. That sucker had to weigh around 300 lbs. Concrete with rebar support. I broke my a__ __ taking that thing out of the woods. Went back at a later date and got about 1/2 dozen wet cells still in the ground vault. Used rubber gloves just in case there was still a strong concentrate of hydrochloric acid in the rain filled vault. At a later date I found a single head target, complete, except for spectrum (gone). The funny part of the whole thing to others, of the story, is that when I opened the back of the target cover to see if the spectrum was inside, out jumped a squirrel and I almost had a heart attack and came close to falling off of the signalman's platform. DON'T LAUGH!!! Loved doing this once in awhile! We'll have to get together to check some other areas out sometime!

      Steam Forever

               John

Not sure where to post this so I thought I would try here.  Neat item and almost complete.  Many individual cards, most about 1 inch by 3/4 of an inch except the engines and passenger cars.

I was offered one half of an old glass bead cross buck that a friend has. Some of the beads are missing from the en casements, and I'm wondering if these are available anywhere. They are about 3/4" to 1" in diameter, and probably about 1/4" thick. I can easily make the other half of the crossbuck, and the round recesses for the glass, hence my question about the glass.

One of many books in my collection. One of the other things is a complete windmill. 

I just received this B&O Adlake marker lamp with the four brackets an unusual design used by the B&O. Has anyone else seen these? 

rail posted:

I was offered one half of an old glass bead cross buck that a friend has. Some of the beads are missing from the en casements, and I'm wondering if these are available anywhere. They are about 3/4" to 1" in diameter, and probably about 1/4" thick. I can easily make the other half of the crossbuck, and the round recesses for the glass, hence my question about the glass.

Don,

They are called cat's eyes. They do show up on Ebay once in a while but they are expensive. 

I see some very nice items in this thread.  Dad's father was a train auditor for the B&O.  His job was to ride the trains un-announced and take over the conductor's books.  The goal was to prevent / discover theft. 

I also have some original Lamberton B&O china and a pair of interesting locomotive cufflinks (quite probably Grandpa's).  Just don't have pictures of them.

NJCJOE posted:

rail posted:

I was offered one half of an old glass bead cross buck that a friend has. Some of the beads are missing from the en casements, and I'm wondering if these are available anywhere. They are about 3/4" to 1" in diameter, and probably about 1/4" thick. I can easily make the other half of the crossbuck, and the round recesses for the glass, hence my question about the glass.

Don,

They are called cat's eyes. They do show up on Ebay once in a while but they are expensive. 

Thanks Joe, I'll look into it. Making the other half of the cross buck will be simple, so I guess the expensive part will be the details. Thanks for the heads up.

Granpa's Cufflinks:  Looks like the Denver Zephyr from about 1936?

Picked up this passenger car seat. It came from the Paoli Local, which was the Pennsy's first electrified commuter line. It ran from Paoli, Pa. into Philly. The seat was manufactured by Hale & Kilburn which was dissolved in 1928.

NJCJOE posted:

Picked up this passenger car seat. It came from the Paoli Local, which was the Pennsy's first electrified commuter line. It ran from Paoli, Pa. into Philly. The seat was manufactured by Hale & Kilburn which was dissolved in 1928.

Joe,

That is so cool and perfect for a train room!!

Enjoy,

Joe Gozzo

NJCJOE posted:

Picked up this passenger car seat. It came from the Paoli Local, which was the Pennsy's first electrified commuter line. It ran from Paoli, Pa. into Philly. The seat was manufactured by Hale & Kilburn which was dissolved in 1928.

Joe,

  I have a PC Conductor's cap and a conductor's ticket punch. I could collect fares from your visitors... 

Tom 

father.dragon posted:

One of many books in my collection. 

I have the 1941 and 1944 Locomotive Cyclopedias. Really neat stuff!

These books are incredible for all the stuff they cover, info you'll find nowhere else.

Here's one you don't see too often - Glass jar Edison primary battery for powering, among other things, remote signals that don't have a direct electrical connection.

From Railway Signaling

...and one of the batteries

The empty packet held the powder for the battery fluid and the bottle is full of oil to be poured on top of the mix to keep it from evaoprating.

Found these playing cards here locally for $3 still in the cellophane.

A brass lock from the P&R Ry. along with matching key.

A photo of my great granduncle Patrick J. Murray (looking out window), a motorman on the Lackawanna & Wyoming Valley Railroad, an interurban third-rail electric passenger railroad that ran between Scranton and Wilkes Barre, PA from 1903-1952.  This was one of the two local freight locomotives on the line (401 & 402).  I'm honored to also be the current caretaker of his badge, which is my personal avatar here on the forum.

NJCJOE posted:

A brass lock from the P&R Ry. along with matching key.

Even the most mundane things were embellished to look pleasing, and were built to last. 

Dads railroad pin from 1957 . I have always wanted to have it enlarged and framed to put over the trains that he bought for me.

juniata guy posted:

When I do dig stuff out and look at it, I tend to spend more time on the maps and tariffs than anything else.  I was fortunate to have been working for a large rail shipper at the time of rail deregulation in 1980 and was able to retrieve quite a few boxes of what had become useless tariffs.

Curt

Ah the good old days of a room full of railroad tariffs.  An hour of looking for an applicable rate and then finding the notation, "Not valid between August 1 and August 31". One instance that proved deregulation was long over due was when the UP filed(circa 1972) a unit train rate from Los Angeles to Bonner Springs. Commodity?  Yak fat.  And the ICC approved it.

John

Speaking of the PAOLI LOCAL. Here is a platform sign from one of the local PRR stations that served the local. Not sure which one. 

Since NJCJOE brought up the P&R and their switch locks - here's the 6 lever version.  The lock is opened by a push key.

Closed

Open

I can't remember if I posted this in the past or not, but this is one of my rarer items.  A Ford Motor Company rulebook from I believe 1946.  It covers crane operations as well as the railroad operations that would have been occurring within one of the plants.

Found in the trash 

PRRK4s posted:

Speaking of the PAOLI LOCAL. Here is a platform sign from one of the local PRR stations that served the local. Not sure which one. 

That is very cool. Here is one of the double sided ones that I have.

Joe,   My sign is actually made as a two sided sign as well but no lettering on the opposite side. The PAOLI LOCAL sign is also a relettered/repurposed sign, by the PRR themselves. You can make out the original lettering under the red paint. It says, in 3 lines: PAOLI LOCAL....CONNECTING FOR....WEST CHESTER. 

PRRK4s posted:

Joe,   My sign is actually made as a two sided sign as well but no lettering on the opposite side. The PAOLI LOCAL sign is also a relettered/repurposed sign, by the PRR themselves. You can make out the original lettering under the red paint. It says, in 3 lines: PAOLI LOCAL....CONNECTING FOR....WEST CHESTER. 

That is pretty neat. I have seen that done with station signs as well. Definitely adds to the character.

Picked this dude up a couple of months ago.  A Station advertisement for the Frisco Firefly... Litho on some kind of paperboard with hand painted wording.

Last night after grading quizzes (on computer of course, the college is completely locked) I treated myself to viewing this entire thread.  I was surprised I didn't see more telegraph keys and sounders.  And I though for sure I'd see some tower model boards (what is used in cTc interlocking).  Anybody besides Notch6 have anything like that?

Lou N

Here you go Lou. Some photos of my telegraph key, sounder and articulated sounder box.

I don't have any of the tower boards.

I added two more railroad treasures to the train building today.

A can (empty) of bi-lingual water from the Great White North:

Swizzle sticks courtesy of CP Hotels.

Rusty

NJCJOE posted:

Here you go Lou. Some photos of my telegraph key, sounder and articulated sounder box.

I don't have any of the tower boards.

Thank you NJCJOE.  

Attached is the interlock panel for the Kinsman Connection in Cleveland.  It was an interchange track between the NYC short line around Cleveland and the PRR.  This is a small remote panel. I don't have one that controls a large section of railroad.

Lou N

From my collection.

"Chico, don't be discouraged..."

N&W Steam Loco Seatbox

Picked up this cool sign this week, not real old, blue part is aluminum, but has nice patina.  My wife said it belonged in the backyard as we're frequently there "working" on something.

Some pieces added to the yard.

A PRR whistle post.

A PRR mile marker from the Bel-Del line.

A cut stone mile marker from the Belvidere Delaware Railroad, a predecessor of the PRR, which operated from 1851-1871. This is also from the Bel-Del line.

And a matching stone property marker.

I snagged this New York Central lantern at a train meet for $40.  Sylvia was shocked when I handed it to her and said, "I think your lamp oil will work in it."   Inside an hour she had it cleaned up and working.

Her's my switch stand before (2015) and last month when I restored it. The lantern is marked for the CB&Q, I have the matching lock as well. I own 25 lanterns. My best deal was a Santa Fe bell bottom lantern with embossed globe marked "Santa Fe". A flee market find 20 years ago. It was marked $7.00 but I got it for $5.00! The lantern are globe are in excellent condition. 

I bought my first lantern in the late 1960's. A CB&Q tall globe lantern with a twist off font in excellent condition, $5.00. The globe is embossed with "Burlington Route" inside a square rectangle (rare), the lantern is also mark CB&Q.

RAY

@Ray of sunshine posted:

Her's my switch stand before (2015) and last month when I restored it. The lantern is marked for the CB&Q, I have the matching lock as well. I own 25 lanterns. My best deal was a Santa Fe bell bottom lantern with embossed globe marked "Santa Fe". A flee market find 20 years ago. It was marked $7.00 but I got it for $5.00! The lantern are globe are in excellent condition. 

I bought my first lantern in the late 1960's. A CB&Q tall globe lantern with a twist off font in excellent condition, $5.00. The globe is embossed with "Burlington Route" inside a square rectangle (rare), the lantern is also mark CB&Q.

RAY

Ray, great restoration, love the display.

These items were donated to the Huber Breaker Preservation Society from a private collection. Missing is a train order wand that another member took for research. Included were several boxes of assorted paperwork, booklets and binders that are being sorted and categorized. The signal according to one of our society members is Lehigh Valley, but the conduit is snapped off, and the other signal, base and post are missing, which is unfortunate. 

I took this photograph in 1980-'81 I think...

...forgive the quality: it's a cell phone picture of a picture made from a slide.

Some years later, I was able to obtain this:

It's one of the very few pieces of railroadiana I have.

Mark in Oregon

As progress continues on finishing my basement, I added some memorabilia to the garage next to the basement stairs.

I recently picked up a replica CNR numberplate from U2g 6200 cast in Zinc/?. It’s quite heavy but not brass

  It was painted with a paint roller and looked kinda hideous, so I proceeded to remove the old paint and hand block sanded the raised surfaces to remove casting imperfections.

  I repainted with Acklands Grainger Red enamel in spray can, then hand painted the raised surfaces with Tamiiya Gold Leaf, to emulate brass

  Here are a few pics of the work after the messy stuff was done.
Al

One of the two CNJ passenger car lights that are hanging in my hallway.

A PRR nickel knobby key.