1925 Pennsylvania Lantern

[PRRThomas11]

I was in an antique shop near Strasburg, PA about a year ago and saw an amazing find:



This 1925 Pennsylvania Railroad Lantern with the original pot, wick, and clear globe. It still has residue from the fuel that was inside! I bought it far about $90 and displayed it on a shelf in my house. I have always wanted to have a light inside but there's no way I was going to light the original candle so I put this little thing together.



It's a little light bulb hooked up to a 9 volt battery with a push-on push-off switch. I traced the bottom of the globe onto a piece of cardboard cut it out and let the light bulb stick out the top while everything else was out of sight on the bottom. The whole thing sits under the globe and the switch can either stick out or go inside the lantern. I acquired a red globe from my grandfather who worked for Erie. I put it all together and I think it looks pretty real.



The finished product!

[Dan Love]

Looks real good

Dan

[Santa Fe buff]

Whoa! Is it for the engine or the caboose? That is an amazing find, image what it's been through, at least 40 years of railroading! With the steamers!

[Woody Elmore]

Engine and caboose lanterns have mounting lugs for the fixtures on the rolling stock. That PRR lantern looks like one that would be used by a conductor, brakeman or other train personnel.

[PRRThomas11]

Thank you guys

I did a little research and this model of lanterns were made from 1925 to 1931. I have always wondered what it has been through too. Its a handheld one for a conductor and doesn't have anything to mount it on a train. I am trying to hunt down the green, blue, and yellow globes that also go in it. Once I have that I just need a caboose to put it in

[Woody Elmore]

Good luck finding a Pennsy (or any other railroads) blue globe. I had a NH lantern with blue globe years ago (it was found in the back of a garage in a house my friend bought in Danbury, CT). I stupidly sold it because I wasn't interested in the NH railroad and wish I had it now.

Incidentally, there are purists out there who would have heart palpitations if they saw your globe lighted. I personally think they need to have a light in them.

[Santa Fe buff]

Go the junkyard. I think one time I saw an old wooden CP boxcar in a junkyard near me.
That is werid, were in IL!? but it's long gone....poor thing..

[PRRThomas11]

The globes I have are blank. I guess its safe to assume the clear one is the original and the red one I have is from my grandfather's Erie lantern.

[Santa Fe buff]

Is the Erie lantern conductor or engine/caboose.

[trainram]

That was a great find. I also like what you did with the light excellent idea.I have 8 of them lanterns,switch lantern,Kerosene can, used to fill the lanterns. I also have a light from a loco that I have since the late 50's. Thanks for sharing that idea looks like I need to go get some light bulbs
GATOR

[PRRThomas11]

Is the Erie lantern conductor or engine/caboose.

Its the exact kind of lantern, just painted silver.

That was a great find. I also like what you did with the light excellent idea.I have 8 of them lanterns,switch lantern,Kerosene can, used to fill the lanterns. I also have a light from a loco that I have since the late 50's. Thanks for sharing that idea looks like I need to go get some light bulbs
GATOR

Thank you very much.

I got all of the supplies at Radioshack. You'll need;
9 volt battery
6.3 volt flashlight bulb
lightbulb holder
wire
battery wire clip
push-on push-off switch

This costs a little over 10 dollars all together.

[Santa Fe buff]

  And the best 10 ever!