Railroad Forums 

Discussion relating to the Penn Central, up until its 1976 inclusion in Conrail. Visit the Penn Central Railroad Historical Society for more information.

Moderator: JJMDiMunno

 #846806  by Bigt
 
lvrr325....any kerosene railroad hand lantern you can find today in the $20 to $50 range is a "keeper"! They
are going fast. Unless they are a "rustbucket", that is a real deal. Unfortunately, (in my opinion) places
like Ebay and such have ruined the collectors market. Prices usually going too high for stuff that is not
worth the price. And, this is giving many sellers that idea that what they have is worth alot more than
it really is. For instance. Right now, I know of a man who has two brand new - still in the box - Adlake
kerosene hand lanterns - marked Penn Central - with RED globes - that he is asking $150 a piece! Won't
budge on the price....tells me "I have seen red globed lanterns on Ebay going for that price". Yeah, maybe
old bell-bottomed types like the Dietz number 6, and, marked for a really old Fallen Flag, but not for the PC!
Guess we can sit back and enjoy the lanterns we have, and, keep looking for those "rare" finds. Good Luck!
 #847164  by scharnhorst
 
Bigt wrote:lvrr325....any kerosene railroad hand lantern you can find today in the $20 to $50 range is a "keeper"! They
are going fast. Unless they are a "rustbucket", that is a real deal. Unfortunately, (in my opinion) places
like Ebay and such have ruined the collectors market. Prices usually going too high for stuff that is not
worth the price. And, this is giving many sellers that idea that what they have is worth alot more than
it really is. For instance. Right now, I know of a man who has two brand new - still in the box - Adlake
kerosene hand lanterns - marked Penn Central - with RED globes - that he is asking $150 a piece! Won't
budge on the price....tells me "I have seen red globed lanterns on Ebay going for that price". Yeah, maybe
old bell-bottomed types like the Dietz number 6, and, marked for a really old Fallen Flag, but not for the PC!
Guess we can sit back and enjoy the lanterns we have, and, keep looking for those "rare" finds. Good Luck!
Most of the Railroad lamps that I have picked up were no less than $45.00-$60.00 each and thats going back over the past 15 years sents I started collecting them. I won't pay any higher than than these prices over something common like a New York Central lamp or a Union Pacific lamp common lamps ect, ect.
 #847277  by Bigt
 
Scharnhorst,

Exactly. Where I live is old New York Central Country and it used to be "lousy" with NYC
stuff. Now, it is "drying up". Of course, it was alot easier when we had quite a few antique shops
up here. Now, they too have dried up and collecting has been relegated to "people who know someone
who knows someone who lives next door to someone" type contacts. Once in a while a garage sale will bring a
find. A few years ago at a garage / yard sale I picked up a beautiful presentation lantern with etched
two tone globe, still in the nickel finish. Not a thing wrong with it. The people had just bought the
house and were selling off some of the furnishings, appliances, etc. This lantern was in a wall mounted
glass cabinet - almost like a corner cupboard - made just for it. The previous homeowners told the new
owners that it was there when they moved in! Anyhow, these people had no idea what they had and I
was able to get it for $50! The fellow told me that because it was "shiny nickel" that it should be worth
as much as the headlight he was trying to buy for his Model "A".....! Good luck collecting.
 #847445  by scharnhorst
 
Bigt wrote:Scharnhorst,

Exactly. Where I live is old New York Central Country and it used to be "lousy" with NYC
stuff. Now, it is "drying up". Of course, it was alot easier when we had quite a few antique shops
up here. Now, they too have dried up and collecting has been relegated to "people who know someone
who knows someone who lives next door to someone" type contacts. Once in a while a garage sale will bring a
find. A few years ago at a garage / yard sale I picked up a beautiful presentation lantern with etched
two tone globe, still in the nickel finish. Not a thing wrong with it. The people had just bought the
house and were selling off some of the furnishings, appliances, etc. This lantern was in a wall mounted
glass cabinet - almost like a corner cupboard - made just for it. The previous homeowners told the new
owners that it was there when they moved in! Anyhow, these people had no idea what they had and I
was able to get it for $50! The fellow told me that because it was "shiny nickel" that it should be worth
as much as the headlight he was trying to buy for his Model "A".....! Good luck collecting.

I used to get most of my RR Lamps at a antique shop in Elbridge but they closed down a while back and moved everything into a bigger building over near I81 in Syracuse over by the Mall.
 #848868  by JimBoylan
 
Copied from:
http://www.railroadiana.org/fakes/pgFakes.php
Modified A&W Kero. The following was sent in by a collector regarding a modified (faked) A&W Kero. "I bought recently at an auction a Texas and New Orleans short globe Adlake Kero lantern. I bought the lantern for the etched red short globe and paid accordingly. The lantern pot was stamped 3-41 so the age was correct. I was suspicious that the top had been faked because the T&NO lettering was straight across, was also not correct for an adlake lantern of that vintage. The top latch was also of post 1960 construction, the top actually read Adlake Kero, and the top appeared to have been soldered on to the hinge. When I got the lantern home, it was obvious that the lettering had been applied later, but aged on the outside of the top to look old. There was also an aged solder spot in the top of the lantern, which covered up a PC mating worms logo. So it appears that even short globe lanterns are not safe from fakes. In my case I was lucky because I bought the lantern for the globe, and it fits my 250 kero just fine."
 #849129  by scharnhorst
 
JimBoylan wrote:Copied from:
http://www.railroadiana.org/fakes/pgFakes.php
Modified A&W Kero. The following was sent in by a collector regarding a modified (faked) A&W Kero. "I bought recently at an auction a Texas and New Orleans short globe Adlake Kero lantern. I bought the lantern for the etched red short globe and paid accordingly. The lantern pot was stamped 3-41 so the age was correct. I was suspicious that the top had been faked because the T&NO lettering was straight across, was also not correct for an adlake lantern of that vintage. The top latch was also of post 1960 construction, the top actually read Adlake Kero, and the top appeared to have been soldered on to the hinge. When I got the lantern home, it was obvious that the lettering had been applied later, but aged on the outside of the top to look old. There was also an aged solder spot in the top of the lantern, which covered up a PC mating worms logo. So it appears that even short globe lanterns are not safe from fakes. In my case I was lucky because I bought the lantern for the globe, and it fits my 250 kero just fine."

Lots of fakes out there Thats why I stoped buying lamps off e-bay and would rather buy them in person so that I can inspect them in full just like I do when I'm buying Military rifles.
 #1010494  by JimBoylan
 
I just found my 1975 "Penn Central Souvenirs '75 Railroad Collectors Catalog", Room 1040, Six Penn Center Plaza, Philadelphia, Pa. 19104. Make check or money order payable to Penn Central Transportation Company. How did you hear about this catalog? One choice to check is "Penn Central Post", so there must have been ads or notices in that official publication.

AUTHENTIC RAILROAD LAMPS ... ALL NEW
Adams & Westlake

Kerosine signal lantern
Clear, Red, or Yellow $15.70
Tail marker lamp or switch lamp with day targets, either $68.00
add 10% for postage and handling

Also in that catalog, "Pennsylvania Railroad, General Office Library, Broad Street Station Building, Philadelphia, Pa. "PRR Bookplate" 50 cents!
 #1011841  by Bigt
 
Yes, I remember seeing one of those catalogs. A friend actually ordered from it....silverware (PRR),
handlanterns, capbadges (PRR & PC) and a few other items. Many times since, I have wished I had
ordered.
 #1049036  by BR&P
 
I know I had a kerosene lantern which came from a PC caboose, and it was almost new. I *thought* it said "PC CO", and I'm sure it did not have the earthworms. However, the only one I can find at the moment is totally unmarked. Either my memory is playing tricks on me about the lettering, or I sold it at some time in the past.

I'm not sure where it came from as we only used reflective paddles, and the employees were issued battery lanterns - at that time it was the steel ones by Star, colored blue.
 #1049046  by 3rdrail
 
Too many variations for all of these PC lanterns to be show items only. Here's one that had it's handle insulated as a precaution in electric country.
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/d ... -red-globe
 #1049104  by scharnhorst
 
3rdrail wrote:Too many variations for all of these PC lanterns to be show items only. Here's one that had it's handle insulated as a precaution in electric country.
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/d ... -red-globe
I got one that came of the Indiana Harbor Belt that has a rubberized / Insulated handle. I was told that it was made that way so that the railroad employee would not burn there hand if the handle got to hot.
 #1049288  by Bigt
 
I had an "old-timer" tell me that some of the men would modify the handles by adding
rubber tubing to them simply to make them more comfortable to carry around for an
entire night. Plus, he said they would not slip thru ones' closed fingers like the bare
metal handle could / would. I own two CN kerosene lanterns with fixed wooden handles
that I was told was a favorite item of switchmen, for the same reason stated above.
 #1049315  by 3rdrail
 
Another reason that you'll find lanterns with insulated handles is that it was often used around electric railways in order to insulate the carryer should the lantern touch a third rail and be grounded. Probably roads with third rails is where you would see this the most. I have two NYC Transit subway lanterns and they are both wrapped this way, it seems from the factory.