A fellow showed up on my forum advertising this lock for sale.

http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/sho ... hp?t=37240

I've never seen anything like it, and I've never heard of a railroad lock and key having matching serial numbers. Then again, I'm not a lock collector.

Of course my instincts are saying "FAKE!" but who knows, maybe it's a rare PRR employee locker room lock and worth a small fortune? Anyone know anything about it, or seen one like it?

Two possibilities for the matching lock and key numbers:

1. The number is a key pattern number rather than an individual serial number - maybe there are lots of locks of that type.

2. It is a unique serial number for a special lock such as one used for "blue flag" protection of a shop track.

Just a couple of ideas based on experience at WRM and at U.C. Berkeley where I had to help plan re-keying a building.

I can tell you it's not a fake. I've seen this style of PRR lock come up a couple times for sale at railroadiana auctions and sales. The star around the keyhole does indicate it was made by Star Lock Works of Philadelphia. I believe the style is referred to as a "Scandinavian" style or shape, though why I have no idea, and I've seen a different term, which I can't remember right now, show up among PRR collectors (gotta love those PRR guys, they call cabooses "cabin cars," screaming single-note whistles "banchee," etc.)--something like "knuckle" lock or whatever. As I understand it, most of these things have serial numbers like this.

A couple more of these things:

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/s ... -153804001

http://www.antique-padlocks.com/scandi_iron_a-z.htm

http://www.ebay.com.sg/itm/ws/eBayISAPI ... 0623186805

I wonder if the lock body is cast. It appears that the logo is in fairly deep relief. I would tend to think that it is a switch lock, and it is from an earlier era. Looking at the other links, the lock is a lot larger than I first thought from seeing the photo. One reference says the body is 3" X 3-5/8".

I'd hardly think it's a fake with the PRR keystone cast into the housing. The number stamped on the key is undoubtedly the key cut... being a flat stamped key for a wafer style lock, there is not much reason to have a prominent part number for the key blank. However, this doesn't tell us if they keying was unique to this lock, or if there were thousands on the system.

Back in the seventies when I worked for the Chicago Transit Authority, we had a situation similar to this. The company had its own switch locks, stamped CTA, but we also had need for a less expensive lock with a smaller shackle for non-railroad uses. We used them to lock gates, lock up ladders so they didn't sprout legs, ditto garbage cans sometimes, and all other sorts of low security uses. Over the years the company had bought thousands of cheap die cast pad locks from the Chicago Lock Co., indeed, that's what everybody called them, "Chicago locks". Each and every one was keyed the same, and each and every key was stamped with the same number... it's been a few years since I've seen one, but 2443 comes to mind. Because these didn't have any special marking like the PRR lock, they were more "portable", heck, my kids used them for bike locks, I had one on the hitch on my camper... you get the idea.

I suspect a company the size of the P Company had an even greater need for such a lock, possibly with several different keyings for different departments, and undoubtedly kept them in stock in the company storerooms for issuance as needed.

At first look, I could see that as being a common, medium sized utility lock for buildings, mailboxes, etc. because it does not look like what I expect as a switch lock. But the size is actually huge.

I susepct that is a switch lock from pre-1900 when things were less standardized.

That casing has no seam dividing it as though it were two stamped symmetrical halves, as cheaper, more modern locks are made. Instead, the casing appears to be a one-piece casting. A separate piece plugs into the bottom.

I suspect that the key is also a casting rather than a stamped piece. The look of the photos in the third link above indicate the key might be at least 1/8" thick. It has the look of a stamped key with all of the intricate profile and consistent metal thickness, but the close-up photo leads me to believe it is cast.

This is what is commonly called a "Potato Lock" and the PRR used them to secure freight loads. When they loaded a freight car with your items, this lock was used to secure the car. The key was mailed to you and when the freight arrived at your local station, the Agent would notify you. You unlocked, removed the freight and kept the lock. They are not keyed alike. They are numbered in series by letter designater and have a very flat, multicut key. I know of several other RR's that used the, the P&R and Cumberland Valley were a few that did. Bottom line is they are not fake!

RRNUT.