The R&GVRRM owns a 1909 Erie Railroad depot located to the south of Rochester, NY. (Rush-Scottsville area.) More details and a photo can be found here:

http://rgvrrm.org/about/exhibits/indust ... /index.htm

We are in the process of sprucing up the depot's interior and would like to find a close match to what it originally had for lighting. In particular, we are interested in the sconces that used to hang on it's interior walls. They are long gone, but their scars are still present. The railroad was electrified at the time of construction, so it's likely that the depot was built with electrical power and lights.

Here is the general style of the interior. You can see where the sconce was on the wall below the fire extinguisher sign:



Here is a remnant of one of the sconces. The mount was round with three mounting screws. It was 5 inches in diameter:



Finally, to give you a sense of the architectural elements of the building, here is one of the benches:



Here's the question: Does anyone have any idea what a station of this era and design had for lighting? I've been told that several Erie depots had similar interiors as ours. Perhaps someone has photos or examples from other stations?

I don't know what they charge but if you can provide these folks with a sample, it appears thay can reporduce about anything you want. Their showroom in Port Townsend, WA, is impressive.

http://www.vintagehardware.com/custom-r ... ghting.php

No question about electric; there is clear evidence of old knob-and-tube wire cut off flush with the wall. I'd be surprised if the railroad didn't use common commercial light fixtures rather than something custom and exotic. I'd be working with architectural preservationists with pattern books from that era were I in your position, supplemented by photos of other Erie depots built at the same time.

dave

From the pattern on the wood, it appears that there may have been a circular electrical box mounted to the wall and then the light fixture was mounted to that. The location of the three holes is not normal for lighting fixtures, but does correspond to that found in some electrical boxes. Hope this helps a little.
Herg Sakalaucks
Colfax RR Museum

Nope. there may have been a backing plate or circular bracket, but the knob and tube predates the standard junction box archetecture. It's as likely the mounting was nothing more than the circular base of the fixture itself. It's even more fun when you find wires puled through gas light piping and old gas fixtures converted with wire and lamp sockets.

dave