Recently, the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum received a most generous donation from the Lake Shore Model Railroad Club located on the southeast side of Chicago. This donation consisted of a steam locomotive bell (which I'll put on a separate thread) and an old "box type" kerosene headlight. My first thought was that this was a replication of an old headlight, rather than one that actually had been on a 19th century steam locomotive, but once it was moved to HVRM in North Judson and I had a chance to look it over, I'm now not so sure. Pictured are some photos. The first shows the headlight itself. Note the "No. 2" on the side. I think that this was painted later, perhaps on a display locomotive that carried this number, and most likely NOT the number of the engine that the headlight was originally on, if it IS authentic. Upon opening the headlight case, I found the tag shown in the second photo. Note the patent dates. The earliest is 1877, the latest is 1893 which would indicate that the headlight was built after that 1893 date. I guess that this label could have been put on a replication, but I wonder why anyone would do that since most folks would never see it. Also, anyone have any information of this "United States Head-Light Company" of Buffalo, New York? Was there such an outfit? Finally, the last photo shows the tank for the kerosene that fed the lamp. Again, a rather interesting arrangement, that MIGHT have been used if this was built as a replication. But, was this the type of tank that was used on this type headlight back then when they were originally built? Any ideas as to the answers to these questions, would be greatly appreciated.
Finally, if this headlight IS authentic, then the question is where did it come from? The guys at the Lake Shore Club say that it, and the bell, "have always been there" and their memberships there go back to the 1970's. The club seems to have no records of a letter with an explanation as to who the donor might have been, although it seems that they believe it might have been the Illinois Central Railroad. Maybe someday they'll actually find something, but I have to think that that probably won't happen.
Mystery is out there. Any mystery solvers?
Les
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Cool and wet at HVRM 10-1-16 003.JPG [ 219.56 KiB | Viewed 10356 times ] |
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Cool and wet at HVRM 10-1-16 002.JPG [ 306.54 KiB | Viewed 10356 times ] |
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Busy day at Hoosier Valley 10-8-16 005.JPG [ 261.42 KiB | Viewed 10356 times ] |