Golden Glow Headlamp *PIC*

T.J. Gaffney · **Posted:** Wed Mar 10, 2004 3:32 pm

Here's a golden glow headlamp. Can't be many spares of these left....

TJG

Golden Glow Headlamp

Gerald W. Kopiasz · **Posted:** Thu Mar 11, 2004 12:11 am

TJ,

Could you provide more background regarding these for ignorant people such as myself.

Thanks,
Gerald

> Here's a golden glow headlamp. Can't be many
> spares of these left....

> TJG

Heartland Railroad Historical Society
hrrhs@aol.com

T.J. Gaffney · **Posted:** Thu Mar 11, 2004 12:13 pm

> TJ,

> Could you provide more background regarding
> these for ignorant people such as myself.

> Thanks,
> Gerald

I believe Golden Glows (and your not any more or less ignorant on these than myself) was a circa 1900 competitor to Pyle and others. The only confirmation I truly have that this may be railroad related is that I have seen avertisements for a Golden Glow Company which noted it produced Headlights, most often used on streetcars and interurbans, in some turn of the century rail supply catalogs I have. Below is a link to one of their streetcar/ interurban headlights, I believe. My guess is that they made this light for steam railroad applications, maybe a tender lamp?

TJG

Golden Glow Streetcard headlamp

tjgaffney@phmuseum.org

Gerald W. Kopiasz · **Posted:** Thu Mar 11, 2004 7:02 pm

Thanks TJ. I try to learn something new everyday.

Gerald W. Kopiasz

> I believe Golden Glows (and your not any
> more or less ignorant on these than myself)
> was a circa 1900 competitor to Pyle and
> others. The only confirmation I truly have
> that this may be railroad related is that I
> have seen avertisements for a Golden Glow
> Company which noted it produced Headlights,
> most often used on streetcars and
> interurbans, in some turn of the century
> rail supply catalogs I have. Below is a link
> to one of their streetcar/ interurban
> headlights, I believe. My guess is that they
> made this light for steam railroad
> applications, maybe a tender lamp?

> TJG

Heartland Railroad Historical Society
hrrhs@aol.com

Gord McOuat · **Posted:** Thu Mar 11, 2004 8:28 pm

> Here's a golden glow headlamp. Can't be many
> spares of these left....

> TJG

I recall that "Golden Glow" was a specific tradename applied to a line of very popular, and likely the most common, fixed and portable trolley/interurban headlights manufactured only by the Electric Service Supplies Company. I'm sure these were also sold to steam roads. I remember seeing several CN, CP & ONR business cars with true 12" Golden Glows mounted as spot lights below the end sills.

These headlights featured "gold colored" reflectors. Crouse-Hinds, and I'm sure others made almost identical copies and also copied the gold reflector. I have C-H and Sunbeam headlight catalogues which do not call this type of headlight a Golden Glow, presumably because ESSCo. had the rights to that name.

Much like the common use of the word Kleenex to describe any tissue, Golden Glow was often used "on the street"to describe any headlight with a gold colored reflector.

Regards,
Gord McOuat
Halton County Radial Ry.

mcouatg@toronto.cbc.ca

Adam Mizer · **Posted:** Thu Mar 11, 2004 9:45 pm

Santa fe used the Golden glow 16" headlights on all four classes of the 4-8-4s as well as the texans and Santa Fe types. They were used on other steam roads too.

Pete · **Posted:** Fri Mar 12, 2004 3:51 am

"Golden Glow" was an ESSCo (Electric Service Supplies Co.) trademark. The color in the glass comes from the addition of uranium salts to the glass melt. So, all headlight reflectors made since the Manhattan project don't have this yellow/green color. The theory was that this coloration didn't blind you when looking at the headlight of an oncoming train.

Pyle, Crouse-Hinds, and others also made headlights, and their pre-WWI refectors also had this color because, although the name was trakemarked, the glassmaking process was in the public domain since it was over 1000 years old.

The headlight in the pic looks like a Crouse-Hinds, but it's been a while since I looked through the catalogues in any detail.

T.J. Gaffney · **Posted:** Fri Mar 12, 2004 11:57 am

> The headlight in the pic looks like a
> Crouse-Hinds, but it's been a while since I
> looked through the catalogues in any detail.

That reminds me-- I have a Crouse-Hinds Yardlight that was once used to illuminate the B&O Yard at Newark, Ohio. It was one of four used on topf of a large pole, which finally fell during an electrical storm one night. This was was the least damged in the fall, but the glass (which is rather large in diameter took the brunt, breaking in the center. I had it rewired, but have been unable to find replacement glass. Last i knew Crous-Hinds was still in business. Do you know if the make or have replacement parts? This is more of the style of searchlight, with a handle on top to control direction.

TJG

My question--does

tjgaffney@phmuseum.org