Kelly, those pictures are very helpful. It confirms part of my suspicion that a cast aluminum ring retains the reflector. The PN diagram shows the reflector being clamped between the padded headlight case and the retaining ring. Since my light is a "can" shaped unit, I suspect that there was a front and rear retainer that the reflector was mounted in. Unfortunately those pieces are missing as well, but could be re cast. My dad is a retired pattern maker and would probably love to make the patterns. I have found a company that has reflectors in stock that can be trimmed down to 17" and a convex lens in 18". Unfortunately the reflector is not uranium glass. However, they have entertained the idea of pressing and silvering a couple reflectors if I can get the proper size pieces of glass sourced. I am working on that now.

In my searches, I have found no info on 18" lights. It appears that 16" was the biggest one used on road locomotives. The auction I bought mine at had two 18" lights.

There were sheet steel headlight cases made in 18" diameter; they were apparently the original standard size for USRA road and switcher locomotives. Other locomotives and railroads used the 18" size as well.

Howard P.

I restored a GG 14" w/round steel case a few years ago. Unfortunately I didn't get good pics of the interior. The ESSCo retainer ring was not a casting but a convex stamped steel ring. The clamping fingers were not the same diamond shape as P-N used - they are square(ish) with the screw hole centered near the outside edge and arched over the retaining ring. Look near the bottom and you can see the ring and a clamp.


IIRC the reflector also sat in a pressed steel cone that's not as thick as the P-N version (would have to look at it again), but they used the same felt crescent padding arrangement as P-N. Note the ring cast in the center of the lens.