My Uncle recently died (he hired on to PRR in the mid-1930's). Before he died, he gave me two kerosene lamps.

He had used them in his mountain cabin. He told me that they originally were used to illuminate PRR cabin cars.

The square base where the kerosene was kept has an arm that comes up to the top of the globe. The arm holds the globe in place with a spring-like coil of wire that surrounds the top.

A slot in the arm is where He said a reflector pan that looked "sort of like a pie plate " was mounted.

1) Can anyone help me in locating a photo of the original lamp?

2) can anyoone help me in locating the reflectors or determining hiw to make one?

3) How was the lamp mounted on the inside wall of the caboose?

Thanks

Doug


douglasvanveelen@mindspring.com

A couple of suggestions:

Try to identify (locate) any manufacturer's marks. Common ones would be Adams (Adams Westlake), Handlan, Dressel, or Armspear. There are some reproduction catalogs for these companies out and about.

Another option is to take a look at the website of the Key Lock and Lantern Association. They cover a number of areas of railroad collectibles.

I wish you good luck in your search...myself? I have a single Handlan lamp with a round tank that is missing the smoke deflector (positioned above the globe) that I am going to try to fabricate.

doc

Key Lock and Lantern
utweyesguy@aol.com

Doug,
Suggest you may want to search thru E-Bay listings for various manufacturers such as Adlake, Handlan and Dressel (my personal favorite ;-) ). Although not quite what you described, a current listing is:


E-Bay listing of "Caboose Lamp"
cdressel@novagate.net

Here's a direct link to the caboose lamp, rather than paging through the list. Sorry for any inconvenience,

E-Bay listing of "Caboose Lamp"
cdressel@novagate.net

I believe the lantern you have is a Handlan, St Louis. The chimney should be 12" in height tapering from a base of approx 9" in circumference topping out at 6" circumference . The overall height of the lantern approx 19". The kerosene base is approx 5" by 6" and should have a lip around the top edge. The base sat into a wall mount with the lip keeping the lantern from dropping through. The "pie pan" reflector is 6 7/8 diameter. This style lantern was used, I believe, on the PRR in the late fifties early sixties. As for parts, I have no hard lead for you to follow however, you may try to locate a company by the name of Plume and Atwood MFG CO. Waterbury, Conn. I do not know if the company is still in business but they where a parts supplier for this style lantern at one time.

rroader@Netreach.net

I have no hard lead for you to
> follow however, you may try to locate a
> company by the name of Plume and Atwood MFG
> CO. Waterbury, Conn. I do not know if the
> company is still in business but they where
> a parts supplier for this style lantern at
> one time.

Plume & Atwood (last located in Thomaston, CT) has long since gone the way of Pullman, Baldwin, Alco, etc. The old P&A factory in Thomaston has been sold for redevelopment/reuse, and is located next to Railroad Museum of New England's 1881 Thomaston Station. And, no, there are no parts hanging around in dusty corners.

hpincus@mindspring.com