Railroadiana Items In Your Collection

I collect the framed steam prints by jim deneen=beautifully framed and double matted with inlaid usa postage stamps with railroad engine themes issued throughout the years.

Have the usual stuff, RR passes, Operating Rules, a whistle, date nails, track spikes, Brakeman's lantern, Ball Approved RR pocket watch, a few blueprints, old photos, Grif Teller PRR calandars, and books - a bunch of C&O documentation and assorted "bric a brak".

Larry

Whistle from Sandy River & Rangeley lakes engine, baggageman hat badge from Sandy River Railroad, piece of firebox and stay bolts from UP 3985,

I don't really get into railroadiana because I collect too much other stuff (and have to

slap my hand to keep from collecting more), so all I have are a few railroad spikes

picked up along Otto Mears' narrow gauge roadbeds, and a large bolt that my nephew

got from the ruins of the famous covered turntable on the Silverton RR some years ago.

(there is one other item for an eastern road that I bought cheap at an estate auction, but at the moment I can't think what it is, or what RR it is for)

I am working through a couple of bugs posting pictures from my iPod but in the las post I have a picture of a 40 year PRSL service pin and a 50 year PRR.  The MOST unusual and rare Pin is the 50 year Long Island pin.

I am enjoying this thread and the chance to see everybody's railroadiania.  Joe, your collection is awesome.  I'll post more pictures soon.

I believe that's a wheel flange gauge to check the wear on the car wheels.

A UP nose shield, a bit worn though.

My grandfather had a ton of stuff, including a private passenger car, a track speeder, and a working semaphore.  But since I was only 15 at his passing, my dad donated those and more to the local museum Grandpa was a member of.  Over the years a lot of the other stuff has "walked".  Now that I have my own place I need to go over to his old house and collect everything and catalog it.  But I do have some EMD builder plates, a bell and whistle, a few lanterns, Amtrak conductors uniform, some dishes and sheets, buttons and lifetime passes, signage, manuals and other paper stuff.  There were at one time some steam/air lines from a locomotive in his backyard, but I'm sure those have long wasted away.

Al,

Nice nose shield.

sinclair,

Take some photos and post them when you get a chance.

I have a printout of the first operating program for the Milwaukee Road's Mainframe Computers.

WOW! Where the heck did you find that Great Northern marker lamp, made by Dressel. I have been looking for one or better yet a pair for my real GN caboose? You are lucky to have one. But I would like to know what part of the Country it came from. Thanks!

Jeff

Sweet caboose Jeff. The lamp actually came from a friend of mine. I have no idea where he got it from but if I was to guess I would say Ebay.

This is my dwarf signal by my garage. When the garage door is up, the aspect is green; when the door is closed, the aspect is red. Since I can't see my garage door from our house, this method works terriffic! I know when the door is open or closed. Sorry for the snowy shot, it is the only one I have filed away of the signal.

We have a couple old kids menu's framed up. I'll try to get a pic and add it to the post.

Jeff,

I never had that style of marker lamp and have never seen any for sale either. The lamp was manufactured by Armspear. That's a hard one to find.

My Morton Manufacturing B&O Conductor's step box and an Adlake switch stand lamp housing.

Same here.  I've got a PRR lantern (kerosene), a PRR lock & key, a PRR first-aid kit, a couple of manuals, some builders' plates, a couple of spikes, some other odds and ends that escape me at the moment.  Friends and relatives see these things at flea markets and estate sales, cheap, and occasionally give them to me when they find out I'm interested in railroading.  But personally, I've never put a lot of effort or money into 1:1 railroadiana.

Just two I can think of, a stainless steel Hiawatha emblem used on the Milwaukee Road passenger cars and a Sante Fe " Chief" drumhead. Both are real gems.

Jeff,

I went back and looked at the lamp and it was not marked. I then realized the lamp in the picture was not from the GN. That particular lamp was unmarked. I finally found my GN marker lamp. It is an Adlake square top lamp and is marked GN Ry on the top/side of the lid.

The GN lamp is in the center of the photo hanging on the wall.

I found the item I was looking for, but may have another "something" around here lettered for C&EI, or C&IM, as I thought I did.  This is a long-spouted engineer's

oil can, but is only marked with a raised keystone with the letters "P...S" on it, which

made me think it was Pennsy related?  Is it?

Yes, it stands for Pennsylvania System.

"Pennsylvania System" was the service name used to designate the combination of Lines East and West. You will find it on certain types of advertising matter, and in the names of several joint bodies that had members from both halves of the railroad.

The "Lines West" organization was abolished in 1920, although it took about two more years before all of the properties were actually leased to the PRR. At that time "Pennsylvania Railroad" replaced "Pennsylvania System" as the name for the whole railroad. This is what you see on post-1920 timetables, advertisements, etc.

Got a few items, not near as many as some of my friends. 

1)  cast iron 3 tri color signal which I need to repaint/restore.  Really like Jeff's idea above as would look nice in front of our train building.

2)  remember the track side mail pick ups from the RPO days.  Got one of those.

3)  beaded crossing buck.

4)  several railroad crossing signs.  DOT crew swaping them out.  Stopped to inquire and gave them to me.

4)  several Southern Railway timetables.

5)  laundry bag (I think) from the Southern passenger train days.

6)  thousands of roster and action shot prints and slides.  Don't take railroading and railfanning for granted.  What's been common for years may be gone tomorrow.  Glad was able to photograph Saluda Mountain and the Kings Creek to Shelby line using the spacer box car when I did.  I need to post some of these on the real trains page.

Some cool items guys. Now we need to see some pictures. 

Jeff,

If I ever come across a set of GN Dressel lamps I'll let you know.

A lantern, some manuals, engineer's hat, towels, safety pins. I am looking for an authentic, but unused, cross-buck sign.

PRSL 40 year pin,  Long Island 50 year pin, I've only ever seen this one. And a PRR 50 year pin.

NJCJOE your collection is amazing. I suggest that you join the ranks of weekend photo fun and Sunday Scenic showcase and start a weekly thread to feature and tell the stories of your items.

Thanks Zett. I appreciate the comments.

I'm really enjoying the photos of everyone's collectibles. This turned out to be a very interesting thread.

Jeff, 

Very impressive collection. Thank you for sharing the photos. Looks to be some pretty interesting items there.

It doesn't look like a mess to me. I view those photos like others would look at a piece of art. The history sitting on those shelves can not be easily duplicated. Of all the items that one could collect railroadiana wise, I find lanterns and lamps the most fascinating. I even have a tattoo of a late 1800's Westlake conductors lantern with a red over clear globe. You could say this is my hobby for life.

Since the Pennsylvania System was mentioned above, here's a Form 5 passenger timetable dated April 30, 1922 with "PS" lettering from my collection. As seen from the photo, this edition prominently featured the still relatively new Pennsylvania Station in New York City. Of course, at this time, Pennsy trains to the west were still being hauled by electric locomotives drawing their power from third rail direct current. Alternating current supplied by overhead catenary was still in the future.

Bob