RR lantern expert needed to ID a lantern...

Steve,

That little bend in the bail was for placement of your thumb. It gave you a bit more control of the lantern during signaling. The Dietz Vesta was also considered a hot blast lantern, meaning it sent warm air from the top back down to the flame via the tubes on each side. This supposedly allowed the light to burn 3 times brighter than other lanterns. 

Thanks Joe. I have a Dietz and an Adlake--and I'd definitely take the Dietz over the Adlake--it does seem to have a brighter flame.

You might find the answer here: Tubular Oil Lantern. Too much for me to read right now, but, the home sight W.T. Kirkman Lanterns Inc. has a lot of information on lanterns. You just need to search for it.

Joe,

It appears you may have that backwards according to Kirkman: Hot & Cold Blast Lantern

Old advertisement says the Vesta is a "Cold Blast".

Thanks for correcting me Jim. I knew what I wanted to say it just didn't come out that way. The Dietz Vesta is a cold blast lantern.

Thank you for piquing my interest. There is some good info on that web site and I learned a lot today. 

What kills me is that there are TWO lanterns marked exactly 'P.E. Ry" on eBay right now, but they're both Adams and Westlake ones.

Right markings, wrong maker. Argh!

Lee,

It's the right manufacturer just the wrong model.

OK, finally got up with my friend. Afraid the news isn't all good!

Apparently several lanterns were made for use in the movie--which I don't doubt. The one my friend has is also an Adlake Reliable, and it is painted green. He doesn't believe this one was ever seen on camera--he thinks this was one of the lanterns stored in the caboose. Notice it doesn't look like it's ever had a flame.  This one is not marked for a railroad.

My first friend got it at an auction of movie props many years ago. Anyway, if you want to do an Adlake up, here's what it looks like:

But...at least I wasn't wrong on the color!!

BONUS: The European release lobby poster:

Lee, I gave my friend your number. Hopefully you two got together.

Such a shame it's not 'the' one, but you could clearly see a silver-ish colored one that the other trainman was lighting in one scene in the caboose. It'd be a given there would likely be more than one or two others as well, but to mention any backup ones they might have had.

Interesting detail you're after, P51.

I'm a little curious about the "19" stencil on the top. First; I've never seen a number painted on the top of a lantern on any of the Michigan roads of which I'm familiar. Secondly, wouldn't it char off or discolor badly under heat and handling?

Neil

The numbering was done for a movie. This is the same reason you also don't see lanterns painted with a locomotive number. I doubt the paint would burn. I've clear coated my lanterns and the paint is fine when I use my lanterns.

You have no idea, I have always been big on re-ecreating screen-used items, and mostly do that for old war movies and sci-fi productions: http://www.freewebs.com/willysmb44/scifi.htm

It's certainly a 'movie thing' as they refer to the entire train on the timetable as 'the 19' over many days as the movie takes place. And you're given the impression that the RR in the film is relatively large, so ID'ing everything by thge locomotive # was just a way to connect everything together to the audience, many of whom would have no clue about such things.

Just another 'Hollywood-ism', the way I see it...

I've owned lanters in the past (I used to collect RR conductor stuff, but haven't owned anything like that in many years) and some had original paint on them, with some markings, usually for whoever had signed for it in service, I'd assume. I think the paint would stay there, especially considering the source, as it would probably have come from a RR paint shop...

UPDATE: I found the exact maker, pattern, globe height and markings for Pacific Electric one on eBay. I just won the listing! Of course it's gonna be painted black with a '19' on top once I get it, just need to find a plain red globe for it now!

When working a passenger job, he might have had one of these. A white brass M.M. Buck, with owner's name "G.M. Mitchell" wheel cut into the globe.

 P51 good score on that lantern! amazing at times what one can find on e-bay! Big Jim, I have the exact same lantern as yours, a safety award, except mine says Pittsburgh Division!

Awesome grab on that lantern. Glad you found one.

Awesome! Post a picture when you're finished!

Just got it in the mail yesterday. I now suspect the 'Shack' lantern was stock Pacific Electric with the '19' painted on top, as-is, as mine is also solid black. That can't be a coincidence, I'd think.

The lantern is filthy, though. I'm seriously thinking of taking somewhere to have it sandblasted (or media blasted) and start over with paint. I'm not sure if the paint is coming off it's simply filthy, but I have no idea how to clean one.

I also need to find a red globe for it.