H4565.10A

12.75 in HIGH
(32.38 cm HIGH)
Lent by Louis L. Stein
H4565.10A


a. Santa Fe Railway conductor's lamp with the name of line embossed on shade 12" high. From the History Information Station: Object: Brakeman's lantern. Marked "Santa Fe." History: Like the locomotive whistle and signal lanterns also displayed in this case, the brakeman's lantern was a communication device. By swinging the lamp in a certain way or holding it at a certain height, the brakeman could instruct the engineer when, how fast, and in what direction to move the train. Though early railroads each had their own system of hand and lantern signals, the patterns were fairly standardized by the 1870s.

Used: California | Santa Fe Railway

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