Signal oil versus kerosene lanterns

[NW Mailing List]

I probably shouldn't comment on this subject because I don't have anything 
to contribute to the understanding of the characteristics of signal oil, but 
now that the subject has been raised I would direct attention to Fig. 9 of 
my article about Drawings on p. 44 of the Oct. - Dec. 2008 issue of The 
Arrow.  This 1886 N&W RR specification mentions signal oil in three of the 
12 panels--under "150 degree Oil," "300 degree Oil" and again under "Extra 
Lard Oil."  There is not much detail, but it shows an early recognition of 
the need to have a custom product for signals.

Note in the last panel under "Tallow" that the ingredient for cylinder 
lubricant was required, "To be free from dirt, cracklings and fibre."  OK, 
I'll agree with that!

Gordon Hamilton

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: "'NW Mailing List'" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Sent: Monday, May 18, 2009 3:26 PM
Subject: RE: Signal oil versus kerosene lanterns



> The test would have been how easily could these new lanterns be seen and 

> was

> the color differentiation easy to see by the human.

>

>

> Signal oil was a lighter, less viscous oil, than kerosene.  One part "I

> forget" oil and one part turpentine.  I have to look this up.  It burned

> with a different flame and light frequency than the kerosene types.  Hence

> the colored globes had to be 'special' to show the correct color when one

> type of oil was used.   So when kerosene was stocked and signal oil 

> wasn't,

> one had to have the right burner and globe.

>

> Kerosene lamps used for semaphore signals, switch lamps, or train order

> boards had to have the right lenses to match the kerosene flame as well.

>

> Earlier lanterns used whale oil which had little heater tubes that ran 

> down

> from the burner flame back into the oil pot to keep the oil at the proper

> viscosity in colder weather.

>

> The lantern drawn is a "1925" Armspear with the stamped, flat metal risers

> holding the frame together.  There was a 1925 made with a drawn wire frame

> like the Adlake Kero- cuz it was made by A-K.  Yes, the N&W did purchase

> both types.

>

> As to green over clear globes, these would not have been used to show 

> signal

> aspects.   A tower or station that would hand up train orders, Form 19 or

> 31's, would have green (no orders, do not slow, proceed; amber for slow to

> pick up 'hooped up' orders that are on Form 19 flimsies from a operator

> agent or 'iron man'; or red to stop for orders that must be signed for by

> the engineer and conductor.  Obtaining clearance cards would require 

> similar

> aspects by lanterns at night or by the train order boards at a station. 

> See

> your Operating Rule Books for all of the details on how this is done with

> the aspects.

>

> "Color" over clear globes were an 1870's-1890's creations and were 

> generally

> used by conductors or brakemen on passenger trains or in presentation

> lanterns.  You won't find mention of these in rule books after this time

> period.

>

> Flag stops would not need a green aspect as a train was not required to 

> stop

> or even slow down approaching a flag stop.  See your "Rights of Trains" 

> book

> for the details covering this operation.

>

> I cannot speak to the grade of kerosene defined by the N&W spec. but I 

> think

> it safe to say that the spec. kerosene was similar to K-1 of today so that

> it would burn with little or no smoke or soot, hence not block the light

> through the globe.  K-1 is cleaner than regular kerosene regarding the

> combustion products.

>

> Short globe lanterns became the 'standard' lantern about 1920.  These were

> cheaper than the older tall globe lanterns as they used a lesser amount of

> material- 2 inches shorter.  Hence the railroads who were buying these

> lanterns by the case , and the replacement parts, extra globes, extra

> burners and so on, wished to use this cheaper type.  For a while Handlan 

> of

> St. Louis made a 4-1/4" high lantern which had an odd-ball 4-1/4" globe

> around this time.  They modified it to mount the 3-1/2" short globe with a

> longer spring mount.

>

> Even so, the tall globe lanterns were made until the mid 1920's for those

> who wanted that style.  Adlake Reliables with the rounded top have a 1923

> patent date on them.

>

> There are a number of books covering lanterns and lantern history plus the

> long series of Key, Lock and Lantern magazines are great sources of facts

> and speculation regarding lanterns and their evolution from the early days

> of railroading in the 1820's to the 1960's.

>

> The N&W and other railroads started to use the battery powered hand 

> lanterns

> for train crews in the 1953-ish to 1955 time period.  These were more

> expensive than the kerosene types but were far easier to see and see with.

> Plus, they got rid of the nasty kerosene smell all over everything.  In

> addition, the battery lanterns did burn the users arm when signaling or

> climbing car ladders.

>

> Also, they moved to electric powered switch lamps, Peter Gray's, in the

> 1920's along with the move to position lights that were electric powered 

> for

> signals and electric powered train order boards as stations were given

> electrical power.

>

> Gary Rolih

> Cincinnati

>

>

> -----Original Message-----

> From: nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org

> [mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On Behalf Of NW Mailing List

> Sent: Saturday, May 16, 2009 11:01 AM

> To: N&W Historical Society

> Subject: Signal oil versus kerosene lanterns

>

>

> The files in the links below are a 1929 memorandum sent to agents and

> operators on the Shenandoah Division, N&W.  It describes the issuance of a

> lantern appearing in style to be an Armspear with metal fins along the

> sides, but otherwise similar to the Adlake Kero.  The file named LANTERN1

> has the first page of the memorandum and the first page of usage

> instructions.  The second page of each appear in LANTERN2.

>

> http://www.railwaymailservicelibrary.org/ebay/LANTERN1.pdf

> http://www.railwaymailservicelibrary.org/ebay/LANTERN2.pdf

>

> Each file of two pages is in color and therefore exceeds 1 mb.

>

> Aside from the instructions on use and the quantity and globe colors 

> issued

> to stations, several questions come to mind.

>

> 1)      If some stations were flag stops, wouldn't they have had an

> additional green-globe lantern to be used with a clear-globe lantern, or a

> green+clear globe lantern?

> 2)      What is the design difference between a "signal oil" and a 

> kerosene

> lantern?  This seems to be around the time that railroads shifted from

> tall-globe to short-globe lanterns.  Is that the principal difference?

> 3)      How different is "Kerosene Oil ... Specification F-22" from the

> kerosene commercially sold at present-day gas stations?

> 4)      If this was a "test," what was the test supposed to determine? 

> Does

> anyone know the results?  I assume they were favorable since the Adlake 

> Kero

> and similar hand-lanterns became widely used.

>

> This memorandum is among documents that were preserved from the Boones 

> Mill,

> Virginia station.  It would be interesting to know when these lanterns 

> were

> deployed elsewhere on the N&W system.

>

> Best wishes,

>

> Frank Scheer

> f_scheer at yahoo.com

>

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