Railroad Hand-Signal Lantern, ca. 1850
date: label: date made
content: ca. 1850
notes: label: Description
content: This railroad hand-signal oil lantern was likely used on the Concord Railroad during the middle of the 19th century. The metal lamp has a glass globe with the initials “C.M.&L.” engraved around the middle. These initials likely stood for the Concord, Massachusetts, and Lawrence railroad.
label: Description
content: Before the advent of portable two way radios, train crews communicated via hand signals during the day, and lantern signals during periods of low visibility or at night. Specific motions of the lantern convey precise instructions such as “Clear to Depart;" "Move the train Forward;" "Move the train Backward;" "Slow Down;" "Slow Down Further;" or "Stop and Remain Stopped."
topic: label: Subject
content: Railroads
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Transportation, Road
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content: Communications
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content: Work
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content: America on the Move
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content: Transportation
label: Exhibition
content: America On The Move
label: Exhibition Location
content: National Museum of American History
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: TR.322917
label: catalog number
content: 322917
label: accession number
content: 249870
objectType: label: Object Name
content: lantern, hand signal