Railroad Hand-Signal Lantern, 1989
date: label: date made
content: 1989
name: label: maker
content: Star Headlight & Lantern Company
notes: label: Description
content: This Starlight 222 model lantern was manufactured by the Star Headlight & Lantern Company of Honeoye Falls, New York in 1989. The Star Company replaced their metal lanterns with acrylic plastic lanterns like this one beginning in 1989. This side of this lantern is stamped with the text “PRODUCED IN OUR 100th Year 1889-1989” surrounding the Star Company logo. The lantern has sockets for two bulbs; the bare bulb with reflector below the lantern body was used for signaling while the smaller adjacent bulb makes a focused beam that could be used as a flashlight. The Starlight model was available in several colors with a choice of railroad logos on the side.
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. Hand lantern signals are still used in situations when radio intercommunication is impractical. 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."
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: Subject
content: Plastics
label: Subject
content: electricity
label: Subject
content: Railroads
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Transportation, Railroad
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content: Work
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content: Communications
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content: Transportation
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Star Headlight & Lantern Company, Inc. (through David W. Jacobs)
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1989.0610.02
label: accession number
content: 1989.0610
label: catalog number
content: 1989.0610.02
objectType: label: Object Name
content: lantern, hand signal
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: plastic, acrylic (body material)