Railroad Hand-Signal Lantern, ca, 1860
date: label: date made
content: ca. 1862-1865
notes: label: Description
content: This railroad hand signal oil lantern was used on the United States Military Railroad by the Union Army during the Civil War from 1862 until 1865. The base of the lamp held the oil font; the wick is inside the glass globe which is protected by the wire frame. The glass globe has the initials “USMRR” stamped into 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. Specific motions of the lantern convey precise instructions from the train's conductor to the train’s engineer or brakeman 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: Civil War
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: Marian Price Taylor
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: TR.315875
label: accession number
content: 222961
label: catalog number
content: 315875
objectType: label: Object Name
content: lantern, hand signal
label: Other Terms
content: lantern, conductor's, 1862; lantern, hand signal; Rail
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: brass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: glass (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 14 1/2 in x 8 in; 36.83 cm x 20.32 cm