RAREVintage Pyle National Railroad Train Caboose Red/Amber Lantern Lamp Signal

RAREVintage Pyle National Railroad Train Caboose Red/Amber Lantern Lamp Signal. This piece comes from the collection of a life-long railroad enthusiast and former Amtrak employee. Vintage 4-sided Pyle National railroad train caboose signal/light/lantern. This signal has four original ribbed thick glass lenses, three are amber, one red. Each is very secure in its housing. The signal is embossed on the top "PYLE" and the company's PN logo. The light is in very good condition.

The safety chain is still attached (so that the globe top doesn't get dropped overboard on a bulb change while the train is moving). Wiring looks to be original and is 8 feet 3.5 inches long.

They are 6 1/2" tall from the wire nut to the top of the screw off bolt and about 4 3/4" from the mount to the outer round part. Nothing chipped, cracked or broken and lenses are all tight.

It is made of heavy cast aluminum. See more Railroad Items Including Other Train Lanterns in our store. More about the Pyle-National Company.

The Pyle-National Electric Headlight Company was founded in 1897 by Royal C. The company was named after George C. Pyle who developed turbine generators. To operate railroad engine headlights. The headlights used were of the arc lamp. George had persuaded Samuel R. Tuggle, an engineer for one of the railroad companies, to make use his invention. News of the success of his invention spread quickly.

Vilas who organized the company to market the new lights. The company's general office was located at 1426 Monadnock, Chicago. Pyle' s improved headlight proved extremely beneficial. Locomotives could cross the plains and prairie states without striking or killing stock.

Derailments also became less common. The first successful electric headlight utilizing the incandescent lamp. Was introduced by Pyle in 1913.

The incandescent lamp used was the same type later used for household lighting. The lamp used by the railroad industry, however, had to withstand severe vibration. A bill was presented to Congress in 1915 requiring that headlights be installed on all locomotives.

Even before this became a federal law, 31 states already had such laws on their books. In 1916 the company moved to 1334 N. Kostner Avenue, Chicago, and shortened its name to "The Pyle-National Company". The company had an export department called the International Railroad Supply Company located at 30 Church St.

It also had Canadian Representatives: The Holden Co. During the next three decades the company grew in size, primarily as a producer of locomotive headlights and turbo-generators. The company also started manufacturing electrical fittings and switches. In 1918 the first plug and receptacle line was developed. The 1919 and 1920 catalogs show The Pyle National Company manufacturing the "Young Locomotive Valve Gear".

This was the whole system of levers , rods and links which connected the steam pistons to the locomotive's wheels. The chief competitor of this type valve gear was the type known as "Walschaert". The catalogs go to great lengths to stress the superiority of the Young type over Walschaert as shown by tests results using both. Turbo-generators, arc headlights, incandescent headlights, as well as various switches and connectors were also manufactured and marketed. Louis, Mo, which produced a line of electrical fittings, plugs and receptacles, markers, classification and cab lights for locomotives, cars, and shops.

This entire operation was moved to Chicago after a year. By 1927 many refinements were made in general duty plugs and receptacles product line. Such features as slotted keyways to prevent reverse polarity and intermating snap springs to prevent accidental circuit breaking were made.

Pyle provided a lighting system for illuminating the faces of the Wrigley Building and Wrigley tower. The Wrigley family had Pyle install an even grander lighting system in anticipation of the World's Fair returning to Chicago in 1933.

The spectacular effect of this installed lighting not only added to the brilliance of the Wrigley Building but served as a welcome sign for Chicago's visitors. During the mid 1920's, Pyle-National also provided the lighting for Soldier Field Stadium. The item "RAREVintage Pyle National Railroad Train Caboose Red/Amber Lantern Lamp Signal" is in sale since Wednesday, April 17, 2019. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Transportation\Railroadiana & Trains\Hardware\Lanterns & Lamps". The seller is "buyingfore1" and is located in Franklin, Indiana.

This item can be shipped to United States.

Modified Item: No
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
Brand: Pyle National
Featured Refinements: Train Signal