Author Topic: Arthur Griffin B&H 1940 excursion photos  (Read 26490 times)

John McNamara

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Re: Arthur Griffin B&H 1940 excursion photos
« Reply #15 on: April 10, 2020, 09:55:19 PM »
I would suspect oil lamps. Stewart?

Pete "Cosmo" Barrington

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Re: Arthur Griffin B&H 1940 excursion photos
« Reply #16 on: April 10, 2020, 10:18:04 PM »
Call me skeptical, but there's no anecdotal evidence for the rings being for gloves. If it were the case, then cars of that era would have been equipped that way everywhere. Gloves were common, yes, as common as hats and coats (which we know there are hooks for, in the picture and many other places still today.)
Anecdotal evidence says "gloves were an item, yes, but were carefully folded and placed in coat pockets, which were hung on hooks.
Now, as to the loops themselves:
They all face the same way at same height/position which suggests something traversing them, either a chord, or a rod/dowel.
I can't see these being for oil lamps. The geometry just doesn't work out for me. I COULD be wrong, but I just don't see it as likely.
The loops are also fairly big, rather too big for a rod/dowel for hanging anything. Again, I COULD be wrong about that, that's just my impression.
As we know anecdotally that pull-chords were common enough and in similar situ to the loops in evidence, that's where I put my money.
Being a good skeptic, I welcome any correction and or further evidence, anecdotal or otherwise.

Steve Smith

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Re: Arthur Griffin B&H 1940 excursion photos
« Reply #17 on: April 10, 2020, 10:55:25 PM »
It looks as though the fourth and fifth rings in from the righthand edge of the picture might have had drinking cups in them--such as Dixie cups, with the axes of the cups horizontal, at the time the picture was taken, but I doubt that is what the rings were intended for.

Philip Marshall

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Re: Arthur Griffin B&H 1940 excursion photos
« Reply #18 on: April 11, 2020, 12:57:36 AM »
I think they may be hangers for curtain rods, which is weird.

The coach appears to be one of the original Laconias, either 15 or 16. Is there any trace of these rings in either car now?

Mike Fox

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Re: Arthur Griffin B&H 1940 excursion photos
« Reply #19 on: April 11, 2020, 07:54:51 AM »
I have a few interior shots taken during some of the late excursions on the B&H.. Maybe I can look for clear shots..
Mike
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Pete "Cosmo" Barrington

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Re: Arthur Griffin B&H 1940 excursion photos
« Reply #20 on: April 11, 2020, 11:00:05 PM »
I took another look at the photo, and THERE ARE OIL LAMPS, minus their globes, still extant in the photo!!
One is on the right hand side of the photo, and there appear to be TWO centered near the ceiling upper-center of the photo!!
Since these appear to be original to the car same as the loops in question, it's easy to say the loops were NOT intended for oil lamps.
Not to say that nobody ever hung a lantern from one, but that's not why they're there.

Oh, and I did see the "dixie-cups,"... nice catch.  ;)

Mike Fox

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Re: Arthur Griffin B&H 1940 excursion photos
« Reply #21 on: April 12, 2020, 07:46:46 AM »
I am wondering if those loops have something to do with drapery. Centered over each window..
Mike
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Fred Morse

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Re: Arthur Griffin B&H 1940 excursion photos
« Reply #22 on: April 12, 2020, 10:27:26 AM »
In the winter I'd use it to hang a scarf threw.

John Scott

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Re: Arthur Griffin B&H 1940 excursion photos
« Reply #23 on: April 13, 2020, 12:47:39 AM »
Something to do with seat numbering (for reservations), perhaps?

Graham Buxton

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Re: Arthur Griffin B&H 1940 excursion photos
« Reply #24 on: April 13, 2020, 04:10:47 AM »
Wayne posted a version of this thread at the NGDF forum, asking about the 'rings', here:
http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php?1,392907

Following along with Steve Smith's comment above about "paper cups", NGDF member Chris Walker suggested that those rings are for holding 'empty' cuspidors (spitoons).  ;D   


While cuspidors were made in many styles, some of them were in a shape that could fit in the rings shown. For example, here is a C&O Railroad version:photo credit

In that one, the base/bulb of the cuspidor is smaller than the top opening flange, so would fit through the ring, but the wider flange would prevent the top from going through and so the cuspidor would be unlikely to fall through.  And a white  interior could be why the object in a couple of the rings in the car photo looks like 'paper cups'.

Obviously, the orientation of the rings would be meant for only 'empty' cuspidors.  :)
Graham

Bill Baskerville

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Re: Arthur Griffin B&H 1940 excursion photos
« Reply #25 on: April 13, 2020, 11:08:31 AM »
Wayne posted a version of this thread at the NGDF forum, asking about the 'rings', here:
http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php?1,392907
It's worth following the above link for some interesting comments on those rings.  As someone said in that thread, something so common in the early 1900's is now a great mystery to us today.  Interesting.... The various pictures in that thread have ruled out conductors bell cord (there is a picture with the bell cord running down the center of the car with the rings on either side), probably ruled out window shades, umbrella holders, and a bunch of other things.  The most common thought to-date appears to be glove holders.
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Mike Fox

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Re: Arthur Griffin B&H 1940 excursion photos
« Reply #26 on: April 13, 2020, 11:31:02 AM »
I still think it is something to do with drapery.. Need an outside builders photo that you can see through the window
Mike
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John McNamara

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Re: Arthur Griffin B&H 1940 excursion photos
« Reply #27 on: April 13, 2020, 11:57:14 AM »
Upon reading though the ndgdiscussion thread, I liked the "reservation flag" idea the best.

As for the spittoon idea, I offer the following opera highlight (not) from Carmen:
"Toreador, toreador,
Don't spit on the floor,
Use the cuspidor,
That's what it's there for."
The whirring sound you hear is George Bizet spinning in his grave.
« Last Edit: April 13, 2020, 12:03:43 PM by John McNamara »

Wayne Laepple

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Re: Arthur Griffin B&H 1940 excursion photos
« Reply #28 on: April 13, 2020, 12:59:11 PM »
I've never seen a cuspidor small enough to fit in that loop!

Bill Baskerville

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Re: Arthur Griffin B&H 1940 excursion photos
« Reply #29 on: April 13, 2020, 01:57:37 PM »
I've never seen a cuspidor small enough to fit in that loop!
How would you hit it up there anyway?  The windows would get a lot of missed .....
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