Monson Railroad Lanterns: Shedding Some Light

[Ken Coombs]

We are new to this blog business, and I was reading your posts on the Monson RR.  I am helping the daughter of my good friend (who worked on the Grand Trunk for 40 +/- years and has an extensive collection of railroadiana) to deal with some of the items we have questions about. The biggest question mark is a very old Tall-type hand lantern marked M R R. It is missing a burner but otherwise is intact including clear globe. We read on this forum that none of you believe that there are any MRR lanterns out there, but could this possibly be one?

[Eric Larsen]

We would need better overall pictures and need to know the story on where it came from.  There are other MRR's out there and it likely belonged to one of those railroads.  If someone found it in a quarry finishing shed or in a barn near the tracks it might be intriguing.  Even then I would be surprised.

[Ken Coombs]

Eric, thank you for your reply. My friend John B. Egan passed away one year ago at age 82. The railroad was his life - 40 years with the Grand Trunk and an overlapping 40 years with the Conway Scenic. He was quite well known in the New England railroading community. We do not know where he found this lantern, but, since John's extensive collection of lanterns, books, locks, keys, model rr locomotives/cars, etc., were pretty much New England/Northeastern US related,  I would expect this lantern to be from a geographic area John frequented. No only that, our line of thinking is that because John was extraodinarily picky about his RR "stuff" he probably would not have kept a lantern in this condition unless he knew it was rare.
I am attaching 2 more photos, please let us know if you wish to see more pictures. We can send them email with higher resolution.  Also can you tell us what other Railroads carry the designation MRR? We would like to research further.
Thank you again,
Ken

[James Patten]

There was a Monadnock Railroad in New Hamshire....

[Jeff Acock]

Also can you tell us what other Railroads carry the designation MRR? We would like to research further.
Thank you again,
Ken

A couple of possibilities:

Monon Railroad
Monongahela Railway
Mid-Atlantic Railroad (this one actually had AAR reporting mark MRR)
Montour Railroad

None of these were in the New England region, however.

[Eric Larsen]

Based on the limitted pictures I would say this is an early to mid 1890's Adams & Westlake "Beehive tin top" bell bottom lantern.  (Missing the bell and upper globe retainer.  The globe looks like a 6" teardrop style but I'll bet the lantern probably took a 5-3/8 #39 globe.  The taller globe was installed later on but would not fit unless the globe retainer was removed.)  In thoery, Monson could have had these but so could have half the others on the list.  I wish it still had the bell bottom base because that could have given us some important clues.  This model is the same as a Phillips and Rangely I have, and the Maine Central had them as well.  That is the good news.  The bad news is that a lot of other railroads around the country used this model too and the condition and lack of known origin puts it in the "watever you want it to be" section....  Not good if you are a collector.  We need more info.    
I can say it is not Manadnock RR as that was part of the FRR by that date.
I gues I would still like to see it in person though.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Ken,

     Do you know if Mr. Egan had any other Maine two foot lanterns in his collection?  If he had a SR&RL or WW&F (which are a bit easier to find than a Monson) it would indicate that he had an interest in the Maine two-footers.   If he did collect Maine 2 foot lanterns there's a slightly better chance that what you have is a Monson lantern.  I agree with Erik that it would have been good if the bell bottom were present.  Yes, it would be nice to examine the lantern in person too.  

     As I noted in my earlier post I still think that the Monson may have used Dietz #39 lanterns prior to upgrading to the Dietz vesta model.  I do have a bit of info that points in that direction but I'll show it to Roger before bringing it here.

Stewart

[Ed Lecuyer]

Re: Monon Railroad as a possibilty...

The "Monon" was not the official corporate name for this line; it was the "Chicago, Indianapolis, and Louisville Railway". The Monon name was a nickname, that eventually stuck. Some of their lanterns were labled "Monon Route."

I guess it is possible that the lantern is from the Monon, but unless one is known to exist that is stamped MRR, I doubt it.

[Ira Schreiber]

Add the Monongehela Railroad as M.R.R. as well many other MRR's for speculation.
Ira

[Ken Coombs]

We are still speculatin' on the MRR designation. The two that seem official are Mid Atlantic and Monson.  Thanks to all of you for your suggestions. I am currently in Florida but will be back home in New Hampshre in May. Two of you expressed an interest in seeing the lantern in person, and so I will carry it back with me and bring it up to Maine next summer. I will be looking for a contact person at that time -I know Maine pretty well and perhaps we could come to the WW&F Museum with the lantern in hand.
 thank you all again,
Ken

[Eric Larsen]

Here is a pic of my Phillips and Rangeley.  Same model as the "MRR" above.  (However, I would not jump to conclusions on this link between the two)  The P&RRR is unusual as it has an optional nickel plated surface which often means it was used by a conductor or on a passenger train.  The P&RRR did nickel their baggage tags – also unusual, and did some other fancy stuff to promote their passenger service in the very early days so this does sort of fall into the realm of what they did.  Also, the parlor car "Rangeley" supposedly had nickeled lanterns in it....
 

[Eric Larsen]

Found this link to an Ebay auction.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MRR-TALL-GLOBE-RR-LANTERN-MONONGAHELA-/260950763534?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cc1e0a80e
Probably bad news to this thread.  It is a little bit newer but not more than about 10-15 years and it shows Monongahela RR or some other line in that area used A&W's.

[Ira Schreiber]

As I said above, Monongahela R.R.

[Ken Coombs]

Thanks again for all of your help. Guess we will have to go with Monongahela. Appreciate it, and will try to get up to your museum some time next summer.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Ken,

     Send me a pm when you know the date you'll visit Sheepscot. 

Stewart