Tis year has been pretty good for collecting stuff,from old hand cut ties with tie plates rermoved from a front yard for a customer, to an old caboose marker light. Part of the fun for me. What have y'all found/purchased this year? Here's a couple of pics.
Wow. Those ties twisted grain reminds me of some Spruce logs I have seen. Like they were really poor quality even when new. Note the "S" steel in the end, which was to help prevent splitting.
Was interesting. While living in Georgia, for just under a year, I was able to extract several 1954 date nails from railroad ties the neighbors had ordered. Saw them and made a comment about it. Granted the OK to pull as many as I could find! Got those that were easily found, on the outside of the bundle. Didn't bother with any that were buried inside. Granted, this was almost 20 years ago! Go well with the 1925-1936/7 nails found. Plus a single turnout nail, with 14' 6" stamped on it. This was even longer yet, and on a railroad club picnic at Georgetown Loop. Within the last year, very little, if anything! Was able to get a small Pyle National marker light from a friend. Decent on the outside, slightly damaged inside, and wired with a small nightlight bulb. A couple of train shows ago, I was also able to snag the builders plate from former PC/CR/DRGW GP40 #3131.
When I'm traveling i carry a hammer and a small 12 inch crowbar. Cattlemen use rr ties for corral posts so i stop and walk around the corras checking for nails, then pull them out for my collection. Would love to get a rr lantern..
My last: DRGW locomotive equipment trust plate Match pair of DRGW caboose marker lights. Used on: Durango/Silverton - Rio Grande ownership Durango/Silverton - Bradshaw era Cumbres/Toltec - Special excursions And a calendar showing markers lit. On D&S car Alamosa, parked on Casade wye, in winter!
Newly acquired from Estes Park train show today! DRGW flagstop notification hanger Opposite side Held a flag during daylight hours. The hook held the appropriate color lantern during night time hours. So I was told. Journal box oil can. DRGW lettering can just be seen! Superla Oil can. Again, DRGW lettering can just be seen above the worn Superla Oil lettering. Got a pretty good deal on them, from a railroad club member. Let him know my disability situation. Was willing to work with me! Let me take 'em today and get him paid by months end! Will have that done by Friday! Now, I just gotta find a spot for them!
Found these drink coasters today, lost in a darkened kitchen cabinet corner. I received these at some point in my career when the SLSF and AT&SF teamed up to promote an expedited "Straight Shooter" intermodal route via tiny Avard, OK.
I dragged home a whole lot of junk. Mostly old worn out passenger car parts. Nothing exciting. I did pick this up at a train show. Loaded it with some lamp oil and it works real well. Next time the power goes out, I am set.
I have an old semaphore signal laying down alongside my shop. I have been negotiating with the wife for years to let me put it up at the end of the driveway, but no luck so far.
It's funny how railroad signals are deceptive in size. When atop a signal mast, they look quite normal, but when they're on the ground one begins to appreciate their actual size and weight. I've always thought that a l'il B&O CPL dwarf would be fun.
During a 2009 railfan blitz, I found these Milwaukee Road electrification remnants near Bruno, Montana.
An L&N whistle post that must weigh 250 to 300 LBS. We like it a lot, but I was a much younger man when I dug the hole and placed this in our yard. Frankly I'm not sure how I'll extricate it when we move someday. Maybe a railfan will buy our house. In any case, I need to scrape and paint it.
