Railroad Company Issue/Promotional Flashlights

[Poppy]

It looks like an electrician's light.

 

[ericjohn]

It looks like an electrician's light.

It was and maybe still is frequently used by railroad electricians.

Any plastic Industrial style flashlight will be popular with that line of work because it can be used near live circuits without the possibility of it falling into the work and shorting something out or electrocuting the worker(s).

[Unfortunately] You can't say the same about one of your metal "tactical" flashlights.

 

[ericjohn]

I won this item on Ebay yesterday and I am waiting for it to come in the mail. I rarely ever bid for items on ebay, but I couldn't pass this up. Back in 2013, I was outbid by 50 cents on the same Bright Star model as this one, but for the now defunct Penn Central Railroad.

The "N.Y.C.T.A." stamped on the flashlight's body stands for "New York City Transit (or Transportation) Authority."


It was owned by a former road car inspector on the New York City Subway who worked there in the 1980s.

The base price (since I was the only bidder) was $9.99 and the shipping is $7.05.

Is this a Bright Star 1618 or does it have a different model number since it has the metal hook on the tail cap?

 

[ericjohn]

I recently scored yet another railroad flashlight.

This one is a Lumilite K-Series model made as a promotional for Norfolk Southern.

I got it on eBay along with other Norfolk Southern memorabilia.

The switch is slightly damaged and in order to use the flashlight, the switch has to be pushed and held all the way up.

Any idea on how to repair that issue?

 

[bykfixer]

I recently scored yet another railroad flashlight.

This one is an unknown brand but was made as a promotional for Norfolk Southern.

I got it on eBay along with other Norfolk Southern memorabilia.

The switch is slightly damaged and in order to use the flashlight, the switch has to be pushed and held all the way up.

Any idea on how to repair that issue?

Nice score EJ.

Some sliders move a rod forward to touch the reflector or move away from it. Over time oxidation may be such that it has to be slid further to reach a clean spot. Perhaps the point of contact has bent just enough to also cause the issue. A slight re-bend of the tip of the slider back towards the center may be in order.

Sometimes the little 'ears' that fasten the switch plate itself to the sliding rod will 'unbend' allowing play in between. A flat tip'd screwdriver can bend them back to factory in some cases removing the play between the two and re-introducing positive contact points again.

If that don't help ya, pm me and we'll take it from there. Probably something pretty easy to fix.

 

[ericjohn]

Nice score EJ.

Some sliders move a rod forward to touch the reflector or move away from it. Over time oxidation may be such that it has to be slid further to reach a clean spot. Perhaps the point of contact has bent just enough to also cause the issue. A slight re-bend of the tip of the slider back towards the center may be in order.

Sometimes the little 'ears' that fasten the switch plate itself to the sliding rod will 'unbend' allowing play in between. A flat tip'd screwdriver can bend them back to factory in some cases removing the play between the two and re-introducing positive contact points again.

If that don't help ya, pm me and we'll take it from there. Probably something pretty easy to fix.

Thanks for the help, I will definitely look into this when I get the chance!

 

[ericjohn]

This is a Rayovac Industrial Flashlight that was issued to an engineer on The Kansas City Southern Railway.

I recently scored it on ebay and it came in the mail today!

 

[ericjohn]

This is the final [tubular] railroad issue flashlight I have in my collection. It is a Bright Star 575.

Technically this particular one I have here was never used by any railroads (I bought it at my local Motion Industries branch.) However I have seen this Bright Star model used by a Kansas City Southern engineer in a You Tube video and I have also read about it being used by railroad electricians.

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The Bright Star 575 was indeed used by railroads, but after watching the video of a Kansas City Southern locomotive cab ride again, I've determined that the flashlight in the video was a Rayovac and not a Bright Star...

 

[ericjohn]

So at first, I didn't include railroad lanterns, but now I am.

I was given this in 2012 by a retired CSX and BNSF train dispatcher.

Technically this was the first railroad flashlight I've owned.

It seems pretty rare and takes an exotic screw based bulb, an MMR-13K, but also has 3 LEDs.

The model number is 992-321-AG.

 

[ericjohn]

Earlier today, I scored a Norfolk Southern company issue Starlite 292 Lantern

I've been wanting one of these for a good while and now I have one.

This is the other side view:

Naturally, I cannot wait for it to come in the mail...

 

[ericjohn]

I scored this flashlight this past Sunday evening on eBay

It is a Bright Star #575 issue to the Chessie Seaboard Express (more commonly known as CSX Transportation.)

This is proof that the Bright Star #575 was indeed and possibly still is an official railroad issue flashlight.

This was probably used by locomotive engineers but also electricians, signal maintainers, reefer technicians or any railroad job that entails working on live electrical circuits.

I've owned these before and they are not that rugged, but they get the job done apparently and are easily replaceable...