Prototype question: Lantern transition from Kerosene to Electric..

[learmoia]

So I'm going though my railroad collection, and I have:
-- New York Central 'Justrite' Electric (9V) lantern. (Very similar to what is in common use today)
-- Penn Central 'Adlake'  Kerosene Lantern (red lens)
-- Then Conrail (Blue) 9v lantern.

I always thought the Penn Central was a reproduction, but I was reading today that PC did use Kerosene lanterns..

... Does anyone know how usage transitioned?

~Ian

[nkalanaga]

Probably as the old ones wore out.  Since kerosene is still sold, there's no need to get rid of them.  In a yard, electric would be fine, because batteries could be stockpiled in the yard office.  On rural branch lines, it might be easier to use kerosene, and keep a jug in the caboose.  It could be refilled in small towns that might not have sold railroad-style lantern batteries.

One of our local grocery stores, in a northeast Kentucky town of about 5000, with a small university, still sells kerosene lanterns, advertised as "essential for any household in case of a power failure".

[Missaberoad]

I know in Canada they were common up to at least the 1970s.

When were switch lanterns done away with? Was it the advent of scotchlite?

[nkalanaga]

Are we talking about "switch lanterns", to mount on switch stands, or "switchman's lanterns", to be carried by the crew member?  BY the 70s I didn't notice lanterns of any kind on most of the switch stands around Pasco, WA.  Those in the yard had lights, but the yard also had electric switches, and as far as I know the "lanterns" ran of the yard power.