Dietz Vestas: The Final O&W Lantern
Dietz Vestas: The Final O&W Lantern
The R.E. Dietz Company has made many models of lanterns over the past century and beyond. There has been a lantern model made for just about every conceivable use. The famous Dietz name can be found on many lantern types, such as Barn, Mill, Traffic, Police, Fire, Maritime, and of course, Railroad. Let us now take a look at the last kerosene lantern to be used on the O&W.
The Dietz Vesta lantern represented a kerosene lantern that was both radical in appearance and design. It did not look like anything previously made, be it a wire bottom, or bell bottom tall globe lantern. It was probably the result of a more economically made lantern, and it did incorporate a new idea that resulted in a brighter flame. Unlike the tall globe lanterns, this lantern had a tubular design, in that, part of the lantern frame had two large tubes on opposite sides from one another. These tubes are approximately ¾” wide, and connect from the sides of the smoke cap in the lid, to the base of the lantern near the flame. Dietz must have experimented and came to the knowledge that the warmer the air, the brighter the flame. Therefore, the purpose of the tubes in this design was to recirculate the warmer air given off by the flame back to the base and vents that surrounded the flame. The incoming fresh air through these vent holes would be warmed by this recirculated air, and thus provided for a brighter flame. All this being achieved with a wick that was narrower than the wicks used in the tall lanterns. Using kerosene, the increase in brightness from the tall lantern to the Vesta was from 1 to 3 candle watt power. This proved to be invaluable, as the standard distance for the ability to see the light of a lantern at night was 1200 feet. The use of kerosene as fuel was also an improvement as it was lighter than signal oil, thus giving it a better viscosity for use in colder temperatures.
For the most part, the vast majority of Vestas produced incorporated a wire bottom, and used 4 & ¼” tall globes. However, a bell bottom version is known to exist in other railroads, but they are not nearly as common. The bell bottom of this variety also served as the fuel pot. This variety had a different top on the smoke cap, and also used a taller, 5 & 3/8” globe, which is a throwback to the tall lanterns. Two of these varieties do exist in a fellow collector’s collection. One of these two is marked for the DL&W railroad. The other is marked for the O&W, but the letters of the railroad are stamped into the lid, as opposed to having the raised letters the Vestas would come to have. This suggests that this particular lantern was “shop marked” by the O&W, and not necessarily part of an order of lanterns by the O&W.
The first version of ordered Vestas by the O&W is the “tall” version. They stood approximately 11 & ½” tall, without the bail, and featured 6 wires attached to a heavy wire ring that made up the base on which this lantern stood. For extra support, two additional wires were attached to each tube, and angled down to the ring for additional support. This early version is affectionately, and unofficially known as the “extra wire” tall Vesta. The patent dates on this lantern were from the years 1907, 1909 & 1910. The fuel pots of the Vestas dropped down with a short turn, as these pots were secured to the lantern frame with the use of two tabs on the pot engaging slots on the frame. The pots on the tall versions were deeper, and had a higher capacity for fuel than the short versions that were yet to come. The burners and wick turners were attached to the fuel pot, and the wick turner dial would slide through a slot in the lantern frame when the pot was detached from the lantern. A brass, flat wire with thumb latch and notch was attached to the lantern itself, and was used to lock the pot in place after being attached.
The next change in the tall version of the Vesta did away with those two angled support wires attached to the tubes, and the main support wire that was between them, and replaced them with a single, flat wire. This proved to give adequate support, while drastically reducing the amount of wiring that was used, thus proving to be more economical in production. Also evident in the later tall Vestas was the beefing up of the cylinder section of the lantern that the globe rested on. It seems that a lip was added around this part of the lantern for more support. The globe was held into place by a spring and retainer ring located in the smoke cap. It may have been found that over time, the base where the globe rested may have weakened in some way from the constant pressure of having the lid locked. It also may have been added to accept the extended base globes. These lanterns, as with the short ones, were stamped with a service date, indicating when a particular lantern was put into service. This date featured the month and year of the beginning of service, preceded by a capital S. Typically, the date would look something like this: S-3-23. The O&W used these in service from 1921 to 1924. None of these tall Vestas had a locking device for the bail, which made it difficult to motion signals to other trainmen.
In 1925, the short version of the Dietz Vesta made its way onto the O&W. The short versions stood approximately 9 & ½” tall, and used a shorter fuel pot of less capacity. My earliest one, with an “S” date of 3-25, does not have vent holes around the collar of the lantern where the globe sits. All other later short ones have the vent holes as did the tall ones. In 1926, a change was made, in that an additional wire in the shape of a “V” was attached to one of the vent tubes. This “V” wire was attached to both sides of the tube, and was designed to flip up, and surround the bail wire, thus locking the bail in place, making it rigid for use in signaling. The wire could then be folded down, out of the way, thus freeing the bail so that it too may be folded down and out of the way. Surprisingly, the patent dates on these models were the same as the tall ones.
The “V” wire locking attachment was short lived, as my next lantern, with an “S” date of 1-27 no longer had it. In its place was the reconfiguration of the tops of the tubes where the bails were attached. It seems that Dietz added more tin to this area and curved the half tube section more severely to accept a bail (handle) that was now sprung in a sense. The bail now had some tension to it, and would spring into the tops of the tube attachments when placed in the upright position. This again allowed the trainman to give motions for signals without the lantern flipping and flopping about. At some point, unknown to me, the fuel pot changed, in that it now was constructed of corrugated tin, replacing the smooth tin used in the tall and early shorts forms of the lantern.
The Dietz Vesta continued to be produced without much change, although later patent dates for the years 1920, 1927 & 1928 would now be stamped on the lids of those lanterns entered into service on the O&W from the 1930’s through the 1950’s. I believe the latest year of O&W service stamped into the lid of a Vesta is 1955. My latest one is from the year 1954. One change worthy of mention took place between 1936 and 1941. The brass locking tab used to lock the pot in place was replaced with a heavy wire with a hooked end to grab the tab of the fuel pot. This wire is thinner, but similar to type of wire that was used to protect the globe.
One standard feature on all of the models of the Vesta is the presence of one horizontal and four vertical wires that protected the globe from breakage. The globes that were used featured the Dietz name and logo in different varieties, and the O&W did order marked ones in earlier times. These globes were etched, as opposed to being cast with raised lettering. Two variations are known to exist. The first showing the full marks of the railroad, N.Y.O.&W. Ry., and the other, abbreviated version with just N.Y.O.&W. All colors, including clear, red, green, amber & blue are represented in various collections. The shapes of the globes would also vary and include the pear and barrel shapes.
The Dietz Vesta lantern has proven to be a popular and well made railroad lantern, as it has been produced and used throughout most of the 20th Century. It continues to be manufactured in China, and is still available for purchase, as the patent was eventually sold to a company there.
