The Long Island Rail Road Company April 24, 1834 - 2018

Here you will find links to prototype photos, maps, charts and other related info for your 
railroading and modeling enjoyment. So come take a fan trip along the LIRR right-of-way! 

If you have found this website of value and would like to donate, via Paypal, 
to help maintain this site please send to: slynch@tampabay.rr.com   Thank you!
 

LIRR Expansion: 1836 - 1876  Maps Graphic

   Long Island Rail Road 1834 Charter
Archive: LIST-NRHS  - Sunrise Trail

      Oyster  Bay Branch by Dave Morrison
     Orders may be placed on Amazon.com

 
NYNJ Rail McAllister tug 6/17/2000 Photo: Brad McClelland TRAINS Magazine

Long Island Sunrise Trail (LIST) Chapter of the NRHS
LIST Calendars Gallery  1986 - 2017

Long Island Freight Rail at  

Philadelphia & Reading Railroad inter-line ticket Phila., PA to LIRR, Babylon c.1880's Usually the coupon is the transportation portion of a ticket and a stub refers to the agent’s stub and/or the part of the ticket kept by the passenger (on those tickets which had a passenger’s copy), neither of which have any value. Archive: Brad Phillips

LIRR M7 lights*

* Green - brakes released
Amber - brakes applied
White - Door Station Energized (Conductor key in panel to operate doors)
Red (flashing) - Parking Brake (Handbrake) applied
Blue - ATC (ASC - Automatic Speed Control) operative  
Info: Nick Kudreyko

Islip Freight Photos and Switching Info
 Mke McDermet 10/10/08

Jamaica Station
by Dave Morrison

 
Sunnyside Yard and Hell 
Gate Bridge by Dave Morrison

LIRR Logos

                                  What's New Last Updated: 09/13/2018 
                  

PAGE LINKS

Bob Emery's LIRR Branch Notes
Atlantic
Bay Ridge
Bushwick
Central
Evergreen
Far Rockaway
Hempstead
Long Beach
Main Line
Manhattan Beach
Montauk
North Shore Freight
Oyster Bay
Port Washington
Rockaway
Wading River
West Hempstead
Whitestone

Current Branch Info

LIRR Modeling
LIRR MODELER ARTICLES By Mike Boland

Map Archive

LIRR/NYA Customers 1997

LIRR Website Links

Email

Free counters provided by Andale

 
 Manhole cover in LIC, corner of
48th Ave. & Jackson Ave.
Photo: Bruce Carlson 10/23/1998

Note: Part of the "L" above is damaged. See Morris Park Shops for Al Castelli logo complete photo

Manhole cover Oyster Bay
Photo: Al Castelli 12/17/2006

Vintage Police Service #160 L.I.R.R. Co. Star Badge 


Back of badge showing provenance from "American Ry Supply, NY”, c. 1880's- 1890's (?).  Info: Dave Keller

CRR of LI passing Kissena Park 
1872 by A. Stewart
Station opened  6/1873
Research: Dave keller

Rail Road Anecdotes:

OPERATION LIFESAVER:
A Few Pointers from Your Friendly Neighborhood Locomotive Engineer 01/05/10

Book of Rules Joke 01/05/10
Rail Slang Story 06/21/11

2009 US Open Timetable
June 15th-21st
Bethpage, NY
Archive: Dave Keller

9/11 "Show of Force" 
Newsday 0912/2011

Howard Fogg: "The New York Express" at Fort Pond, NY heading for Penn Station, NY, c.1962
Commissioned by John Scala

Battery Car No.3 on S. Ocean Ave View SE Archive: Dave Keller
SUFFOLK TRACTION Co.

View the New York City's Railroad Station Eagles

Woodbury Station changed to Cold Spring 
General Order 90 10/15/1880

Jamaica to Belmont Park token - Dashing Dan 60s-70s 
Collection: Dave Keller

"Irving Trust Company, Agent Owner"
Trust plate LIRR P72 #2921 07/28/1962
Dave Keller Archive

Home -Trains Are Fun     
   Dave Keller's: LIRR   Photos and Recollections
   Rahway Valley RR 
NYA Railway
    LIRR Modeling

Locations:

Amagansett 5/02/10
Amityville 08/28/11
Aquebogue 01/30/09
Atlas Terminal 01/25/10
Babylon 03/07/08
Bayport 09/15/12
Bay Shore 02/28/08
Bellport 5/19/2018
Bethpage 05/31/10
Bliss Yard 02/20/10
Blue Point 09/06/15
Brentwood 04/26/10
Bridgehampton 3/25/17
Brookhaven Rail Terminal 05/22/12
Brooklyn Army Terminal 8/15/2018
Bush Terminal Railroad 8/15/2018
Calverton 05/21/12
Camp Upton 02/27/16
Center Moriches 12/27/13
Central Islip 11/18/2013
Chestnut St. Junction 05/23/14
Copiague 12/02/13
Corona 7/08/17
Cutchogue 7/05/2017
Degnon Terminal 02/20/10
Dunton Tower 08/10/2011
Dutch Kills/Kearny - Texas Oil 06/06/08
East Moriches 03/21/14
East New York 06/12/11
Eastport 07/07/09
Edgewood Hospital 9/18/2017
Farmingdale 8/3/10
Flatbush 12/18/12
Floral Park  12/12/12
Freeport 9/05/13
Fresh Pond Junction 01/25/10
Glendale 12/17/14
Grade Crossing Eliminations 07/27/09
Great River 01/14/08
Great River E. Islip Hist. Soc. 01/17/05
Greenport 09/20/09
Hell Gate Construction 07/18/12
Hicksville  08/10/09
Hillside 01/25/10
Holban 7/19/2018
Holtsville 7/22/13
Huntington 6/6/2016
Islip 05/31/10
Islip Freight and Switching 01/22/09
Huntington 3/20/16
Jamaica 03/25/11
Jamesport 7/30/2017
Kings Park 6/06/2016
Levittown Area, Central Branch 03/05/09
Lindenhurst 01/12/14
LI City Page 1  Page 2 4/15/10
LI City Arch Street Yard 8/11/2017
LI City Phelps-Dodge 02/06/07
LI City Wheelspur Yard 01/12/07
LI City Yard A 11/04/07
LI City Yard A Removal  08/10/2018
Locust Valley 05/14/12
Long Beach 8/19/13
Lynbrook 11/30/09
Maspeth 12/24/09
Massapequa 05/06/2017
Massapequa Park 05/06/2017
Mattituck  09/17/08
Medford 7/23/13
Mineola 01/05/2011
Mineola Modeling 12/07/2012
Mineola Nassau Tower 01/05/2011
Mineola Track Section House 07/02/2017
Montauk 9/20/10
Montauk Cutoff 02/20/10
Morris Park 4/15/10
Oakdale 10/18/16
Oyster Bay 01/20/09
Oyster Bay Turntable 08/01/08
Patchogue Page 1  Page 2  8/23/15
Peconic 7/20/13
Pilgrim State Hospital 9/02/13
Pinelawn - Republic Station 8/20/16
Port Jefferson 6/6/2016
Promised Land 4/08/2017
Quogue 3/23/2018
Race Tracks  7/08/13
Richmond Hill 11/28/16
Riverhead 06/21/09
Riverhead - RMLI 05/14/11
Rockville Centre Project 11/01/06
Ronkonkoma 04/18/09
Roslyn 12/12/12
Salisbury Plains 05/28/17
Sayville 7/23/06
Seaford 3/17/2018
Setauket 7/29/2014
Shoreham 2/25/2017
Smithtown 6/06/2016
Southampton 3/25/2017
Southold 6/14/2017
Speonk 03/13/2008
Stony Brook 6/06/2016
St. James 6/06/2016
Wantagh 5/17/2018
Water Mill 9/20/2017
Westhampton 8/10/2017
West Side Yard Penn Station 05/07/07
Wyandanch  10/30/2017
Yaphank 4/04/2018

Branch Info:

Atlantic Branch 4/16/2018
Bay Ridge Branch Update 11/30/09
Bushwick Freight Line 11/23/04
Central Branch 8/08/10
Central Extension 8/03/10
Creedmoor Branch 8/28/12
Emery LIRR Branch Info 06/07/05
Far Rockaway Branch 5/09/16
Hempstead Branch 07/01/08
Long Beach Branch 7/07/16
Manhattan Beach Branch 8/30/16
Manorville Branch 07/01/07
Oyster Bay Branch 03/06/14
Port Jefferson Branch 6/05/16
Port Washington Branch 02/10/10
Rockaway Beach Branch 05/21/13
Sag Harbor Branch 7/04/15
Springfield Branch 02/16/2012
Wading River Extension 01/14/07
West Hempstead Branch 01/06/14
Whitestone Branch 07/31/10

LIRR Historian Dave Keller Library:

Summer Ticket Clerk Memories 8/09/13
LIRR Button Evolution 08/28/12
LIRR Cap Badge Evolution 1/03/16
LIRR History of Train Orders 09/04/12
LIRR Supt of Transportation 09/16/06
LIRR Telegraphic Call Letters  8/03/2018
Photo Listings Main Page
Roster of C.I State Hospital Equipment  05/30/09
1970s LIRR Special Services  11/22/06
Bob Emery's LIRR Branch Info Updated 09/20/05
Camp Upton 2/02/2018
"How Collecting can be Stranger than Fiction" 02/01/09
Ira Baker LIRR Station Agent 09/30/2012
"Recollections of PD Tower"
Photo Vignettes of the LIRR
"Reminiscences as an Extra Ticket Clerk" 4/14/2010
"Reminiscences as an Extra Ticket Clerk Part 2" 06/24/05 
Scenes From the Past: Jakobson Shipyard, O. Bay 07/22/07
Skinner-Keller LIST Presentation 1971 10/01/2007
“Parlor Car East” by Oscar Brand, a jingle 07/07/09
LIRR Engineer John “Tanky” Bell, Jr. Tom Collins 09/21/06
LIRR Engineer “Patsy” Molese and the Budd Car Updated 03/18/06
LIRR First Days Ed Schleyer 09/04/08
"LIRR Reminiscences" J. P. Krzenski 01/21/05
"LIRR Steam Days at Southampton" J. P. Krzenski 01/21/05
"LIRR Steam Days at Southampton, Part II" J. P. Krzenski 01/21/05
LIRR Wooden Caboose No. 38  Raymond Robinson, Jr.01/02/07
"Southampton and James V. Osborne" J. P. Krzenski 01/21/05
The Station Pot-Bellied Stove George Ayling 06/15/05

Anecdotes:

Howie Waelder - LIRR Engineer 6/17/2018
Art Huneke Q&A Interview: LIRR Career 6/08/2018
Anecdotes - LIRR 7/11/2017
Extra Clerk Anecdotes Brad Phillips 9/26/2017 
Henry "Hank" Raudenush Anedotes 2/18/2016
"The Great People-Poop Wreck" Richard Glueck 12/11/15
The Sunnyside of Yesterday R. Glueck 12/24/10
Floundering About the LIRR R. Glueck 12/24/10
LIRR Recollections  Harry Glueck 11/06/08
The Wreck of The Shelter Island Express John Deasy 9/03/15
Flatbush and Pigeons Carl Englund 7/25/14
Jamaica Station Lockers Brad Phillips 6/13/14
Hurricane of 09/21/38 LIRR wreck Ray Robinson, Jr. 10/02/06
The Ozone Park Station Sign Story Brad Phillips 06/09/13
J.J. Earl - A Tribute  12/31/2012
The Night I Almost went into the Water Frank Zahn 06/30/12
1966 Was A Time of Change on the Railroad  Gene Collora 06/30/12
A Uniform, A Ticket, A $20 Bill, And The Last Cab Kennedy 01/13/09
Drop of a Tank Car Ed Schleyer 11/06/08
FM vs ALCO Locos? Ed Schleyer 11/06/08
Unverified Stories Ed Schleyer 11/11/08
Waves of White Ed Schleyer 11/06/08
Crossing Guard, the Oil truck, and the Coffee Ed Schleyer 11/06/08
Mexican Labor Camp & the Remittance Train Ed Schleyer 12/19/08
Track Gang 1953 Ed Schleyer 09/04/08
Snow Train from Hell Schleyer 09/04/08
Hiring On the LIRR  Ed Schleyer 08/31/08
NE Blackout 1965 Ed Schleyer 08/31/08
Dog Day Commute Ed Schleyer 08/31/08
Easthampton Wreck Ed Schleyer 08/31/08
Gould's Feed "Pay Up" G. Ayling 08/12/08
J.J. Earl Anecdotes by J.J. Earl 08/01/08
The Engineer and the Kid: Two Cab Rides, 44 Years Apart by Mark Smith & Art Single 08/01/08
1st Recollections of the LIRR 11/15/07
Skinner-Keller LIST Anecdote 10/2007
Ernie Murphy Anecdotes 09/12/2007
Jakobson Shipyard, OBay 08/05/07 
Belmont Race Track Trains  M. Smith 
The Last Steam Trip  by Mark Smith
On the "Scoot"  by Mark Smith
In the Hole by Mark Smith
Joe Hagan Anecdotes 03/31/07
History of Ardsley Truetrack: 12/10/06 
LI Reminiscences  Krzenski 07/23/06
Climbing Mt. Olivet 07/08/05 M. Smith 
Island Park Switching  11/23/04 
The Cannonball 11/10/04 V. Seyfried
Picking up Your Engine by M. Smith
Engineer to Fireman by Mark Smith
Nearing Promotion by Mark Smith
Freight Donkeys by Mark Smith
Engineer-for-a-Day Program M. Smith
Moving Coal by Prayer  M. Smith
Port Jeff Freight Memories P. Boylan
Recollections of PD Tower D. Keller
Woodside Memories Jack Murphy 01/05/10
More Woodside Memories Dick Makse
Walkin' the Tracks Steve Lynch

"LONG ISLAND EQUIPMENT TRUST SERIES K FIDELITY PHILADELPHIA TRUST CO AND M.S. ALTEMOSE TRUSTEES OWNERS AND LESSORS"     3' x 8" Trust Plate LIRR 

"METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE CO., OWNER AS ASSIGNEE OF PULLMAN-STANDARD CAR MF'G CO.
MANUFACTURER AND PRIOR OWNER"
Photo: George E. Votava, Archive: Dave Keller 

        
2-8-0 Class H10s ALCO Builder Plate PRR #9742 Built: 6/1916, The LIRR acquired this engine from the PRR 1928-30

Rosters:

ACF (American Car & Foundry) Orders 7/04/2018
Alco C420 Roster/Photos 11/30/09
Bobber Caboose Roster 11/30/10
Caboose Rosters 11/30/10
Diesel, Pass & Diesel Hauled Equipment 1980 1/22/2017
Diesel, Pass & MU Roster 1963 Sy Reich 1/22/2017
Diesel Roster Photo History 05/30/09
Doubledecker Roster 01/12/09
Early Electric Engines 09/30/14
Engine Roster 1949 11/25/04
Engine Roster 1978 12/04/07
FA Units 04/15/09
FM C-Liners Roster 10/29/11
FM H16-44 Roster 01/02/2014
GE 44 Tonner 6/13/16
GP-38 Engine Roster 11/30/2018
History of LIRR N52 Cabin Cars 11/06
Maritime Roster 11/17/2014
Modernization Numbers 10/11/09
MOW Roster 10/20/08
MOW Sandite Alcohol Cars 10/07/06
MP15AC Roster 11/01/07
Official Railway Equipment Register 08/10/16
Ore Cars 07/01/07
Parlor Cars by Jack Deasy 8/16/16
Passenger Photo History 02/14/13
Passenger Trains & Rosters 6/17/14
P72 & P75 Roster 8/22/10
Remembrances of N52 Cabin Cars 11/06/10 
RS1-3 Engine Roster 07/07/09
S1 & S2 Engine Roster c.1952  07/07/09
Scrapped Loco #1-323 Roster 12/05/10
Steel Coaches & Electric M.U. 06/16/14 
Steam Roster 1901-1955 12/13/04
SW1001 Roster 11/01/07

LIRR Data Info:

1916 LIRR ICC Report 12/5/10
1926 Rule Book - Signal Aspects 2/11/15
1954 Goodfellow Pamphlet 09/17/08
75th Anniversary - 1910
100th Anniversary -1934
125th Anniversary - 1959 6/23/16
150th Anniverary - 1984 6/24/16
1845 Stockholder's Report
175th Anniversary Tour - 2009
1965 Parking Study Part 1 06/01/09
1965 Parking Study Part 2 06/01/09
Bibliography 07/16/2008
Car Load Reports 10/28/16
Celebrating 75 Years  04/22/1910
Crew Assignments 1991 5/18/07
CR4 1913 LIRR List of Stations and Sidings
CR4 1919 Stations & Sidings Suffolk
CR4 1924 Stations & Sidings Suffolk
CR4 Modified 9/01/1944
Diagrams 10/25/06
Early Diesels of the Sunrise Trail 11/8/11
Emery - Track Map Symbols 12/07/15
Expansion Maps 07/07/06
EXTRA List  4/30/10
General Notices 9/07/2018
Hack #12 Diagram/Photos 09/13/09
Hack #14 Restoration/Diagrams/Photos 08/28/10
Hack #60 Diagram/Photos 08/23/09
Historic LIRR by Mike Boland 9/15/2017
Jordan Spreaders 5/28/2014
LI City Freight Articles Nick Kalis 4/05/10
LIRR Hstorical Data References 07/12/07
LIRR Hospital Car 11/30/12
LIRR Miscellaneous Data Sheet by Dave Keller 7/30/2018
LIST Semaphore Articles 04/01/09
Main Line Double Track Project 2018 by Jeff Erlitz 6/08/2018
Marine Operations 06/17/07
Montauk Branch - Babylon to Patchogue Indian Named Locations 6/17/2018
Montauk Division Road Crossings 1908
N52A Caboose Info 10/15/09
Named Trains 06/18/15
Native American LIRR Names 09/10/14
RS1-3 Spotting Features 12/01/07
Sayville END CP Sign 01/04/08
Scheduled Freight Service 10/28/16
Station History  Dave Keller 3/22/2018
Station Name Changes 02/07/09
Steam #35 and #39 1/02/17
Patchogue Crew Messages 02/06/05
Timetable Employee- May 2012  2/11/15
Track Capacity Maps 1962 10/12/15
Track Maps  03/15/08
Track Names  12/14/061

Additional LIRR and Other Railroad Info:

Baggage Tags 01/25/08
BEDT Listings/Photos Updated 04/25/07
BEDT website link 07/10/06
Clerk Employee Handbook 1963 5/14/18
Commuter's Handbook 1971
Cross Bay Freight Tunnel 1936 Study 10/14/15
History of the LIRR 1925 Part I: Felix E. Reifschneider 6/16/16
History of the LIRR 1925 Part II: Reifschneider 6/16/16
Huntington Railroad - Trolley Line 8/09/2018
LI Historical Journal 01/12/08
LIRR Cartoons 8/5/12
LIRR - Trains Magazine: March, 1949  9/19/16 
LIRR RPO and Stamp Covers
Long Island Railroader magazine 1/02/2017
Modernization of the Long Island Rail Road Derek Stadler 6/12/16
NY Cross Harbor RR 06/06/08
Passes/Tickets 03/20/08
Penn Station Opens and the LIRR 2/07/15 
PRR Station Eagle Booklet 08/21/07
RR Mergers List 2010 7/31/10
Slang Usage 4/15/2008
Stations Closed/Removed/ Replaced 05/24/07
Station Colors 005/26/07
The East Wind Special: George Chiasson, Jr.
1. The Evolution of Penn Station and Opening for the LIRR  10/23/16
2. LIRR The Rockaways, Rapid Transit, and Early Electrification  10/23/16
3. The Long Island Rail Road Suburban Colussus, Continued  10/23/16
4. The Main Line of Liberty - From the Statue to the Bell 7/04/2018
5. From Aspiration to Reality - PRR System by 1910  7/04/2018
The LIRR: Part 1: Vincent F. Seyfried 02/05/08
The LIRR: Part 2: Vincent F. Seyfried 10/06/16
The LIRR: Part 3: Vincent F. Seyfried 11//08/17
The LIRR: Part 4: Vincent F. Seyfried 11//08/17
The LIRR: Part 5: Vincent F. Seyfried 11//08/17
The LIRR: Part 6: Vincent F. Seyfried 11//08/17
The LIRR: Part 7: Vincent F. Seyfried 11//08/17
The Term: Caboose 11/07/09  
Vanity Auto Plates 12/02/07

LIRR Photo History: 

19th Century LIRR 10/17/12
1970's LIRR 04/24/11
Amer. Ry Exp-REA Badge Styles 08/08/11
Block Station & Block Limit Signals 5/20/17
Bogies  04/04/2013
BRILL Gas Cars
Budd RDC's 12/07/06
Cannonball 05/04/07
Circus 1/22/2018
Early Locos 19th Century 6/20/14
Equipment Development 01/22/07
End of Steam 9/25/17
Fan Trips/Maps 08/01/14
First Train from Penn Station 9/21/14
Fishing and the LIRR 8/11/15
Gas Turbine Cars 10/02/2012
GTE-1 Gas Turbine 9/06/2018
Hooping Orders 12/18/08
Leased Units 11/16/08
Morris Park Tour 2009 12/04/09
Native American Named Locations - Babylon to Patchogue 6/16/18
Newspaper Delivery 7/24/14
"Unique Long Island" 1898 Pamphlet 11/24/2017 
Patchogue Signals 6/03/10
PD Tower Gone Patchogue 6/03/10
Railway Post Office (RPO) Service 02/28/13
Road n' Rail 7/30/12  
Ronkonkoma Electrification 04/18/09
Scoot: Patchogue-Babylon 8/05/2018
Scoots and Shuttles 03/29/11
Section Houses 7/17/14
Shanties 04/30/2012
Shelters 07/23/13
Signal History 07/24/11
South Side RR - Suffolk County 1867-1880 06/12/12
Steam Engines  #35 and #39 01/07/17
Sunrise Special 5/12/15
Tenders 5/27/15
Towers 7/16/12
Tichy Logo Scheme (1949-1955) 5/22/14
Train Orders 5/15/2017
Trestles/ Bridges/ Viaducts 07/30/08
Trolley Memories 02/01/08
Turntables  08/10/09
Water Tanks 7/23/13
Winter Shots 3/20/11
Wrecks 10/20/08
Wyes  10/10/08

LIRR Photo Topic Collections:

1939 & 1964 NY World's Fair 02/28/13
Artwork 12/16/2017
B40 Baggage Cars 01/07/17
Baggage Cars 11/30/09
Bar Generator Cars 9/15/16
Bare Bones Buildings 9/28/16
Before & After 03/18/11
Bernie Ente Photos 04/08/11
Budd M1's 8/31/14
Christmas 12/17/2010
Customers Logos/Signs 03/12/08
Dashing Dan 07/04/09
Diesel Horns 06/26/09
Drumheads 08/01/09
Excursion Tickets 6/15/2014
Express/Baggage Houses 08/08/11
Fall Foliage 10/27/09
Featured Photos 12/12/07
Freight Stations 04/15/09
Heritage Cars  04/17/07
Horses & Mule Power 10/05/10
LIST Calendars Collection 11/30/09
Loco Cab Photos  11/30/09
Logos 05/28/08
Mile-A-Minute-Murphy 7/06/15
Mileposts 05/28/08
Named Diesels 04/15/09
Night Photos 4/01/14
Norman Kohl - Photographer 7/3/2017
Odds & Ends Page 1  Page 2 9/27/15
Paperwork 3/22/11
Passenger Car Interiors 9/05/15
Pass Car Paint Schemes 08/03/07
Pass Train Photos 03/25/11
PD Tower Gone 05/04/07
Ping Pong Cars 06/21/09
Reproduction Paperwork 9/30/16
RMLI Calendar Collection 12/21/2010
Signals Photos 11/30/09
Signs 05/01/08
Smokin' It Up 12/21/16
Station Interiors 10/20/16
Stations 08/31/10
Stock Certificates 11/07/2015
Three Engines Photos 09/16/08
Timetables 11/05/14
Trackside Business'  06/22/09
Trip Passes 10/26/15
Tugs 06/26/09
Tuscarora Club Parlor Car 11/30/09
Workers 01/09/2010

Agent's Keys, Speonk, NY LIRR
Keys and I.D.  tag courtesy of Tom Collins, 
Dave Keller archive

The two long keys ^(1,2) are somewhat different versions of the old "coach key" used to (literally) lock up the end storm doors of the Pullman-Standard Coaches (2700, 2800 & 2900's)...all used the same ones.

The flat key is an old locker key⁽⁶⁾ from the Agents Office to keep "his" stuff, and two of the shorter hollow barrel keys are signal keys. ^(4,7)

The other flat key, (not the old Ford ignition key ⁽³⁾ , with less "teeth" to it is for an old Miller (Mfgr) 6 or 8 lever lock⁽⁵⁾ with a "push" key⁽⁸⁾, used for signal or other general purpose locks...possibly with baggage use (as in literally lock up the baggage or freight packages...in a shed or room for that specific purpose).  The tag⁽⁹⁾ is great.   Info: Robert Myers

LIRR G5s #28 4-6-0 Builders Plate #3978 built 02/1925 from Juniata Shops at Altoona, PA.  Weighs 5 lb 5 oz measuring 11 5/8 X 7 3/8" from the collection of the late Ed Conklin III