is it an old railroad key? it's an odd one.

[GRAY GHOST]

hi all, here's an old brass key i found a few weeks ago in the old farm field i'd been hunting. handstamped, it says, "D.&H.C.CO." and on the other side has a brooklyn, ny. maker's mark [ can't make out the rest ] with another "S" handstamped. it's certainly an odd one. it's almost 2 and a half inches long. anybody have any ideas? thanks, and hh!

 

[Elton]

n/t

 

[BarberBill]

It's a neat find whatever it fit.
BB

 

[UWLocator]

D&HC Co. was the Delaware & Hudson Canal Co. first started around 1831 IIRC. They changed the name to Delaware & Hudson Co. in 1899 when they became strictly a railroad company. They started out building a canal. The key should have been made between 1831 and 1899 since it has the HC on it. It was most likely a strongbox key based on the size and shape.

BTW: The railroad collectors on eBay really go for things like that.

HH,
Rip

 

[Rick(ND)]

I also have one like it that has the GNRY (Great Northern Rail Road) and on the other side is stamped DL and a ND on it which is Devils Lake, North Dakota on it. These key were used on the locks to switch the tracks I am told with most used in the rail yards where they did a lot of switching. Now it is all done by automatic switches. Some of the top rail men carried these keys and could switch any of the locks of that RR as most were the same. I had found a old lock back in the 70s that was locked and rusty, but after sand blasting and soaking it in WD 40 I run into a old retied rail man and he had the key in his pocket and was able to open it for me. The Key I found would not though as the lock was a NP RR and the key was a GN RR.
I am told these bring $40-$50 to collectors, but I will keep mine as it is part of history of our great country.

 

[Beale]

That is a very cool find for sure! Good work, and hunt, Beale.

 

[echostar61]

It is an AWESOME FIND GG , Whatever it opened

Terri

 

[Larry (IL)]

That is a "Key" find Ghost, but do not put it on Ebay. They will delete your ad and still charge you for it. Ebay policy is that RR locks, keys and the like that is stamped is still property of the RR. Been there, unless they changed policy in the past year.

 

[ky keith]

that is a old railroad switch key. i have several of them accumulated from working over 30 years on the railroad

 

[Tseeker]

n/t